FAQ

Why are you doing a conference at sea?

The Library Collective turned 10 in 2024, and we celebrated by pushing boundaries—taking our conference into the world and proving that professional development can be reimagined. That experiment reminded us of something essential: the future of learning in libraries must be more than presentations and panels. It should cultivate creativity, resilience, and community. It should invite us to experience joy alongside growth, play alongside discovery.

Looking ahead, we’re exploring new ways to bring that vision to life. A conference at sea is one step—a chance to blend meaningful learning with adventure, connection, and fun—but it’s only the beginning. The future of The Library Collective will continue to embrace the unexpected, creating spaces where library workers can learn, thrive, and imagine together in bold new ways.

What are the dates of the event?

Saturday, May 2, 2026 to Thursday, May 7, 2026.

What Cruise Line and ship are you using?

We’re sailing on Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas.

Where are you sailing from?

We’re sailing out of the Port of Galveston.

What’s the itinerary?

We’ll be departing May 2, 2026 from Galveston, Texas for 5 nights with stops in Costa Maya, Mexico and Cozumel, Mexico. We’ll hold conference sessions during the day while at sea with nights and visits to ports reserved for building connections, exploring, having fun, and recharging.

how do i get to galveston?

Getting to Galveston is a breeze! Fly into Houston (IAH or Hobby), then hop on a shuttle, rideshare, or rental car for the quick coast-bound drive. Driving yourself? Just aim south until you hit the Gulf—follow I-45 straight to the island and you can’t miss it. And if you’d rather let someone else do the steering, our Travel Partner, Michelle Keenan (352-750-6970), can help line up smooth, no-stress ground transfers through Royal Caribbean.

Can I bring a guest or My family?

You sure can! We’d love for you to bring along your spouse, partner, best friend, family, parents, and anyone else you think would enjoy the experience. And, unlike some other conferences, anyone you bring won’t have any issues finding plenty of fun and safe things to do while you’re attending sessions.

I'M TRAVELING SOLO. CAN YOU HELP ME FIND A CABINMATE?

Yes, our travel partner is available to assist with helping to find a cabinmate for the cruise. Please contact Michelle Keenan at 352-750-6970 for assistance.

Do you have any tips for those who might want to attend but are worried about institutional support to do so?

Why yes, we do! We created an informational one-sheet that you can download here. And while a conference at sea may be new for libraries, many industries have chosen to have conferences at sea because:

• THEY’RE NO DIFFERENT THAN LAND BASED CONFERENCES - A cruise conference is no different than a land based conference in Chicago, Las Vegas, Orlando, Washington DC or San Diego. All these locations, as well as a cruise, provide opportunities to explore after the conference sessions. Simply put, you are going to a conference based out of a port and your hotel (ship) just happens to be moving!

• THEY’RE MORE EQUITABLE - All attendees have access to the same world class amenities, food, and entertainment options while onboard. Difficult choices about the quality of lodging or cost of meals don’t need to be made. Everyone has access to safe, well appointed cabins and plenty of dining options that cater to a wide variety of palettes and nutritional needs. Furthermore, cruise ships take entertainment seriously and offer free access to plenty of shows, recreational facilities, and activities for everyone to enjoy. You don’t need to be a “cool kid”, have the vendor hook up, or even spend a dime to enjoy yourself onboard.    

• LESS DISTRACTIONS ON A CRUISE CONFERENCE THAN A LAND BASED CONFERENCE - Unlike a land based conference where you can skip anytime, walk out of the conference hotel and go explore, on a cruise conference all sessions are held while at sea. You aren’t going to just walk off the ship to explore. You will have fewer distractions while sessions are taking place during a cruise conference.

• DEDICATED CONFERENCE AREA - Just like a land-based conference, there are dedicated conference rooms and spaces segmented off to ensure a focused learning environment.

• THEY’RE MORE AFFORDABLE - Since prices are all-inclusive including registration, meals, lodging, taxes, and pre-paid gratuities they are more cost effective when compared to the average cost of land based conferences. Compare for yourself:

What steps are you taking around health and safety? 

We take the health and safety of our attendees very seriously. We selected our travel partner, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, in large part because of their own commitment to the health and safety of their crew and guests. Specific steps Royal Caribbean takes includes:

• COVID vaccines required for all crew members.

• COVID testing available on board the ship.

• Continuous Air Changes: The incoming air supply is from the ocean, and it is filtered multiple times to remove particles. Outside air is continuously pulled in as the existing air indoors is exhausted on the opposite side of the ship;.

• Dedicated care zones on their ships to help manage the spread of infectious diseases:

• Shipboard security guards wear body cameras for the protection of guests and crew. 

• All non-supervised third parties offering shore excursions to guests must carry insurance and meet local licensing requirements, as well as the safety and security requirements of Royal Caribbean's Shore Excursion program.

• Royal Caribbean takes serious measures to ensure everyone on board their ships are prepared for an emergency.

What about the environmental impact of cruises?

