Camp RIO: More Than Just Another Conference

Written by Eric Bradley and Ruth Szpunar, Information Fluency Coordinators

For a small group of librarians, summer means packing a duffel bag and heading to the great outdoors to enjoy mother nature and build lasting relationships.

On July 19th and 20th, 2018, 20 librarians gathered together for Camp RIO 2018–a two day camp adventure. Camp RIO is a professional development opportunity for Reference, Instruction, and Outreach librarians involved in the Private Academic Library Network of Indiana (PALNI). Camp RIO is similar to a conference, with focused sessions and content, but yet different, held in a relaxed rural location, with time to reflect in nature and connect with colleagues.  

Camp RIO 2018 was held at Waycross Conference Center, located on 400 acres south of Indianapolis, Indiana. The theme was Intentional Teaching, and each session walked attendees through teaching strategies for librarians, usable both for one class session or during an entire semester. Susan Adams, Associate Professor for Middle/Secondary Education at Butler University was the guest speaker for the event, offering attendees practical and helpful advice for becoming intentional teachers. Along with Susan, the RIO Coordinators and Steering Committee led the workshop sessions. Other PALNI librarians offered a wide range of camping activities, such as crafts, hiking, and a book club discussion.

At a fraction of the cost of traditional conferences, Camp RIO combines the best of professional development with the fun and relaxation of camp.