Re: ALA Summer Conference in Chicago

[Marjorie Pappas <MLPappas38@AOL.COM>]

I have been attending the ALA conferences for many years but I can remember
my first conference so I can relate to this question.  It is important to
remember that Chicago, and the other cities where ALA conferences are
located, is a very large city that has a significant convention business.
Hotels and restaurants are always more costly in these cities.  I agree that
the hotel rates for annual are high but not any higher than San Francisco or
New York.  Life is always made up of trade offs.  If you stay in one of the
convention hotels, then you have free bus service to and from other hotels
and the convention center.  That is important to remember in Chicago because
the convention center is south of almost all of the hotels and not within
walking distance.  Past experience has taught me that I want to be in one of
those hotels.  However, in lean years I have made other decisions.  You might
want to get a copy of the AAA book for IL and go through the section on
Chicago.  With a little study you can begin to position some other hotels on
that same map that is in American Libraries.  You should be able to find
hotels in the AAA book that are less expensive that  are located within
walking distance of an official ALA hotel which means you could walk to that
shuttle service.  That is one way to save money.  That is really the best
way.  I know some librarians who have driven to the convention and they get a
hotel on the outer edge of the city.  Those hotels are usually considerably
less expensive.  BUT, that means you either drive into the city each day and
park -- parking in large cities is always expensive.  OR, you take their
trains or buses.  The latter is probably a better approach.  Keep in mind
that if you do this, you will be in the city all day and not able to go back
to your hotel room.  As I have aged, going back to that hotel room for a rest
and to unload all the paper I collect is always high on my list.  BUT . . .
for those who are younger than I am, that may not be a priority.

Another approach is to ask this listserv for someone who is looking for a
roommate for ALA.  I think that has helped people keep costs down and often
served to make a new friend.  :-)

My last piece of advice . . . make a hotel reservation quickly.  The longer
you wait, the smaller and more expensive your options will become.  :-)

Marjorie

<< Have any of you ever gone to a national library conference before?  I was
 shocked to see the prices of the hotels in February's American Libraries on
 page 73.  >>


Marjorie L. Pappas
Visiting Professor,
University of Northern Iowa
P. O. Box 1548
Danville, KY 40423
606-236-2332
mpappas@mis.net
mlpappas38@aol.com
>>> The address is correct. I teach on the Web :-) <<<

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