Annual Conference
 Frequently Asked QuestionsAccompanying Guests: NASIG welcomes your family and friends to a stay in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina, with options to attend conference events or sightsee in the Asheville area, home of artists, musicians, craftspeople, and the famous Blue Ridge Mountains. The guest price for the reception on Thursday night is $30. The optional Biltmore tour and dinner on Friday night costs $125 each for both registered attendees and their guests. The Saturday reception is free for people registered for the full conference and for those registered for the one day conference rate on Saturday. The guest price is $60. Airport Shuttle (Asheville) – See information about a special NASIG sponsored shuttle under Travel ADA Transportation: If you have limited mobility, please indicate on your registration. If we know your needs in advance, we can plan for accessible transportation for the Friday and Saturday night off-site events. See ADA Request. Baseball: See Asheville Tourists under Explore Asheville. Biltmore: See Evening Events, NASIG Biltmore House Dinner and Tour (Biltmore FAQ [WORD] [PDF]). Blog: Check out the NASIG 2009 Conference Blog. Boarding Passes, printing of: Both the Marriott Renaissance and the Sheraton offer free printing of boarding passes for their guests. Business Meeting: Held 3:45 pm to 5 pm at the Renaissance Grand Ballroom. Come and voice your ideas on the present and future of NASIG. Cab fare to and from the Asheville Regional Airport: Cost for a taxi is about $50, plus tip. (See other options under Travel.) Cancellations: Those received before May 5, 2009 will be refunded the full registration amount paid minus a $50 processing fee. A cancellation fee of 50% of registration costs plus a $50 processing fee will be applied for cancellations received between May 6 and May 26. No refund will be issued for cancellations received after May 26. Late requests for refunds due to an emergency will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All cancellations must be sent in writing via fax or email to the conference registrar. Expect confirmation within two days. The final decision on refunds rests with the NASIG President and Treasurer. See NASIG conference refund policy Checks: Make checks payable to NASIG in US Dollars. Child Care: NASIG is not able to provide child care nor screen available services for conference attendees. However, our local volunteers are quite willing to consult with you and give suggestions and help. City Bus to/from Airport: There is no direct bus between our hotel and the airport, and the nearest bus stop is about three blocks from the hotel. The bus system has limited service, involving one transfer, to and from the airport, running only between 9:30AM and 6:25 PM. Price is $1.00, the trip takes 30-45 minutes, and the transfer is free. For details check: Asheville Transit System Maps and Asheville Transit System. City Information: See "Explore Asheville" on main page. Printed materials will be available at the Registration Desk and in your hotel. Clothing/Dress: In keeping with NASIG tradition, casual attire is recommended: shorts, slacks, t-shirts, sandals, comfortable shoes, etc., with a sweater or jacket in case the weather turns cool, especially at night and early morning. Committee Meetings: Meetings will be held on Friday, June 5th, from 4:30 to 5:30 pm. See the Program for details. Conference Registration: The full conference rate is $375 for members and $500 for non-members; $150 per day (one day maximum). On-site Conference registration will be in the Asheville Renaissance. (See the Registration page.) The Desk will be staffed during the following hours: Tuesday 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm Credit Cards: NASIG accepts VISA and MasterCard only. Information must include the name as it appears on the card, the expiration date, and the three digit security code on the back of the card. Debit Cards: NASIG accepts only checks and Visa or Master Card credit cards. Our bank recommends against accepting debit cards for registrations due to security issues and our inability to give refunds against a debit card. Thank you for your cooperation. Dine-Arounds: There are a multitude of restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the Renaissance and Sheraton. If you are dining on your own, you should find no lack of good food and atmosphere. Driving Directions: Our Travel Section has detailed information on driving to Asheville, which may be an attractive option, especially for attendees who live in North Carolina and nearby states. Evening events (For further details, see the Program): First-Timers'/Mentoring Reception: The First-Timers' Reception will be held on Thursday, June 4th from 3:30 to 4:45 pm. This event is held to welcome newcomers to the NASIG organization and conference, provide a venue for mentors and mentees to meet for the first time, and create networking opportunities. The reception precedes the opening reception and is a great way to start the conference. First-timers have the opportunity to be mentored by a person who has attended at