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General Information


Conference Location

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.

Washington D.C. Tours

ALA offers tours of Washington D.C. attractions, through the tour management company Accent on Arrangements. Details about tours is available on this PDF and registration is available at www.accentoca.com/alatours07.

Special Needs

If you have a special physical or communication need that may impact your participation in this meeting, please check the appropriate box on your registration form and append a statement specifying your special need. While every effort will be made to meet attendees’ needs, we cannot guarantee the availability of accommodations in response to requests received after May 11, 2007.

Based upon availability in each city, we maintain a limited number of wheelchairs and scooters on a first come, first served basis. Please contact Laura Gallegos at 800-545-2433, ext. 3220 or TDD (toll free): 888-814-7692, ext. 3220 as soon as possible to reserve a wheelchair or scooter, for use in the convention center only, or if you wish to discuss any other special needs. For more information, please visit our accessibility page.

Child Care and Camp ALA

Make this year’s annual meeting a family affair. Once again, ACCENT on Children’s Arrangements, Inc. has planned a great children’s activity center for ALA convention attendees’ children. ACCENT is a nationally recognized professional childcare company organized to provide quality on-site children’s activities in a nurturing, safe, educational environment. ACCENT’s counselors are fun-loving professionals with plenty of experience with children. Daily themes such as “From Sea to Shining Sea” and “Top Secret Discoveries” enhance the children’s DC experience. With activities such as arts and crafts projects, active games, movies and much more, the children are sure to have a great time. The fun includes optional field trips for children ages 6 and older.

CAMP ALA welcomes children ages 6 months – 17 years. The cost for the camp is $80 per child per day. Parents pay $48 per child per day for the center and ALA funds $32 per child per day. An optional $15 lunch is available, or children can bring their lunch. If you prefer, you can register your child for a field trip day instead (children ages 6 years and older only), which includes lunch. The cost for each child with a field trip is $90.00 per day. Parents pay $58.00 per child for the field trip day and ALA funds $32.00 per child per day. A $10 Non-refundable registration fee per child is also required. The Saturday field trip is to the Smithsonian National Zoo, the Sunday field trip is to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum with IMAX, and the Monday field trip includes the National Aquarium and a Picnic at the Monuments. Descriptions of the field trips are below.

To assure that your child has a place, please preregister by June 8, 2007. You can register using this form, or register at www.accentoca.com/campala07.

Optional Field Trip Descriptions

Smithsonian National Zoo
Saturday, June 23, 2007, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Today, let’s get in touch with our “wild” sides at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park. The 163-acre Zoo is located in Rock Creek Park and was created in 1889! With more than 5,800 animals—mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates – it has spectacular exhibits that will entertain us for hours. What is your favorite animal? Do you know what the fastest land animal is? And did you know that the eagle is the icon for America? Don’t forget about the famous pandas that live here! We’ll enjoy seeing all of the exciting animal exhibits and will also have lunch while at the Zoo.

Smithsonian Air & Space Museum with IMAX
Sunday, June 24, 2007, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Today you’ll visit the world-famous Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum and learn as much as you can about the history of flight, the environment, the planets, aircraft and spacecraft. You’ll have the chance to participate in the evolution of air and space technology through hundreds of exciting exhibits and interactive displays. We’ll have lunch here, and afterwards, we will catch the latest IMAX showing at the Air & Space Museum and visit the Albert Einstein Planetarium for a trip to the stars. Lunch included.

National Aquarium and Picnic at the Monuments
Monday, June 25, 2007, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Our day begins with the magic and mystery of the world beneath our waters. We’ll get to see thousands of fish including balloon fish and blackbar soldier fish that swim upside down! There will also be a chance to see sharks, piranhas, and alligators feed. The fun won’t stop there; we will learn the Secrets of the Shark in our own educational program. After our aquatic experience, we’ll head out to see some of the monuments and to enjoy a picnic lunch as we drive down the mall we’ll pass the famous Smithsonian Institute and the Washington Monument towering 555 feet over the mall. Did you know there are 897 steps to the top? We’ll pass the Lincoln Memorial and also the Jefferson Memorial, which overlooks the Tidal Basin. We’ll get out to enjoy our lunch on the steps to one of these great monuments.

