Bus Trip to the ALA Conference Exhibit Hall in Chicago

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The bus is full, but you may sign up to be on the waiting list here: https://extranet.winnefox.org/bus2017/waiting-list

Join us for a one-day excursion to McCormick Place in Chicago, to visit the Exhibit Hall of the American Library Association (ALA) annual conference on Saturday, June 24, 2017.

With over 900 exhibiting organizations and multiple pavilions & stages featuring authors and events, your trip to the conference exhibits could be a fun and worthwhile work-related event. The Exhibit Hall offers the opportunity to explore & discuss with vendors the breadth and depth of new & favorite library products, services, books, online services, tools, and technologies. Learn about the Exhibit Hall and see a list of exhibitors here: http://2017.alaannual.org/general-exhibits-info

Details:

  • Transportation will be on a 56-passenger Lamers deluxe motor coach bus equipped with air conditioning, a bathroom, 110V outlets, and Wi-Fi.
  • You may board the bus in Appleton, Oshkosh, or Fond du Lac.
  • There are numerous restaurants and food courts onsite at the McCormick Center where you may buy lunch, and on the return trip at dinnertime we'll stop for to-go fast food. Food and drink (non-alcoholic beverages in plastic bottles or cans) are allowed, and FVLC will provide complimentary light refreshments on the bus.

Your costs for the trip:

  • $15 for a seat on the bus.
  • lunch and dinner: purchase, or bring your own.
  • $75 for an Exhibit-Hall-only badge through ALA; order ahead or purchase onsite. Update: I now have links so everyone may order a free Exhibit-Hall-only badge!
    • Details on how to order your Exhibit-Hall-only badge will be provided after you've submitted the online registration form below.
    • If you work at a library in OWLS or WLS, you may visit the Exhibit Hall as a guest of Innovative Interfaces or SirsiDynix, and will receive the link to order your Exhibit-Hall-only badge for free.
    • We continue to seek access to additional free Exhibit-Hall-only badges from other vendors. Done — w00t!

Because seats are limited, each library-, school-, or university-affiliated passenger may bring one non-library-affiliated guest. (This restriction may be lifted if there are seats available after May 30, 2017.) Please submit a separate registration form for each person.

Note: If it's more convenient. you may sign up for South Eastern Wisconsin (SEWI) Libraries' bus departing from Waukesha county or South Central Library System's bus departing from Madison instead.

Schedule:
5:45am Bus arrives in Appleton (location provided after you register)
6am Bus leaves Appleton
   
6:30am Bus arrives in Oshkosh (location provided after you register)
6:45am Bus leaves Oshkosh
   
7:15am Bus arrives in Fond du Lac (location provided after you register)
7:30am Bus leaves Fond du Lac
   
10am Bus arrives at McCormick Place (estimated time of arrival)
4pm Bus leaves McCormick Place
5:30pm Bus arrives at a group of 3 fast food restaurants near Kenosha
   
9pm Bus arrives in Fond du Lac
9:30pm Bus arrives in Oshkosh
10pm Bus arrives in Appleton

This event is sponsored by the Fox Valley Library Council, Outagamie Waupaca Library System, and Winnefox Library System.