FAQ
Table of Contents
Exhibits, Programs,
Meetings and Events
Registration
Housing, Airlines and Travel
Miscellaneous
Exhibits, Programs,
Meetings and Events
Programs & Sessions
Special
Events Page
Visit
the Exhibits Page
Which hotel
will host the Annual Conference?
Due to the size of the ALA Annual Conference, the event takes place in a convention center and several hotels.
For the 2007 Annual Conference, the exhibits, keynote speakers, and many meetings and programs will be held in the Washington Convention Center, located at 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW. Directions (driving and public transit) are available at www.dcconvention.com.
One or two hotels will be designated "Headquarter" or "Co-Headquarter" hotels, and will host many meetings, progams and special events. Several more hotels will host some events, and many additional hotels will be part of the ALA hotel block to include sleeping rooms.
Where
will the exhibits be?
For the 2007 Annual Conference, the exhibits will be in the Washington
Convention Center, located at 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW. Directions (driving and public transit) are available at www.dcconvention.com.
What are the exhibit hours?
The exhibits will be open the following days and times: Saturday,
8;45 am - Ribbon-cutting ceremony, exhibits open 9:00 am-5:00 pm
Saturday - Monday, and Tuesday 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Who
is the keynote speaker?
The Annual Conference will host several keynote events. Several
major speakers will be part of the "Auditorium Speaker Series"
which will take place in the Auditorium in the Washington Convention
Center. The Opening General Session will feature a major speaker
and take place on Saturday from 5:30 - 7:00 pm on Saturday. The
President's Program will take place on Sunday from 3:30-5:30 pm.
The Closing Session will take place Tuesday from 8:00 am - 9:00
am. ALA is still working to confirm these speakers, and details
will be available on the Special Events page as speakers are confirmed.
How can I
find information on programs, meetings and sessions?
Preliminary descriptions of programs will be available in December
on the Programs
and Sessions page.
More detailed information, with the dates and times of programs, will be available in March on the website and in the Preliminary Program mailed out with the March issue of American Libraries Magazine.
Specific information on programs, sessions and meetings, including
dates, times and locations, will be available using the Event Planner,
beginning in early May. This information is available only to full
meeting registrants. Attendees will also receive a Program 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.
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
sessions, and usually have ample opportunity for interaction.
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.
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Registration
Registration
Information
Where
can I register for the meeting?
Registration opens on December 1, 2006. Once Registration is open,
you can register for the Conference 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 emailing registration@ala.org.
You can fax your cancellation request to 312-280-1538, or mail to
50 E Huron Chicago, IL 60611 Attn: Registration. To receive a refund
less a $25 processing fee, we must receive your cancellation request
no later than May 18, 2007. All refunds will be processed after
July 1, 2007.
Can I register
for the Annual Conference by phone?
No, only online,
faxed or mailed registrations are accepted.
How
do I know if I'm registered?
All attendees will receive an email confirmation (once registration
is processed), or mail confirmation if no email 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 Center
at 1-800-545-2433, press option 5.
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 three weeks prior to the start of the
conference. You must be paid in full by May 18, 2007 to receive
your badge in the mail. If you register after this date, your badge
will be available for pickup onsite.
Where
can I pick up my badge onsite?
If you do not receive your badge
in the mail, and you are paid in full, go directly to the
Will Call/Badge Correction counter in the Registration area.
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.
How
can I pay my balance?
To pay your balance before the conference
with a credit card, please call our Customer Service center
at 800-545-2433, press option 5 and a representative will
assist you. Attendees paying by check may mail in their balance
to the American Library Association, Dept. #77-6565, Chicago,
IL 60678-6565.
Do
I need a photo ID?
All attendees are required to show a government
or state issued photo ID in order to pick up conference materials,
or register onsite. Any photo ID used to board an airline
flight will be acceptable.
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Housing,
Airlines and Travel
Travel
and Hotels
When
does housing open?
Housing for the Annual Conference opens January 2, 2007. Housing
forms will be available in the January 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 January
2. Details on hotels will be made available in early December to
help you start planning your trip. You can also call the ALA Travel
Desk at 1-800-424-5249 or 847-940-2155.
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 the ALA Travel Desk by calling, 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 Annual Conference?
Yes!
The ALA Travel Desk has negotiated a discount with United
Airlines. United is offering ALA attendees a 5% discount off
any restricted (non-refundable) United published fare, including
first class, in effect when the ticket is purchased and subject
to all applicable restrictions. A discount of 10% is available
for unrestricted, fully refundable fares, for reservations
made up to the day of departure. An additional 5% is available
for reservations made 30 days in advance. To receive these
discounts, use Meeting ID # 502CQ, and call United at 1-800-521-4041
or the ALA Travel Desk at 1-800-621-1083. These discounts
are only available on reservations made by phone. United is
also offering ALA attendees an internet reservation discount.
To make your reservations on the internet, go to the travel
page, and you will be provided with a direct link to the United
website, and an E-Certificate number to receive 10% off all
applicable internet fares. This discount is only available
on reservations made on the internet.
How
do I cancel my hotel reservation if I need to?
If you wish to cancel your reservation before the reservation deadline,
contact the ALA Travel Desk at 1-800-424-5249 or 847-940-2155. After
this date, contact the hotel directly. Your first night's deposit
is refundable with at least a 72 hour cancellation notification
to the hotel, prior to the day of your arrival. Check your confirmation
for details on your hotel's policy.
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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 contributing 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 this meeting accessible, visit
The Accessibility Page.
Where
do the Thomson Gale Shuttle Buses go?
The free Shuttle Buses, sponsored by Thomson Gale, go between the
convention center and all ALA hotels from Friday through Tuesday
at the Annual Conference. Check the Saturday edition of Cognotes,
the ALA daily conference newspaper, for route and time information,
or Bin #1 in the Registration area for a flyer. Signs with route
information will also be available in hotel lobbies. Accessible
buses are available.
What
is Cognotes, and how do I get it?
Cognotes is the ALA daily meeting newspaper. At the Annual Conference,
it is published Saturday-Tuesday, 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.
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AMERICAN
LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
50 E. Huron Chicago, IL 60611 Call Us Toll
Free 1-800-545-2433
©2006 American Library Association. Copyright
Statement
View our Privacy
Policy.
For questions or comments about the
Conference Web site, email shoerner@ala.org.
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