There is a burgeoning new Flickr group for SUNYLA. The photos I've seen around are wonderful, but it's nice to have them all visible in one designated space. And that is why I am encouraging you to go to http://www.flickr.com/groups/sunyla/ to post all the pictures you like. Ken invented a tag to use as well: sunyla2007conference
Upload! Label! Archive! Repeat!
Currently doing my QuestionPoint Virtual Reference Desk shift in my room. Being connected is a blessing and a curse... I'm working on the wiki a little more too.
This is just an update to show some of the resources from the presentation that I noted on the SUNYLA 2007 Conference Wiki(PW sunylalibrarian). I've started updating the 2nd day, though I could really use some help with the sessions I did not attend. I will update the others later with at least the abstracts from the conference program.
I attended Session L & M and they have been updated. I will try to get to the others later.
Last night a few colleagues and myself had drinks and unhealthy pub food at the Harbor Inn at 50 Pennyfield. With in walking distance, so if you have the urge to venture off campus and grab a cocktail and listen to good music from the jukebox that's the place.
Also, for you early risers who happen to need a cup of coffee when you first wake up, I found a little deli on Harding with a little coffee bar set up. Take Pennyfield to Harding and make a left. It is about 2-3 blocks up on your right. They also have a small deli inside.
Get it up for Tesla!
Here are the photos taken at the Membership Social photo booth. I hope everyone had fun!
Just to try to keep things somewhat organized, lets make "SUNYLA2007Conference" (one word) the official tag!
Flickr tag "sunyla2007conference"
Del.icio.us tag "sunyla2007conference"
Let me know in the comments if I missed any other tagging service, and I will add to the list above. Its always good to find out what other tagging tools SUNY Librarians are using.
I hope everyone had a safe trip. I arrived on campus last night after a long drive from Buffalo, N
Y. The first thing I realized upon settling into the dorms was that I was quite hungry, and decided to order a pizza. In case you have a similar craving for a late night snack, you can find a list of places to eat, or order from in the SUNYLA FAQ [PDF]. The pizza as good, but they had a variety of other menu choices as well.
Early the next morning I got a quick breakfast at the Library's cafe (the coffee is Starbucks brand for all you coffee connoisseurs) and helped get things ready for the first day of the conference. We spent a lot of time decorating for the Membership Social, so for all those attending, I hope you enjoy it. There will be wine tasting, appetizers, and other social activities to encourage "schmingling (schmooze + mingle).
I was also a panel speaker for the "Tutorial Sound Off" pre-conference workshop. It was a long workshop (1pm-4pm), but we had a good group and I got a lot of great ideas from the other speakers and discussions. I am thinking of putting together a SUNYLA 2007 Conference wiki (PW=sunylalibrarian for anyone interested) to try to keep a record of all the things that go on at this years conference.
That's all for now. I need to take a breather. Hope to see you at the Membership Social (free food & wine tasting...)
I arrived at Fort Schuyler just after 12 noon today. I rode down with Dave Ritchie, Ellen McCabe, and Gretchen Hermann from SUNY Cortland. The trip was quiet and uneventful. The SUNY Maritime campus is spectacular. It sits literally right underneath the Throgs Neck Bridge. I spent a couple of hours just wandering around and visited the fort and the library. More later.
You wouldn't want to miss the most fun events, would you? Of course not!
What luck! There is still room for Johnny (and Janie) Come-Latelys at the events described below. No need to register; just show up (and pay), and enjoy yourself!
WEDNESDAY
Sailing
1:00 - 4:00 PM. Meet at the waterfront. $50
What better way to spend a summer afternoon than out on the glittering water with a view of New York City? Experience the fun, freedom, exhilaration, and enjoyment of sailing in ~35'-38' sailboats. Maritime sailing coaches will take you out on the water for a pleasure sail and some introductory sailing instruction. (Proceeds will benefit similar waterfront activities for Bronx youth.)
Kayaking
1:30 - 4:00 PM. Meet at the waterfront. $35
Spash around near the shore and explore the diverse shoreline of western Long Island Sound and the East River. All levels welcome! You will be amazed at how quickly beginners progress through the three phases from initial hesitation to relaxed/comfortable enjoyment to "let's flip 'em!" Cost includes all equipment, an instructor and a safety boat. (Proceeds will benefit similar waterfront activities for Bronx youth.)
