Jim West has a great post giving his best tips (actually, 10 commandments) of how to “do” the SBL annual meeting.

UPDATE: Mark Goodacre has also added his sagely advice here.

I’d like to add one very important suggestion: Wear comfortable shoes!! Even if you are staying in the headquarter hotel, you may have signed up for the SBL Fitness Program without knowing it. For example, in San Diego (2007), you had to hike through what seemed like miles of convention hall lobbies to get to the Book Exhibit and Meeting Rooms which were at the extreme opposite end of the convention center from the attached main hotel (we’re talking city blocks here folks).

My maiden name is Murphy, so listen to me about this next Law of SBL Session room assignments. The distance between session rooms is inversely related to the amount of time you have to get to the next session. Check your Program (and map) carefully!