Please note: Strollers are permitted on the exhibit floor, but children must remain seated in them at all times. Unescorted children are not permitted on the exhibit floor. See Children's Policy for more information.

Children’s Policy

Strollers are permitted on the exhibit floor but only if there is a child in them at all times. Unescorted children are not permitted on the exhibit floor. Children under the age of five must be restrained at all times (stroller, back pack, etc.). Any child over the age of five must have an exhibits only badge to be admitted to the exhibit floor. These badges are available at onsite registration for $25. An adult must accompany all children under the age of 16.

Poster Sessions

The ALA Conference Poster Sessions will be displayed on June 23, 24 and 25, 2007 at the Washington Convention Center. Poster sessions provide an opportunity for individual librarians or libraries to share graphic representations of current research, programs or creative solutions to library problems. Accepted presenters are given a time block during the conference to present posters, answer questions, and give away handouts relating to the session. Poster Session topics and times are listed in the Annual Conference Program. Applications will be accepted between November 1, 2006 and January 31, 2007. For information or to apply, please visit http://www.lib.iastate.edu/ala/.

Placement Services

Provided by the ALA Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment (HRDR), the Placement Services will be available during the Annual Conference

Job seekers should register and search for jobs on the JobLIST website at http://www.joblist.ala.org/. All services are free to job seekers. Registration is not required, but is recommended. Registration will give employers who choose the Placement Service subscription access to your resume information. It will also allow for direct communication between job seekers and employers.

Employers who want to post positions should post them on the JobLIST website at http://www.joblist.ala.org/. Employers who want to use the interviewing facilities must have an active ad placed on JobLIST at the time you schedule an interview. Employers who want to review resumes of registered job seekers should purchase the ‘Placement Service subscription’ after placing an active online ad on JobLIST. Employers who want a booth in the Placement Center should contact Beatrice Calvin at 800/545-2433 ext. 4280.

Policy 54.3 states, “ALA is committed to equality of opportunity for all library employees or applicants for employment, regardless of race, color, creed, sex, age, physical or mental handicap, individual lifestyle, or national origin.” By advertising through ALA services, the organization agrees to comply with this policy. All available salary ranges shall be listed. For more information, contact Placement Service Manager, Beatrice Calvin at bcalvin@ala.org or 800/545-2433 ext. 4280.

Convention Center Coat and Bag Check

A Coat and Bag Check will be available in the Washington Convention Center, Street Level, West Registration, beginning Friday, June 22 through Monday, June 26, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Tuesday, June 27, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. The cost is $2.00 per person per day (not per item) to check.

Student-to-Staff Program

Each year during Annual Conference, the Chapter Relations Office puts together a group of student volunteers from the chapters to assist ALA staff at the conference. To qualify, the student must be a current ALA member and a member of a student chapter, and cannot have previously participated in the program. Each school has its own selection process, and the chosen student's name must be submitted to ALA by the group's faculty advisor. One student will be accepted per chapter. In exchange for working 4 hours per day at the conference from Friday, June 22-Tuesday June 26, the student will receive free conference registration, housing, and a per diem for meal expenses. Transportation costs (such as airfare and cabs) are the student's responsibility. To find out how you can participate, contact your ALA Student Chapter on campus for their selection criteria, or contact Erika Johnson in the Chapter Relations Office at ejohnson@ala.org.

No Smoking Policy

By Council action at its 1991 Atlanta Annual Conference, it was resolved that “smoking is prohibited at Midwinter Meetings, Annual Conferences, regional/national conferences, continuing education programs, exhibits and other gatherings sponsored by the ALA.”

Meals

Meals are not included with regular Conference registration. Some preconferences and banquets include meals as part of an additional ticket price. This information is included with the description of the event.

Cognotes

The Conference Newspaper will be available in the Convention Center Saturday - Tuesday, and a Highlights Issue will be mailed to all attendees after the Conference.

To submit a story or information in advance, please email the information to shoerner@ala.org. To submit stories onsite, please email them or bring them on floppy disk to the Cognotes Office in the ALA Office, Convention Center.

Be sure to look for "Unshelved" every day in Cognotes!

Media Credential Policy

If you believe you may be eligible to attend the ALA Annual Conference as Press, please read our Media Credential Policy.


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