**NEW** Torchlight Tour
10:00 - 10:30 PM. Meet at the Fort Schuyler flagpole. FREE!
We’ve added one more very special and exclusive event. Our resident expert will lead a tour by torchlight of Fort Schuyler’s most historic and secretive places, including the dungeon and rooftop! Commander John Yesko brings to life the Fort’s fascinating history, from its Civil War beginnings to the present day. Limited to first 30 people.
THURSDAY
SUNSET CRUISE
7:30 - 11:30 PM. Meet at the College Pier. $40
Join our private party aboard the Skyline Princess! Operated by Skyline Cruises, this 120-foot Tri-Level luxury motor yacht will take us around the island of Manhattan. We will enjoy breathtaking sights of New York City as the summer sun sets over the glittering waters of the Long Island Sound and East River. Don’t forget your camera for those close-ups of the Statue of Liberty! This promises to be an unforgettable New York cruise experience. Entertainment, full open bar, and snacks are included. Refreshments sponsored by Elsevier.
Just a quick update that there is a new item, SUNYLA Conference FAQ, available on the SUNYLA 2007 Conference Web site. The Conference Program has also been updated to include location information for the sessions.
Computer Access
The Maritime College campus has several computer labs on campus which are available for use by all conference attendees:
The Stephen B. Luce Library at Fort Schuyler
and
Marvin Tode Hall
In addition, each dorm room has a network connection for each person and many of the campus buildings have wireless internet.
There is no network log-in. Please use responsibly.
[Moderators/Presenters: All session locations have wireless internet. There will be an email with further details.]
p.s. Don’t forget to bring an internet cable with your laptop if you want to use the dorm connection. The Ship’s Store can sell you one, but they close at 4.
Several of you have had questions about food options before the conference proper, and I see that several of you do plan to arrive early.
Aside from our catered conference meals, the only campus food venue is the Library Café, which is open from 8am to 2pm Monday through Thursday and 8am to noon on Friday. The Café serves coffee (including iced coffee), danishes, cereal, juice, soda, and gourmet sandwiches and salads. As an added bonus, you'll meet Mariam, who works behind the counter -- she's terrific.
Within walking distance of campus are the Harbor Inn and Mamma Lucia's. The Harbor Inn is a bar and restaurant, serving basic Italian and American from 11:30 am - 10:00 pm. Mamma Lucia's is, as you might guess, Italian fare, open 10am - 10pm.
Both of these are good options for anybody wanting a sit-down dinner after the Wednesday social. Harbor Inn would appreciate reservations, even if it's only a couple of hours ahead -- 718-892-9148.
There are also several places nearby which deliver, and you have your choice of cuisine -- sushi, pizza, Chinese, Middle Eastern, deli. For anybody with a car, you have a wide range of options within short driving distances. Your registration packet will have more on this. Those of you arriving early will receive it when you get your room key.
Just a quick update that there are two new items, Conference at a Glance and a Campus Map, available on the SUNYLA 2007 Conference Web site.
Attention People with Legs: You're invited to join the Runner's Roundtable at this year's conference!
Stephan says:
I'll be "chairing" the Runner's Roundtable at SUNYLA. We'll meet on Wednesday, (maybe) Thursday and Friday at 7am (ish) at a location on campus TBA--likely the residence hall or the library. Runners, joggers, walkers, all abilities welcome. I know the Bronx quite well, so if there's enough interest, maybe we'll try to visit some off-campus sites as well as take in the view from on campus.
I've been chairing the RR since SUNYLA was at New Paltz (home turf, as it
were) and I was really surprised that some folks have already inquired about this year's runs!
Attendees are welcome to call or email with their questions regarding the Roundtable. My contact info is below.
Thanks! sjm
Stephan J. Macaluso, MM MLS
Sojourner Truth Library - SUNY New Paltz
(845) 257-2699, macaluss@newpaltz.edu
AIM: eicnp
MSN: eic_librarian
I wish to revise some things from the previous message:
1. Laguardia is definitely the preferable airport. It is closer, and therefore cab rides will be less costly, than from JFK.
