Greetings medical librarians! I'm your blog corresspondent for the exhibit hall and in this post will share a behind-the-scenes look at the setup involved with the exhibit hall.
As lead medical research librarian for a point-of-care product, I helped my employer transport heavy display monitors and boxes of takeaways over the border (including hundreds of cookies), unload the equipment, store it with the hotel valet, transport it to the exhibit hall, and then assist with unpacking and setting up the booth. For attendees who had the privelege of walking through the exhibit hall, what did you think of all of the impressive banners, display monitors, tables, and equipment used by vendors to share their products with attendees?
It's quite a production to set up for these shows and get the equipment and monitors working. Many large vendors contract out local companies to assist with setup, in addition to the conference hall employees, who all team up to help set up a booth. Or some of the smaller vendors have very basic booths with informational packets and one banner, and many are somewhere in between. Before the opening reception began, the exhibit hall was buzzing with construction workers, AV technicians, conventer center workers, exhibitors, forklifts and other construction vehicles that I can not even name!
As attendees flooded in to the opening reception on Saturday night, it was very exciting to see the transition from a stark hall into a buzzing hall filled with blinking monitors, colorful banners, plush carpet, tables filled with food and drink, flashy takeaways, and educational materials from the exhibitors. However glamorous all of the objects are, it's the people, both attendees and exhibitors, filled with smiling faces and inquisitive minds, that transform the opening reception and exhibit hall into a wonderful event space.
Photo 1: Workers running cables and laying carpet merely hours before the opening reception
Photo 2: A look at all of the boxed up display monitors, educational materials, banners, and takeaways for a small exhibit booth.
Photo 3: After! The booth in photo 2 after contractors delivered and a 72-inch monitor and everything was unpacked and set up.
Photo 4: The Wolters Kluwer prize wheel drew a large crowd at the opening reception.
