I agree with BJ that it is the bulk of the conference that has moved ahead of the Convocation,  which I believe has always been on Sunday.  But for many years, the conference began more or less on Saturday, with Convocation on Sunday, and sessions, the AGM, etc. on Monday and Tuesday, and most tours on Wednesday.  As the conference has increased in length due to more workshops and tours at the beginning rather than the end of the conference, the Convocation happens later relative to other events.  While this makes sense if  the role of "convocation" parallels the academic model, i.e., convocation ceremonies take place at the end of the academic year, it may not work as well for ARLIS conferences.  As I recall when we were planning the Banff conference, the suggestion was made that airline bookings are cheaper if one travels on a Thursday rather than a Friday or Saturday, and that it was easier for members to take days off on the weekend rather than prime working days at the beginning of the week.  I don't know if that is true across the board, but we were asked to take such concerns into consideration for scheduling the conference content.  Allowing sufficient time for the exhibitors, without overlapping sessions, as well as the total length of the conference, were also difficult scheduling issues.
Kathy Zimon    

Irvine, Betty J. wrote:
[log in to unmask]" type="cite">
I second the recommendations from Bill Walker and Wolfgang Freitag about moving the Convocation back to either a more "centralized placement" or to an earlier point in the conference.
  On this same note, what seems to be happening is that the entire ARLIS/NA conference is beginning earlier, i.e., workshops on Thursday, so that the Convocation tends to be toward the end of the conference.  Why are we moving backward?  Why not forward?  Previously, the workshops were on Friday and then the conference sessions/committee mtgs. were on Saturday and the conference ended on Tuesday.  As we may recall, many often left early on Tuesday.  Now we have a similar scenario on Monday due to the reversed scheduling of the entire conference.  I recommend that the CPAC re-visit the conference schedule.   BJ
B. J. Kish Irvine, Ph.D.
Director, Fine Arts Library, Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405, (812) 855-5743 or fax (812) 855-3443
From: ART LIBRARIES SOCIETY DISCUSSION LIST [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Wolfgang Freitag
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2007 11:35 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ARLIS-L] convocation

 Although I realize that it may be too late to make this change for Atlanta I also suggest ,concurring wholeheartedly wth Bill Walker on this, that the Convocation should be moved back to its pre-1994 position, making  an exciting and eagerly anticipated  occasion  precisely  because of the awards that were then announced!
Ciao,
 
Wolfgang Freitag
----- Original Message -----
From: [log in to unmask]" href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">William Walker
To: [log in to unmask]" href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2007 00:28
Subject: Re: [ARLIS-L] convocation

One more "vote" for an early convocation:         I join Joan Benedetti and Ray Smith in wondering why (when?) the convocation ceased to be an opening event of the conference rather than being nearer the closing.  That change has been instituted since 1994, when I retired, and doesn't seem to make sense if "convocation" were construed to be a coming together to begin a series of meetings.   As an opening ceremony it provided a good occasion for meeting old friends and new, socially, before getting to the business ahead. 

Doubtless there has been some good reason for the present arrangement, probably mandated by the Board.      

Anyway, have a good conference in Atlanta.          Cheers from Bill Walker, Canaan NY

On Mar 21, 2007, at 9:53 AM, Raymond Smith wrote:

    I have not been able to attend an ARLIS conference in some years, but if my memory serves me correctly, I thought the convocation was one of the initial events of the conference, and not one of its final ones.  I can't imagine why it should not be held at the beginning, as it served as a welcoming event to attendees and exhibitors, providing information and announcements as to the events to follow as well as recognizing various achievements and awards over the past year.  I suspect that many attendees will not be at the convocation if it is held as the closing event, as most are rushing around to catch planes or packing up to go home (and as some members have noted it can be somewhat boring).  Many might decide to skip it and go out to party on their last night.
    Perhaps logstics required the change, but in the future perhaps the convocation should be held on the opening night of the conference before whatever large social event is scheduled for later in the evening.
    I have exhibited at many of the previous conferences (from 1980 to 2000), and am sorry I cannot be in Atlanta to see old friends and make new ones.
    Raymond Smith
    R.W. Smith Bookseller
    New Haven
     
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__________________________________________________________________ Mail submissions to [log in to unmask] For information about joining ARLIS/NA see: http://www.arlisna.org/join.html Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc) to [log in to unmask] ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance: http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html Questions may be addressed to list owner (Judy Dyki) at: [log in to unmask]