MLA ‘08 Blog

Sharing news at this year’s MLA meeting will be “greener” as we experiment with alternative methods of communicating.

Traditionally, a print newsletter provides information not in the meeting program book. Articles on new exhibitors, promotion of sessions, corrections to the program, informal meeting announcements, exhibit hall winners, social events, and safety issues have all appeared. While a newsletter will continue, we will also share information in other ways.

• The newsletter will be reduced in length and recycling opportunities will be available.
• Information will also be posted on white boards in high-traffic areas at the meeting site.
• Prefer an electronic format? All newsletter and white-board entries will also be posted to the meeting blog.
• The hotel monitors (public and in the rooms) will provide information on session location changes.
  

To contribute items to the newsletter, whiteboards, or blog please send an email to meeting.news@gmail.com or place announcements in the labeled boxes at the Hospitality Booth and the Member Resource Room at the meeting hotel. We will accept items Friday, May 16 through Tuesday, May 20.

Please contact Pat Pinkowski at patricia.pinkowski@alz.org or 312.335.5730 with any questions.

Green Festivals are held across the country to promote eco-friendly and sustainable products. But that’s not all. Green Festivals also feature “green films” and “delicious organic beer, wine and cuisine.” And there’s still more, but you need to go to the Green Festivals web site to find out about it.

Chicago will host its green festival this May, just as the MLA Annual Meeting is getting under way. So on May 17, head on over to Navy Pier to enjoy the Green Festival.

- Marcus Banks

Some conscientious ALA members launched a campaign to encourage the use of reusable mugs at the midwinter meeting this year.� Old habits die hard, though; according to the Chronicle of Higher Education, paper and Styrofoam cups were plentiful.

MLA ‘08 sponsor EBSCO will give every registered attendee a reusable water bottle for use during the meeting and afterwards.� That’s the carrot, and here’s the stick: Chicago Mayor Richard Daley hopes to impose a 10 cent tax on all disposable bottles, making that hotel bottle of water even more obscenely expensive.

So go ahead and reuse EBSCO’s bottle! Our thanks for their help in making MLA ‘08 our greenest meeting ever.

- Marcus Banks