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Dear Kim and Kasia:

 

I’ve just heard via the grapevine that a question about whether or not we want a printed program will be included on the registration form (?)  If it is to be on the registration form, what do those of us who have already registered online do?  I can tell you that I definitely want a printed program—and I predict that most attendees will want one! And I want a COMPLETE one—see below!  I hope there will be a separate email about this on ARLIS-L.  Also--are we supposed to be voting for whether or not there will be a printed program for everyone who goes to New Orleans?  Or are we indicating that we, individually, want a printed program?  And what about the QUALITY of the printed program??  

 

We were very surprised and disappointed last year to open our “program” at registration in Seattle and find that it was incomplete!  There was NO program included except for the “Meetings at a Glance” and the  “Conference at a Glance,” which are normally “extras” provided for convenience.  Ironically, a great deal of space of given over to the poster sessions—I think a very strange use of printed space!!

 

Neither the “Meetings at a Glance” or the “Conference at a Glance” are as important as the COMPLETE program in chronological order, including the title of the event (sessions, plenary sessions, small group meetings, tours, and special events), description,  time and place of each; the name of the moderator or coordinator; the group sponsor, if any; and (most important) the names of the speakers and their affiliations and the title and descriptions of their presentations. 

 

Not only is this latter information important for attendees to help them decide whether or not to attend a particular session or event (or sometimes to attend part of one and part of another that are scheduled at the same time); it is also sometimes critical for speakers who need to prove to their institutions that they are, indeed, speaking at a conference in order to obtain funds to attend! 

 

I love having the electronic program ahead of time—and all the bells and whistles that it includes—but it doesn’t replace the above paper program that is permanent documentation of the conference—ARLIS/NA’s most important annual activity!!

 

If a printed program is too expensive for ARLIS, couldn’t we please have a way of printing out the COMPLETE program ahead of time at home?  Of course we would wait to do that until right before time to leave for the conference in order to make sure that the program is as up-to-date as possible.  This would be good for ARLIS and good for attendees.  Of course I see how to print out the abbreviated program online, but I don’t see a way of printing out the complete program with ALL the information in one place as we have always had at every conference until Seattle.

 

Joan