least one previous NASIG conference. Information about the mentoring program and the application form are available on the NASIG Mentoring website. The deadline for applying is May 11, 2009. After we receive your applications, we will pair you up and then contact you with the name of your partner and guidelines. See the Mentoring Program page. Fun Run/Walk: Join your NASIG colleagues at 7am on Saturday morning, outside the Asheville Renaissance Hotel for a walk or run at a challenging or companionable pace (your choice), within the sheltering slopes of the Blue Ridge and the picturesque town of Asheville. Handouts: Presentation handouts will be posted after the conference at the Conference Handouts. Hotel: The principal hotel of the Conference is the Marriott Renaissance Asheville, 31 Woodfin Street, where all meetings and daytime activities will be held. Rooms are also available in the neighboring Four Points by Sheraton, 22 Woodfin Street. See the Hotel page. Informal Discussion Groups (formerly known as Networking Nodes) meet during the midday box lunch break on Friday. They are intended to offer an opportunity for informal conversation about a chosen topic. A moderator may help facilitate the discussion. Internet Access: An Internet cafe will be available at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel, across the street from the Renaissance. Membership: Not a NASIG member? Join NASIG or renew your membership today and receive the membership conference and pre-conference rates. NASIG membership will save you $125 off of the full conference rate. Mentoring/First timers reception: See First-Timers'/Mentoring Reception. Networking Nodes: See Informal Discussion Groups. Opening Program: The Opening Program will take place on Thursday, 4:30 pm-5:30 pm. Our NASIG President Jill Emery will greet you followed by a welcome from local historian and humorist Ken Richards. Parking: Renaissance Asheville Hotel and Four Points by Sheraton Asheville Downtown have complimentary on-site parking. If you park at the Sheraton Asheville Downtown, you will need to get a parking pass at the front desk. Poster Sessions: Posters will be on display from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Friday, June 5th. Presenters will be available to discuss their topics during two break periods during this day. Poster sessions provide an informal opportunity for members to share graphic representations of current research, programs, or creative solutions to library problems. See the Poster Sessions. Pre-Conferences: Pre-conferences will be held Wednesday, June 3rd and the morning of Thursday, June 4th, at the Asheville Renaissance Hotel. For pre-conference titles and descriptions, consult the 2009 NASIG conference program. Pre-conference Rates: See the Pre-conference for details Purchase Orders: NASIG has no way of handling purchase orders. Receipts: You may easily print a receipt for your registration when you register online. Registration: See Conference registration. Rental Cars: Rental cars may be the best option if you are flying in to an airport other than the Asheville Regional Airport. Please see the Travel page on our Conference Web for other travel options and in particular note that this year NASIG is offering a free Travel Advisory Service for those who want to know the best way to get to Asheville, N.C. and surrounding areas. The Asheville Regional Airport offers the services of Avis, Budget, Enterprise, and Hertz rental companies. Roommates: If you are looking for a roommate, post a message on the Discussion Forum page. Shuttle from the Airport: NASIG is running a special shuttle from the Asheville Regional Airport. For details, please see the Travel Page. Session types: Speakers' Breakfast: 7:00 am-8:30 am Friday June 5th, Top of the Plaza, Renaissance (12th floor). Get specifics, meet up with your introducers and recorders. Get instructions and the schedule for filing your papers or reports. Transportation to and from the Hotel and Airport: Transportation options include taxi, shuttle and rental cars. See the Travel Page. User Group Meetings: The purpose of the User Groups is to share product implementation or development experiences and ideas. User Group attendees will have an opportunity to discuss topics of common interest in a non-commercial setting. These groups meet on Sunday from 9:00 am to 10:00 am. See the Conference Program for details. Volunteers at the Conference Host Site (Non-CPC members): Volunteers are recruited locally to do miscellaneous tasks, such as helping with registration, guiding people to offsite locations, etc. They are students and library staff who are not attending the conference. In return for volunteering they are permitted to attend a couple of sessions the day they volunteer. NASIG does not permit conference attendees to also serve as volunteers for a reduction in fees. Weather: Asheville daytime and evening temperatures in early June should be mild and pleasant. Temperatures may be quite cool later at night and in the early morning. National Weather Service Forecast (Last updated 5/27/09) |
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