We specifically chose Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines as our travel partner and chose to sail out of the Port of Miami because of their commitment to the environment which includes the following initiatives:

• DESTINATION NET ZERO EMISIONS BY 2050

  • In 2020 reaching their goal of reducing annual GHG emissions by 35%;

  • Working to modernize their global fleet with the introduction of new energy-efficient and alternatively fueled vessels; and

  • Continuously investing in energy-efficiency programs for their existing fleet, including energy-saving technologies, enhanced data systems, and digitalization.

• PURSUING SHORE POWER: Ships usually run off of diesel auxiliary engines while in port but Royal Caribbean is working to change that, starting with the Port of Miami.  Here the ships run off of the electricity at the port to operate when the ship is embarking and disembarking passengers or loading supplies. 

• TRANSITIONING TO LOW-CARBON FUELS: New ships being built will use liquefied natural gas (LNG), the cleanest-burning fossil fuel currently available.

• REDUCING EMISSIONS WITH ABATEMENT TECHNOLOGIES: To help mitigate emissions from current fuels and reduce related air and water pollution, they invest in and develop state-of-the-art emissions-abatement technologies. To date, 70% of Royal Caribbean vessels are equipped with Advanced Emissions Purification (AEP)systems.

• WASTE MANAGEMENT (Save The Waves Program)

• 100% of Royal Caribbean ships are equipped to be landfill-free; 

• REDUCE: Royal Caribbean works with their suppliers to “green” their supply chain, reduce packaging materials, and use more sustainable resources;

• REUSE: Royal Caribbean participates in container return programs with their vendors and maintains a standard donation database for their fleet, which includes mattresses, sheets, towels, furniture, and clothing; and

• RECYCLE: Royal Caribbean ships run a single-stream process, where all recyclables are hand-sorted in their waste management room on board. These rooms are equipped with bailers, shredders, and compactors, as well as crushers for glass, light bulbs, and aluminum. 

How accessible is your event? What accommodations and efforts go into diversity, equity, and inclusion?

We care deeply about accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion. You can read a whole page about these efforts here. Additionally, you can learn more about Royal Caribbean’s accessibility efforts here. If you have or perceive a need that we haven't already met, just ask!

Why should I attend a Library Collective event?

Are you tired of spending lots of money on conferences where you don't learn as much as you'd hoped? Have you ever been frustrated by the lack of organization at an "un-conference"? Have you ever been bored by a traditional webinar or virtual conference? We're aiming to change all of that, so we hope you'll join us for any of our low-cost, high-impact events! Want to know more, check out our general FAQ.

Who can participate?

Our events are open to all who work in libraries, museums, archives, library-adjacent organizations, library stakeholders, library students, and anyone else who believes the program will be of benefit!

What should I wear? Is there a dress code?

There is no formal dress code. We suggest you wear what makes you most confident and comfortable for a high-energy, collaborative gathering among peers.

For this event, keep in mind that we’ll be starting our journey in Galveston, Texas and traveling to multiple destinations in Mexico while also staying aboard a ship. So you’ll likely want to bring some options for dressing in layers (especially onboard the ship) to best accommodate your own temperature preference and for participating in both indoor and outdoor activities. 

Galveston, TX in May is still warm but not as intense as midsummer. Highs tend to fall between 79°F and 85°F, and lows range from about 69°F to 76°F. You’ll likely see daily brief afternoon showers or thunderstorms.

Cozumel, Mexico in May typically has highs around 88°F, rarely going below 84°F or above 92°F, while nighttime lows hover near 70°F to 72°F. Expect perhaps 3–8 rainy days over the course of the month.

Costa Maya, Mexico (Mahahual area) in May sees daytime highs averaging about 88°F and nighttime lows near 79°F. Rain becomes more common in the latter part of the month.

Do you have a code of conduct?

The Library Collective is dedicated to providing harassment-free experiences for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religion, or creed. We do not tolerate harassment of conference participants, hate speech, or fundamentalism of any kind. Participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the event at the discretion of the event organizers. Our full Community Guidelines (aka Code of Conduct) can be found here.

What makes The Collective different from a regular conference?

The Collective is a different conference concept that aims to offer the best mix of the traditional conference and "un-conference" worlds—enough organization so that you come away with some tangible skills, knowledge, and new contacts but enough flexibility so that our program doesn't grow stale in the time between proposals and the actual event. Participants are involved in creating the program in an interactive, transparent way.

Here's 6 big ways we're different:

• ACTIVE LEARNING: No “CV filler” or “sage on a stage” presentations here! We emphasize skill-building, tangible takeaways, and networking.

• EVEN FOOTING: Everyone who attends is an active participant. Celebrity culture is for tabloids, not conferences. 

• PRACTITIONER-FOCUSED: We believe in providing content that has real-world applications.  Theory and hypothetical situations have their place but we’re focused on providing front-line workers with training, tools, and support they can actually use.

• AFFORDABLE: We’ve negotiated very competitive rates that include all registration, lodging, meals, fees, and gratuities. Reservations can be made with a $100 deposit per person and paid for over time. 

• PARTNERSHIPS, NOT SALES: We think developing relationships with vendors and content creators is far more effective than hard sales, so we program real discussions rather than sales pitches.

• NONPROFIT: Our events are put on by volunteers who give their time in service to the profession. We do not profit off of registration fees; in fact, attendance costs are subsidized for all participants thanks to the genrous support of our sponsors.