FAQs
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXHIBITS, MEETINGS AND EVENTS
-
Where will the exhibits be?
-
What are the exhibit hours?
-
Who is the keynote speaker?
-
How can I find information on meetings and sessions?
-
What is the difference between programs and discussion groups? How are the meetings different?
REGISTRATION
-
Where can I register for the Midwinter Meeting?
-
What if I need to cancel my registration?
-
Can I register for the Midwinter Meeting by phone?
-
How do I know if I'm registered?
-
What if I sign up for an event that is already full?
-
When will I receive my badge in the mail?
-
Where can I pick up my badge onsite?
-
How do I pay for my registration with a purchase order?
-
Do I need a photo ID?
HOUSING, AIRFARE AND TRAVEL
-
When does housing open?
-
How do I get the ALA rates at hotels in the host city?
-
Can I get a discount on my airfare to the Midwinter Meeting?
-
How do I cancel my hotel reservation if I need to?
-
Where can I find more information on housing and travel for the Midwinter Meeting?
MISCELLANEOUS
-
I'd like to present a program at your next conference. How do I go about doing so?
-
What has ALA done to make the Midwinter Meeting more accessible?
-
Where do the Gale Shuttle Buses go?
-
What is Cognotes, and how do I get it?
-
What is the Placement Center, and how do I use it?
EXHIBITS, MEETINGS AND EVENTS
Where will the exhibits be?
For the 2010 Midwinter Meeting, the exhibits will be in the Boston Conference and Exhibiton Center at 415 Summer Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.
What are the exhibit hours?
The exhibits will be open the following days and times: Friday, 5:15 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony, exhibits open 5:30-7:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Monday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Who is the keynote speaker?
The Midwinter Meeting has several keynote events. The President's Program will take place on Sunday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. The Sunrise Speaker Series takes place Saturday, Sunday and Monday mornings from 8-9 a.m. More information can be found on the Special Events page.
How can I find information on meetings and sessions?
A preliminary list of discussion groups will be available on the Meetings and Sessions page in November. Detailed information on sessions and meetings, including dates, times and locations, will be available using the Event Planner begnning early December. This information is available only to full meeting registrants. Attendees will also receive a Meeting Guide onsite, which will list all session information.
What is the difference between programs and discussion groups? How are meetings different?
A program is a formal educational session organized by a committee from an ALA division, roundtable or office. These are typically structured sessions with a speaker or several speakers, or a panel designed to inform or instruct attendees on a specific topic. These programs take place ONLY during the Annual Conference, and not during the Midwinter Meeting.
A discussion group is a more loosely organized session sponsored by an ALA division, roundtable or office that meets to discuss a broader topic. These sessions may or may not have a speaker and are generally considered to be more open discussions than informational or educational sessions and usually have ample opportunity for interaction. These take place during both the Annual Conference and Midwinter Meeting.
Committee meetings are held to do the business of the association. Some meetings will be listed "closed," as they are discussing private information, but most meetings are open to any attendee and may be a good way to learn about the business of ALA and its divisions.
REGISTRATION
Where can I register for the meeting?
Registration opens on October 1, 2009. Once Registration is open, you can register for the Midwinter Meeting using the link above. From this page, you can access registration rates and deadlines, an online registration form, a printable registration form and a list of additional events you can attend.
What if I need to cancel my registration?
The easiest way to cancel a registration is by e-mailing ala@experient-inc.com. You can mail your cancellation request to 568 Atrium Drive, Vernon Hills, IL 60061. To receive a refund less a $25 processing fee, we must receive your cancellation request no later than December 4, 2009. All refunds will be processed after February 1, 2010.
Can I register for the Midwinter Meeting by phone?
No, only online or mailed registrations are accepted.
How do I know if I'm registered?
All attendees will receive an e-mail confirmation (once registration is processed), or a mail confirmation if no e-mail address is provided. This confirmation/receipt verifies your address information, the event(s) you have signed up for and how much you have paid. Attendees that register online are urged to print the receipt copy of their registration to keep for their records. If you have not received your confirmation within three weeks, please contact the Customer Service Cener at 800-974-3084.
