[Publib] ALA Annual Conference 2007 -- Notes (Part 1)

[Dale McNeill]

I'll just jump in quickly, though I'm sure someone on Counsel can provide
more detail.

Basically, both ALA staff (conference services) and elected representatives
(Counsel) select the locations.  They have to consider meeting room space,
hotel room space, and cost to both the association (indirect cost to
members) and to individuals (direct cost to members and visitors).  Though
there are exceptions, it is generally cheaper for all concerned in the
"off-season" of the selected city.  ALA staff and governance, it seems to
me, keep clearly in mind that many librarians must pay all or most the
expense of attending the conference themselves.

There also cities that are in themselves attractive to librarians.

However, as cheap as Boston or Philadelphia may be in January, it's not
inexpensive for a librarian from Houston, or Birmingham, or Miami, or
Phoenix (well, you get the idea) to purchase all the winter things, from
proper shoes and socks to coats and gloves, to manage the conference.  I
know one year, when I lived in Houston and the conference was in some very
cold place, I had to travel there to buy a winter coat. You simply could
not, at least at that time, buy a winter coat in Houston in December.  What
would the point?

Regards,

Dale


On 7/9/07, Mary Donley <marydonley at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> James,
>
> Just curious, why do they always have midwinter in
> cold places, and annual in hot places?  I went to
> midwinter once in San Antonio and the weather was
> nice.  Who would want to go to Philadelphia, Boston
> or Chicago in January?!!  Not this Texan anyway.
>
> Just wondering who figures these things out.  Maybe
> the same people who name the hurricanes!  I am
> currently not a member of ALA so I enjoyed your
> report.
>
> Mary
>
>
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