Call for Moderators

(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

Housing? Suite! (Totally, dude.)

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

Sail...ing...Takes Me Awaaaaay

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

And I say this:

Oh boy, oh boy! I can't wait!

No kidding, I encourage you to opt in. Even if you've done the Circle Line thing before, it's completely different at night. It truly makes New York seem...well, magical. (Plus we'll have entertainment and a bar aboard with us!)

Come for the Conference, Stay for the Weekend

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.