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Information For AALL Annual
Meeting Attendees From Outside The U.S.
Foreign, Comparative and International Law Special Interest
Section (FCIL-SIS) Host Program
Are you attending AALL's Annual Meeting for the first time?
Would it help for you to have someone to guide you through the process?
Someone to whom you could direct all of your questions and concerns?
The FCIL-SIS has established a Host Program to match you up with
an experienced AALL member who has been to the Annual Meeting and
knows what to expect. Do you have questions about how to plan
your meeting? What to attend? What to wear? Where to stay? What
to see? What the climate is like? Which airport to use? What
events are no to be missed? We can help. If you'd like to
be matched with a veteran AALL member please send an e-mail with
all of your relevant contact information to Tracy Thompson at tracy.thompson@yale.edu.
We'll put you in touch with a Host right away to make your first
AALL Annual Meeting nirvana!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where is the Annual
Meeting held?
A. Each year the Meeting is held in a different
U.S. city. Locations are selected five
years in advance. The selected venue is typically a large convention
center with sufficient meeting rooms to accommodate the many simultaneous
programs, meetings and events that occur during the week. The conference
hotels provide additional space for Annual Meeting activities. All
rooms are climate controlled and smoking is typically prohibited
in the indoor spaces.
Q. How many people
usually attend the AALL Annual Meeting?
A. Recent years have seen between 1700 and 2500
Annual Meeting attendees.
Q. How do I register
for the Annual Meeting and how much does it cost?
A. You can go to the registration
information page. Registration will open in March.
To convert the price in US dollars to your currency you can go
here.
Q. What is included
in the registration fee?
A. You may select either a full registration or
a program only registration. Full registration includes all
programs, one ticket to the Opening Reception, one ticket to the
Annual Association Luncheon and one ticket to the Closing Banquet.
Program registration includes programs only. No other meals
are included, nor are transportation and lodging costs. These
are the responsibility of the registrant. Please note that
you can save $100.00 on the cost of registration simply by registering
on or before June 1.
Q. Is there any financial
assistance available?
A. There are some grant
opportunities that may be of interest. Particularly, the
Ellen Schaffer
Foreign Librarian's Grant, administered by the Foreign,
Comparative and International Law Special Interest Section of
AALL.
Q. How do I make reservations
for my accommodations during the AALL Annual Meeting?
A. Several area hotels will be selected to serve
as conference hotels and will offer discounted conference rates.
You may make reservations at any of the conference hotels through
the Association's Housing Office (see
left hand navigation bar), or you may make your own plans should
you choose to stay elsewhere.
Q. What is the format
of the Annual Meeting?
A. At the Annual Meeting there are numerous simultaneous
programs
and events
being conducted, in addition to the business
meetings of numerous chapters,
committees, Special
Interest Sections. Most of these are open to anyone who
is interested. Those sessions that are not open will indicate
that an invitation is required. Meeting attendees should plan
their schedule in advance by reviewing the preliminary program and
selecting those sessions that best meet their own needs.
Q. What about fun?
A. There are always many opportunities for Annual
Meeting attendees to enjoy some rest and relaxation. From walking
tours, to wine tastings to visits to area libraries, there is no
shortage of good times awaiting. Please see the excursions
page and register in advance! Once you arrive at the Annual
Meeting you can also rely upon the local
advisory committee folks who staff an onsite help desk at the
convention center. They can tell you about local attractions, restaurants,
and where to find the best their city has to offer!
Q. Are there any special
activities for foreign attendees?
A. Yes. There are several. The FCIL-SIS always
holds a Reception For Attendees From Abroad, in conjunction with
the FCIL-SIS Business Meeting, which you are welcome to attend (no
invitation required). Stop by the FCIL activities table in the exhibit
hall to meet some of our members and get more information on our
activities. The International Association of Law Libraries (IALL)
also holds a reception. Please see the listing
of events for times and dates. There are also two invitation
only events. The Library of Congress holds a reception one evening,
and the President of the Association holds a luncheon. Your registration
will trigger your invitation to these events to be mailed to the
address you provide upon registration.
Q. What is the dress
code for the Annual Meeting?
A. Dress comfortably and wear shoes that are good
for walking. Our venues are usually quite spread out.
Check the weather for the region before you pack so you will know
what to expect of the climate. A good resource for weather
information is at the Weather Channel
web site or Weather Underground.
Q. Are there any occasions
for formal dress?
A. No. None of the social activities require
formal dress, although many attendees dress up for the Closing Banquet.
Q. What time is it
there?
A. The U.S. has 8 official time zones! To
see what the time is at the AALL Annual Meeting location go to the
Official U.S. Time site and click
on the appropriate state.
Q. I need to contact
my embassy. Can you provide contact information?
A. Go to the Electronic
Embassy site for complete contact information.
Q) Where can I get
information about visa requirements, etc?
A) You can go to the State
Department site for forms and information.
Q) What
can I expect on entering or exiting the U.S.? Are there restrictions
on what I may bring in or take out?
A) Please see the US
Customs site for information.
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