WiFi at Annual Conference

ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels made two announcements to staff this morning regarding the availability of WiFi during the ALA Annual Conference here in Chicago, July 9-15. First the good news: Free WiFi will be available in meeting rooms throughout the convention center, and funds have been made available to prototype a recommendation of the electronic participation task force.  Wireless access will also be provided for committee and board meeting rooms selected conference hotels and/or meeting rooms and the convention center, enabling members to utilize laptop computer applications to provide for remote participation by board and committee members not able to attend. Now the bad news: The cost of providing wireless in the meeting rooms at the four major conference hotels would be $270,000, which ALA simply cannot afford. Many ALA members have been pressing for WiFi to enable people who are unable to attend ALA conference to participate virtually, but Fiels said providing internet access at hotel prices "is not sustainable as a model." ALA will continue to investigate and negotiate for future conferences. Fiels clarifies (5/21): "Since our Midwinter Meeting, we have been actively working on getting wireless into all conference meeting rooms as part of our effort to move ahead on the recommendations of the Task Force on Electronic Member Participation approved by Council." There's more good news, he notes: "We have allocated $40,000 in Strategic Plan Initiative Funds, which will be used to provide wireless on a pilot basis to committees and boards that are interested in providing for e-participation for members that will not be at conference. Under this experimental arrangement, boards, committees and discussion groups could provide access via laptop and their choice of internet-based teleconferencing options." "More good news," says Fiels, "is that a group of LITALibrary2.0 members has organized an eParticipation Implementation Task Force that will be providing information and support for those groups seeking to involve members in governance and discussion group activities at the upcoming Annual Conference. A tool kit is available. Please note that this pilot does not include conference programs; we are already providing a 'virtual conference' option for those who want to participate virtually in conference programs but cannot come to conference. More information on the wireless pilot will be following shortly."