I was trying to think of something to blog about – as an MPLA staff member, I should contribute more to MPLA 2.0 than I do. I thought I’d share an interesting story from the conference last week – a story you likely only heard about if you were at the president’s suite party that night, or the Business meeting the next day.

I was VERY honored to be nominated and selected the recipient of the 2009 Carl Gaumer Library Champion Award. Heck, I’m still stunned about this award two months after learning I’d won. To be recognized by the Association is certainly one of the high points of my career! Attending the Awards Banquet is part of the process of winning the award. Those who know me know I never attend the Award Banquet (partly because I’m too cheap to pay for it.) So, I wasn’t exactly sure what was expected of me, as an award winner. MPLA Awards Committee Chair pretty much told me “Dan, you’re going to go to the awards banquet and you’re going to sit there and let them tell nice things about you!”  So, I said “*gulp* okay.”

Before the awards ceremony, I changed into a sport coat, dress shirt and sweater (as a former catholic school student many years ago, ties to this day make me nervous and uncomfortable, largely due to the amount of time I tended to spend in Sister Peter Damien’s  office – but I digress…) I arrived at the Awards Banquet early, completely clueless of what I might say if offered the opportunity to speak. Someone had told me I had 2-3 minutes to speak at the banquet. Even that was a struggle for me. I’m an instruction librarian by profession, so speaking extemporaneously is a skill I have, but speaking about myself? Not so much.

I was seated at the “front” table with two honking large speakers pointed almost right at me. I had my camera with me, as I planned to take photos at the banquet (see, as Webmaster, when I go to conference, I usually am working all the time – taking photos, etc.) This was no exception. So, I was snapping photos of colleagues, friends, etc. Eventually, I was pouring iced tea for the others seated at my table – as there was no one else doing it. Basically, I just kind of felt like I had to work (no one expected me to – it was my way of battling nerves and making myself feel like I was doing something to justify winning the award – although my award nomination letters attested to what I’d done to deserve the award.)

After dinner, the award presentation ceremony commenced with the MPLA winners. Of course, I’d been taking photos up to that point, so the emcee made me put my camera down. We stood before the crowd waiting to be recognized. Of course, I was experiencing a heightened case of nerves (although I don’t know why – I was surrounded by my MPLA friends…) I realized that there weren’t many people taking photos, so I grabbed my camera and jumped back into the crowd to take some more photos of the presentations – I wanted to make sure we had plenty of good photos to pick from for the Newsletter and website. (I can be a little OCD.)

Eventually, it was my turn to be recognized, so I passed my camera off to my friend and award nominator Carol Hammond (thanks for taking photos of me, Carol!) The emcee read a (seemingly eternally) long list of my MPLA accomplishments. I was honored. But, this is probably hard for my friends to believe (and for those who have served with me on the Executive Board, it’s probably impossible to believe) but I’m a pretty humble dude. As MPLA Webmaster, it’s my pleasure to serve – it’s an avenue to contribute my skills, it’s fun (it’s certainly not work) – it’s my way of giving back to an association that has given so much to me in the 13 years I’ve been a member. To me, it’s just what I do. I’m rambling now, I know.

I swear I heard Rob Banks, MPLA President whisper to me “Breathe, Dan, breathe.” It was not hard to listen to, it was an honor. But, I’m pretty sure I was blushing, and I don’t blush easily. When my award presentation  was over, I took a deep breath and grabbed my camera and went back to work taking photos. But, man, that award presentation  was freaking awesome!

By 9pm, the musical entertainment was ending, and the banquet was over. I packed up my camera, grabbed my sport coat and waited just a moment before headed out. I took the opportunity to shake Mr. Coldsmith’s hand and wish him good luck. Then, I was gone. After all, Rob was opening the president’s suite up for a party afterwards.

I changed into shorts and a tshirt and headed to Rob’s suite. As I walked across the hall to his room (yes, I literally was across the hall from the president’s suite – how did the Hyatt know???) I suddenly wondered what I had done with my award plaque. Did I bring it with me after the award banquet? You know, I couldn’t remember. 10 seconds later, just as I opened the door to the suite, I realized “$#^&, I think I left my award on the table in the banquet hall!” I walked into Rob’s suite and he asked how it was going and I muttered that I was pretty sure I’d left my award behind. I’m relatively sure I had a stupid grin of disbelief on my face. Eileen, I think, laughed. Mary Ann Thompson wandered in about this time and congratulated me. I told her I had to run down to the hall and see if the award was still there. Mary Ann is so nice, she told me to stay and enjoy the party, she’d run after it. She came back a few minutes later saying that a mutual friend had told her that the award was in the possession of someone else who would bring it to the party a little later. I thought “whew! I am an idiot!” But someone – I didn’t know who – had my award,  and they were bailing me out.

By about 11pm, the party was ending (which really, people, is embarrassing. 11pm? It wasn’t that long ago when former MPLA President Sharon Osenga was telling me at 2am to make sure the door was locked when I leave  – she was going to bed!) My award hadn’t shown up, and I had no idea who had it. And I’d spent three hours being teased about forgetting it. And I’d spend three hours blushing and apologizing for my idiocy, and hoping it would appear. Only *I* could receive an important MPLA Award and leave the thing behind. I’m blaming it on me just not being used to attending awards ceremonies… yeah, that’s the ticket. And, I’m an idiot. :)

So, by 11pm or so, I was headed back to my room, wondering where the award was. And I was genuinely worried that I had lost this thing for good. I didn’t sleep particularly well that night – lots of tossing and turning. I’d not had much to drink at the party – maybe one beer. I was worried and kicking myself pretty much all night.

Next morning, there was a 9am MPLA Business Meeting which I was off to take photos at. I wandered in about 5 minutes late and seated myself next to Eileen Wright. She leaned over and whispered to me “Did you ever find your award?” I shook my head and told her it would serve me right for being an idiot if I had lost it. She told me she hadn’t seen it either. Rob presented some certificates to committee chairs and other folks. I was, of course, taking photos of it all.

Then, he said “And now, we have the rare opportunity to re-present an award which was originally presented last night at the awards banquet…” My reaction? A stupid smirk, and I crouched down on my knees, because I was the idiot. As I mentioned, I don’t blush often, but I’d blushed more in that 12 hour period to make up for it. I received my award once more and immediately set it in my camera bag, showing that there was no way I’d leave it behind again!

I knew I deserved all the ribbing I got. I knew I deserved to be embarassed (albeit, it was not Rob’s intent to embarrass me – he’s too good a guy for that!) I had it coming because I am quite sure I will be the only MPLA award winner to receive an important honor and immediately lose it. I am also quite sure that I will never hear the end of it. In fact, I’m sure, given my self deprecating sense of humor, I’ll be the one to remind people next year in Oklahoma City that I’m the biggest idiot.

I can laugh about it now, but for about 12 hours there, I was quite nervous.

My thanks for former MPLA President (and my award nominator) Carol Hammond for picking my award up. You’ve saved my life again, Carol! Thank you!

There – just a story I wanted to share with you all. Again, my thanks to MPLA for having me as the Carl Gaumer Library Champion Award winner for 2009. I’m deeply honored.