2. The Whitestone bridge does tend to be faster than the Throgs Neck; however, summer is construction season, and that makes traffic delays very unpredictable.
Also permit me to add some more options and tools:
For those looking to save money, avoid taxi rides, and/or travel in between Manhattan and the Bronx during/after the conference, check out the BxM9 express bus. It costs $5, and it drops you off a short walk from campus, at the intersection of Harding and Pennyfield. (Well, it might be as long as a half mile, so if you can't walk it, you can pick up the Bx40 at that intersection for another $2 fare, and that takes you to the campus gatehouse.)
For anybody arriving by trains into Penn Station, the easiest option is taking a taxi to campus. Here are the directions:
Go North on the West Side Highway to I-95 North/Cross Bronx Expressway. Follow Throgs Neck Bridge signs to Exit 9 (Harding Ave/Fort Schuyler), which is the last exit before the bridge toll plaza. At exit 9, turn right at end of ramp to traffic light. Take sharp left onto Pennyfield Avenue, follow to Maritime College gatehouse at end of street.
For any other travel questions, try using Hopstop for public transportation and Mapquest for driving directions.
If you're looking at flights still and don't know which airport to choose, I'd say book whichever flight is more convenient based on timing and airfare and don't worry about the airport issue too much. Laguardia is a few miles closer to us than JFK is, but it's not a huge difference.
For anybody arriving at either airport, your best transportation option to campus is taxi. (The public transportation option from Laguardia is possible, but it will take at least 2 hours -- take the M60 bus into Manhattan, then the 6 subway uptown into the Bronx, then the Bx40 to campus.)
If you plan to take a cab to campus, take these directions (both options!) with you:
Via the Whitestone Bridge: Pay toll at extreme right booth, take immediate right exit to traffic light. Turn right to next traffic light, turn right then left onto I-295. Keep to right and take EXIT 9 (Harding Ave/Fort Schuyler) just before Throgs Neck Bridge. At EXIT 9 (Harding Ave/Fort Schuyler) go left at stop sign at end of exit ramp, then make immediate right on to Harding Avenue. At stop sign, turn left onto Pennyfield Avenue, and proceed to the end until you reach the Maritime College gatehouse.
OR
Via the Throgs Neck Bridge: Pay toll at extreme right booth, take immediate exit for Pennyfield Avenue-Fort Schuyler. Proceed along service road to 2nd stop sign (2 blocks). Make left onto overpass. At light, veer left onto Pennyfield Avenue, proceed to the end until you reach the Maritime College gatehouse.
My experience has been that cab drivers prefer to take the Whitestone. The bridges cost the same, and they’re about equidistant – I have no personal preference which bridge they use. The only difference will depend on traffic that day, which your cab driver may know about.
We will be including some version of this in your conference packet, which you can use to get back to the airport. The cost to get here from the airport will probably be somewhat less than what it will cost to get to the airport – the yellow cabs are metered, but these local companies go by flat rate. You might be able to carpool with somebody else from the conference; I've communicated this information to two people already. Email me if you would like to get in touch with them about sharing a taxi to the airport after the conference.
Attention vegetarians, vegans, lacto-ovos, fish-but-not-meat-eaters, herbivores, health nuts, and picky eaters:
On your registration form, please indicate under Special Needs whatever your dietary restrictions may be. You might also write in next to the BBQ and Friday box lunch the same. I have discussed this with the catering staff, and they are prepared to have veggie burgers and wraps on hand -- I would just like to know the demand ahead of time. Also, there will be vegetarian options at the keynote breakfast and the awards luncheon.
On a related note, unfortunately there are no refrigerators in the dorm. If you have medication that needs to be kept cold, please bring a cooler. The only other option is keeping it elsewhere on campus, which is going to be awkward and not necessarily secure. Sorry!
Stay tuned for a follow-up post about food options beyond the provided conference meals.
I have created a Flickr group called SUNYLA.
Please post any pictures related to SUNYLA and its conferences.
Our resident knitting fanatic, Collection Development Librarian Lori Gluckman, has arranged an innovative and fun idea for this year's conference: an ongoing knitting lounge*!
