PLA 2008 goes “paperless”

Contact: Louisa Worthington


Public Library Association


312-280-5024


lworthington@ala.org

For Immediate Release



September 25, 2007



PLA 2008 goes “paperless”

CHICAGO – PLA 2008, the 12th National Conference of the Public Library Association (PLA), will feature online access to all handouts at
www.placonference.org before, during and after the conference, allowing attendees to download or print out only the handouts they need, significantly reducing the amount of wasted paper.
Registered attendees will be notified via e-mail when conference handouts are available online.
In addition, there will be a limited number of printing stations available onsite at the conference for attendees to print handouts.
Paper copies of handouts will not be available at the concurrent program sessions.

As with many conferences, it is difficult for PLA to reliably gauge how many people will attend a program, which often leads to excessive paper copies and wasted handouts.
Going “paperless” allows PLA to create a more environmentally friendly conference.

“PLA members are ready for us to be more responsible about how we use paper,” said Jane Eickhoff, chair of the PLA 2008 Program Coordinating Committee and associate director of the Harford (Md.) County Public Library.
“At this conference, it will be much easier for attendees to access just the handouts they want in a more convenient, electronic format.”

Offered biennially, PLA National Conference is the premier event for public libraries, drawing librarians, library support staff, trustees, Friends, and library vendors from across the country and around the world. The conference includes more than 150 top-quality continuing education programs, preconferences and talk tables plus several social events and networking opportunities, and a bustling exhibits hall.
PLA 2008, the PLA 12th National Conference, will be held March 25-29, 2008 in Minneapolis, Minn.

For more information about PLA 2008, visit the National Conference Web site,
www.placonference.org.
For more information about other PLA events and programs, contact the PLA office at
pla@ala.org or 800-545-2433, ext. 5PLA, or visit PLA’s Web site at
www.pla.org.

PLA is a division of the American Library Association.
PLA’s core purpose is to strengthen public libraries and their contribution to the communities they serve. Its mission is to enhance the development and effectiveness of public library staff and public library services.