What if I sign up for an event that is already full?
Attendees that register for an event that has reached maximum capacity will be put on a wait list. We will notify attendees (in the order the names were received) if space becomes available up to two weeks prior to the conference.
When will I receive my badge in the mail?
Typically, badges are mailed two weeks prior to the start of the conference. You must be paid in full by the advance registration deadline to receive your badge in the mail. If you register after this date, your badge will be available for pickup onsite.
Where can I pickup my badge onsite?
If you do not recieve your badge in the mail and you are paid in full, go directly to the Will Call/Badge Correction counter in the Registration area when you arrive onsite.
How do I pay with a purchase order?
All registrations with purchase orders must be mailed in with the original purchase order. We will bill the institution for payment. No purchase orders will be accepted as payment onsite.
Do I need a photo ID?
All attendees are required to show a government or state issued photo ID in order to pickup conference materials or register onsite. Any photo ID used to board an airline flight will be acceptable.
HOUSING, AIRFARE AND TRAVEL
When does housing open?
You must be registered for the meeting before you can register for housing. Housing for 2010 Midwinter Meeting opens October 1, 2009. Housing forms will be available in the October issue of American Libraries magazine and as a downloadable PDF on the website, and online housing registration will be available on the ALA website beginning October 1. Any questions please call Experient at 800-974-3084.
How do I get the ALA rates at hotels in the host city?
To get the specially negotiated ALA rates, you must make your reservation through Experient by calling (1-800-974-3084), mailing in a form or making your reservation through the website. You cannot get the ALA rates by calling the hotel directly.
Can I get a discount on my airfare to the Midwinter Meeting?
Yes! Custom itineraries may be booked through Gant Travel by phone, 1-800-644-7313 or email, ala@ganttravel.com only. You may also call United Airlines at 1-800-521-4041 and provide promotional code #500CR.
How do I cancel my hotel reservation if I need to?
If you wish to cancel your hotel reservation before January 5, 2010, contact Experient at 800-974-3084, not the hotel. After this date, contact the hotel directly at least 72 hours prior to your arrival date. Check your confirmation for details on your hotel's policy.
MISCELLANEOUS
I'd like to present a program or suggest a speaker at your next conference. How do I go about doing so?
Programs are held only at the Annual Conference. If you would like to present a program, please be aware that there is no one place to submit a conference presentation proposal. You need to investigate which ALA division, office or roundtable fits closest with your presentation's subject matter. Then you would contact that division or office for details on contributiong to their program at the conference. Within ALA, various departments focus on various aspects of librarianship. Lists of the ALA divisions, offices and roundtables is available on the ALA website. Feel free to contact our Conference Services office at confs@ala.org if more information is needed after reviewing this information.
What has ALA done to make the Meeting more accessible?
To learn about the ways ALA has worked to make the Midwinter Meeting accessible, visit the Accessibility page.
Where do the Gale Shuttle Buses go?
The free Shuttle Buses, sponsored by Gale Cengage Learning, go between the convention center and all ALA hotels from Friday through Tuesday at the Midwinter Meeting. Check the Friday edition of Cognotes, the ALA daily conference newspaper, for route and time information, or bin #1 in the Registration area for a flyer. Accessible buses are available.
What is Cognotes, and how do I get it?
Cognotes is the ALA daily meeting newspaper. At the Midwinter Meeting, it is published Friday through Monday and is available at locations throughout the convention center. Cognotes contains information on events happening at the conference, as well as up-to-date meeting changes and other information.
What is the Placement Center, and how do I use it?
Job seekers can search online for jobs and employers can search online for job seekers before and during the Midwinter Meeting or the Annual conference. Visit URL http://www.ala.org/hrdr/ and click on "Placement Center" for more information. The Placement Center is located on the exhibit floor at both the Midwinter Meeting and the Annual Conference.
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
50 E. Huron, Chicago, IL 60611 Call Us Toll Free 1-800-545-2433
©2010 American Library Association
For questions or comments about the Conference Web Site email kwilliams@ala.org