Don't worry if you've never even picked up a pair of needles before or if you think "casting on" has to do with broken bones. If you are interested in a knitting lesson while attending, please let Lori know by e-mailing her at lgluckman@sunymaritime.edu. If there is enough interest, she may set up lessons.
From expert to beginner, we invite you to stop by the knitting lounge when you have a few spare moments. You can unwind after a long day's worth of sessions, puzzle out your problems with a fellow knitter from another campus perhaps, or trade some of your unused yarn for a new find in our knitting lounge stash.
The lounge will be in a common area of the dormitory and open to all throughout the conference.
Don't forget to sign in when you come by -- otherwise you won't be eligible for any of the fantastic prizes we've got for you. I'm not kidding about the fantastic part -- soft Berroco yarn, craft gloves, lace kits, an ultimate sweater machine, etc. You won't want to miss out!
* Crocheters are more than welcome as well -- we just all happen to be knitters around here. Show us what you've got!
(posted on behalf of Nancy Williamson)
Hello SUNY librarians:
The 2007 SUNYLA Conference at Maritime is fast approaching. As you read over the conference program, please consider volunteering to serve as moderator for one or more of the conference sessions. Moderators introduce speakers and their programs and provide general assistance as needed - distributing handouts, etc.
If you would like to serve as a moderator, please e-mail me with your requested session(s). I will fill them on a first-come, first-served basis.
In case you don't have it handy, here is the link for the SUNYLA Conference: http://www.buffalostate.edu/library/sunyla2007/
Thank you for your participation in making the conference a success! I look forward to hearing from you.
Nancy Williamson, Chairperson
Nassau Community College Library
One Education Drive
Garden City, NY 11530
(516) 572-7406
Nancy.Williamson@ncc.edu
It seems necessary to provide a few more details about sleeping accommodations. Let's start from the beginning...This is the paragraph that you've already seen:
Our brand new 300 bed residence opened its doors to students on August 26, 2004. The residence hall showcases breath-taking views of the Long Island Sound and offers the opportunity to relax in any one of the centrally located lounge areas. The residence hall also features central air conditioning, suite style living, and new furnishings. Linen services are provided. Most rooms are "your basic college dorm”. The suites have their own bathrooms shared between three to four bedrooms.
A word about the phrase "suite style living" --
A suite can potentially accommodate 8 people. Each bedroom sleeps two people in twin captain's beds, and each suite has 3-4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Each bedroom has a full door, and each bathroom within the suite is private with a full door. Each suite has one central entrance.
The suite bathrooms really are more on the private side of "semi-private" -- each has one shower, one sink, one toilet. There will be no rows of half-doored stalls or padding down an open hall in your PJs.
Further, as best as we can, couples will be assigned to a suite with other couples, women to a suite with other women, men in a suite with other men. We will try to do this by floor as well, actually.
A word about the sentence "Linen services are provided." --
Each bed will have clean sheets, one blanket, one pillow, and two towels. (Probably all of that will be brand new, never before touched by human hands, so the germophobes among you can rest assured!)
I know the conferences in the past have provided dorm accommodations, so I hope there are no illusions about this being a hotel, or competitive with hotel accommodations. There is no turn-down service or "Housekeeper, please make up this room" sign to hang from the door knob or anything like that. The dorm will be clean and air-conditioned. The only other "frills" are an elevator, a fitness room on the first floor, and a lounge on each of the other floors.
A word about the rate --
The cost per person, per night, is $60. You are welcome to bring your spouse/S.O. or to take a bedroom for yourself, but think of it as a "per bed" rate...There are two beds in each bedroom. If you are using both beds, you must pay for both beds.
We are doing our best to ensure your comfort, and we think these arrangements are manageable for most people. As always, you may contact me with additional questions or concerns. fberke@sunymaritime.edu or 718-409-7237
The amber glow of the elixir comes alive as the setting summer sun gently glints through the cocktail glass in your hand. The glistening water parts around you, welcoming you, pushing you foward. As night nudges its way across the sky, your warm skin begins to cool with the whipping of the winds entwining around you. Thousands of stony soldiers in the island of the giants watch on bemusedly as you drift past. You smile, and a crackling flash captures this moment forever.
