The Conference Planning Committee is pleased to announce the opening of registration for the September 25-28, 2013 ARSL Annual Conference to be held at the Doubletree in downtown Omaha, NE. Start the process by following the link listed on the registration page of our website, here: http://arsl.info/registration/
Be sure to take advantage of early bird member pricing (membership pays for itself if you’re coming to conference), and also the special events that will soon sell out, such as:
- Pre-conferences scheduled for Wednesday, September 25th (featuring 1 full day and 3 half-day options)
- Tours (featuring your choice of a full day tour of several local sites filled with history, shopping, and a famous restaurant for lunch, or an evening ghost tour!)
Our conference will feature the following general session speakers, in addition to a wide variety of breakout session topics:
- Thursday opening keynote: Lee Rainie of the Pew Research Center
- Thursday luncheon: Mary Beth Stenger, winner of the 2013 Best Small Library in America Award
- Friday opening keynote: Joseph Starita, award winning author and American Indian history scholar
- Friday Author Luncheon: Craig Johnson, author of the Longmire series, featured on A&E’s hit television program
- Saturday closing keynote: Sally Gardner Reed, Executive Director of United for Libraries
In addition to all of these excellent speakers, we invite you to join us the evening of Wednesday, September 25th from 7:00-9:00 pm at the Omaha Public Library (just over a block from the conference center) for a welcome reception complete with music, an array of foods originating in Nebraska, a cash bar, and excellent company. Conference registration includes all meals (this also includes the Author Luncheon) from Wednesday evening’s reception through Saturday’s brunch), with the exception of Thursday and Friday evening, when you are invited to sign up for the “dine-around” of your choice at conference. Thinking of bringing a guest, or the whole family? This year, we are offering a meal package option for the conference, and also an author luncheon ticket for those who are not registering for the full conference. Your guest is welcome to join you at our meal events, thanks to this provision. There is plenty to see and do in the area, and our hotel offers a free shuttle to local attractions. Take a look at www.visitomaha.com for more information.
With a low registration fee, conference rate hotel rooms at $99 per night, free wireless Internet, and a free airport shuttle, this is a great opportunity to network with peers from all over the country, and take in a conference devoted entirely to the needs of those from small and/or rural libraries.
We hope to see you in Omaha!
Tena Hanson
2013 Conference Co-Chair on behalf of the Conference Planning Committee