Did ALA Members Like Going to Anaheim? Strong Disagreements Surface

Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 07/09/2008

• Convention center convenient
• Anaheim lacks urban amenities
• Then again, there's Disneyland
• ALA says a return in 2012 is definite

Most attendees at the 2008 American Library Association annual conference in Anaheim, CA, agree that the weather was pleasant—lucky, given sweltering temperatures the week before. Many of the hotels were reasonably priced, and many but hardly all were close to the reasonably compact convention center. (Thus it was no Orlando, where distant hotels and hot weather in 2004 prompted a shift to Washington, DC, for the planned 2010 conference.)

There's strong disagreement, however, on whether Anaheim was a good venue—and that question’s not merely academic, given that ALA is scheduled to return to the city in the summer of 2012.

In blog posts and comments on electronic mailing lists, the critics cited the lack of easy access to urban amenities like cultural facilities, alternative bookstores, and interesting restaurants, plus the overwhelming influence of Disneyland. Some critics even said it made them wary of Las Vegas, another resort city, scheduled to host the 2014 conference, sparking a debate about the assets of that city and region. (Here's the list of future conferences.)

Anaheim enthusiasts said they were able to explore some of Orange County’s bounties (e.g., the Nixon Library, San Juan Capistrano) and enjoyed the theme park. Those who brought their families on vacation said Disneyland was a special lure. West Coast librarians said the location made travel easier and thus allowed more of them to attend.

Deidre Ross, ALA Director of Conference Services, told LJ that the majority of the feedback she received was positive. “Most people here think it’s a great site. They liked the closeness of the hotels to the convention center,” she said, noting that many were willing to trade off some cultural amenities “for the closeness and having a good conference experience. We definitely will be coming back in 2012.”

ALA Senior Associate Executive Director Mary Ghikas, in a message on the ALA Council electronic mailing list, reminded readers that picking a site isn’t easy. According to an FAQ, conference selection “requires the combination of 425,000 gross square feet of exhibit space, 8500 hotel rooms and 350+ meeting rooms – all within a 'workable' area, preferably within a 12-block radius of the convention center (not possible in cities such as Chicago).” She cited a related ALA memo pointing out that Conference Services also looks at factors like price range of hotels, transportation accessibility, and availability of double/double rooms, and that each site “involves a unique set of decisions and compromises.”