You're on the SUNYLA Sunset Cruise around Manhattan, and nobody forgot to bring the camera!
This option is seriously going to be the highlight of the conference. After our Thursday barbeque dinner, we're going to board the Skyline Princess for a private chartered cruise around Manhattan! The program, which will be up any second now, says this:
7:30 PM - 12:00 AM ¦ SUNSET CRUISE
The Skyline Princess, operated by Skyline Cruises, is a 120-foot Tri-Level luxury motor yacht. We will enjoy breathtaking sights of New York City as the summer sun sets over the glittering waters of the Long Island Sound and East River. Don't forget your camera for those close-ups of the Statue of Liberty! This promises to be an unforgettable New York cruise experience.
Refreshments sponsored by Elsevier
Oh boy, oh boy! I can't wait!
We're offering conference attendees the option to come early and/or stay late on the Maritime campus. We figured many of you might like to enjoy the New York City area while you're here, and we know we're more affordable than any hotel nearby.
If you do stay, we can drive you to Manhattan on Friday (June 15) afternoon for free. You can spend the time how you like -- maybe take in a Broadway show or see one of the fabulous museums. If you have a car, you may want to visit a local winery, shop, or see the New York Botanical Garden. (Actually, if there's enough interest, I bet we could arrange to drive you there too)
On Saturday, June 16, come with us on a field trip to the Bronx Zoo. We can get a good group rate if we know how many people we'll be bringing, so I encourage you to register early.
We want your pre- or post- conference stay to be an enjoyable one. Please feel free to contact me at fberke@sunymaritime.edu with questions or suggestions. The more I know ahead of time, the more I can do for you, so if you and 11 of your closest friends want to go to a local knitting store or something, let me know and I'll see what I can do. Officially we'll be pretty hands-off after Friday morning, but driving you to your jaunt is probably doable.
Oh, by the way, the dorm rooms you'll be staying in are air-conditioned -- you can rest easy that you'll, well, rest easy.
Greetings to one and all! My name is Felicia Berke, and I’m the Library Coordinator at SUNY Maritime, which will be your host for the 2007 SUNYLA Conference. I’ve been working with Carol Anne for the last few months, and we’ve been moving right along making arrangements. I volunteered to be a blogger, figuring I can tell you about each and every brick we polish in anticipation of your arrival. Doesn't that sound like fun reading? No, that's not what I'm going to ramble on about. I thought that my perspective would be rather different from other conference bloggers. Whether that's because I'm the local planning point person or because this will be my first conference as an attendee, let alone as a member of the hosting staff, or because most of my posts will probably be pre-conference, or because I'm my own unique snowflake, I really couldn't say. Whatever the reason, I'm happy to keep you in the loop.
Now down to business.
Rosanne Humes from Nassau Community College has volunteered to handle the registrations. To encourage early registration, I'm working on securing some tickets to a Broadway show or a Yankee game, something like that. We're hoping because of our campus's proximity to New York City that conference attendees will choose to come early or stay late to spend a few days exploring the area.
The Maritime librarians met last week about the conference for the first time, and they seem to be very excited about taking on whatever I give them to help plan a (pardon the non-professional phrasing here) truly kick-ass conference. They're also bubbling over with presentation ideas, so we'll see what we can teach everybody about a life at sea, or at the very least, how to read about a life at sea with the assistance of our very favorite resource, the campus library. Or something like that.
As for what our local committee is planning, I want to keep some surprises so I won't specify what, but I can say that we've begun tracking down some goodies.
More news as I know it.
Last years Conference Blog can be found here http://sunyla2006.blogspot.com/. Most of the posts were Conference News and Bloggers reporting on the sessions they attended. I am open to any suggestions of what you would like to see on this years conference blog.
Are you going to the SUNYLA 2007 Conference in SUNY Maritime in June? Want to try your hand at blogging a conference? The SUNYLA 2007 Conference Blog is looking for people to share their experiences through blog posts, photos, and even podcasts. If you’re interested, please drop Ken Fujiuchi an email with your name, your title, your library’s name, the URL of your blog (if you have one, it’s not a requirement), and your email address, and we’ll get you set up. No experience required!
