Very interesting about the LITA unconference. The fee seems quite high and I hope they justify it. While it is acceptable to charge, the idea is not to be obsessive, but to recoup necessary costs. For the Library Camp@Syracuse, two organizations used grant money to pay for space. The registration fee paid for food. People appreciated the low cost. (http://cnylibrarycamp.wetpaint.com)

I’ve noticed that most library unconferences follow the same model. Scott Berkun has outlines several models that can be used and I hope we (library workers) begin to use a broader variety for our events. (http://www.scottberkun.com/blog/2006/how-to-run-a-great-unconference-session/)

Finally, there has been talk in FriendFeed about whether an unconference can/should be a national event or if regional is better. It seems to me that a lot of the cost savings can be wiped out when you add in extensive travel. Perhaps “national” topical discussions are something that could be held as TalkShoe events?