PROGRAM PLANNING

I. The Conference Format
II. The Conference Educational Program

A. Plenary Sessions
B. Concurrent Sessions
C. Pre- and/or Post-Conference Institute

III. The Program Committee

A. Appointments
B. Responsibilities
C. Call for Proposals

1. Criteria

D. Proceedings

IV. Research Forum

V. Professional Papers

VI. Opening Ceremonies

A.Flag Ceremony

1.IASL Flag

2.Individual Country Flags

B.Greetings

C.Keynote Address

VIII. Closing Ceremonies

A. Flag Ceremony

VIII. Meetings

I. THE CONFERENCE FORMAT

The format for each conference program varies depending upon the number of conference days and other local conditions. Traditionally, the overall program includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• a special opening session,
• the educational program sessions,
• meetings, and
• a special closing session.

The IASL President and Board welcome innovative approaches from the Program Committee.

II. THE CONFERENCE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM

The conference educational program usually consists of a small number of plenary sessions that all delegates are expected to attend and a larger number of concurrent sessions that attract smaller audiences. In addition, a pre- and/or post-conference event focusing on some current topic/issue/trend can be very useful in drawing delegates to the conference.

A. Plenary Sessions

The plenary sessions address the overall conference theme and should feature high profile speakers. They provide excellent opportunities for sponsorships. The conference pays the plenary session speakers for their contribution to the conference, either by way of an honorarium or a reduced-fee or complimentary registration if they are also conference delegates. The Program Committee actively solicits the plenary session speakers very early in the conference planning process.

B. Concurrent Sessions

The concurrent sessions may also address the overall conference theme but more likely focus on a particular aspect of it. The number of sessions offered at any one time depends on the expected number of delegates, the number and size of the rooms available, equipment availability and cost, and the anticipated appeal of the topic and speaker(s). These concurrent sessions may be:

1. research papers,
2. professional papers, and
3. general and/or participation sessions-workshops, demonstrations, panels, group discussions, round tables, etc.

Traditionally, the conference does not pay the presenters of formal research and professional papers because these speakers have the honor of presenting at an international conference and of having their papers reproduced in their entirety in the [peer-reviewed] published conference Proceedings. Nor does the conference pay for photocopying handouts for these sessions. If these speakers wish to give out any materials at their sessions, copying is their own responsibility. (Although a specific invitation to present a [research or professional] paper carries no offer of funding, such an invitation may help the speaker negotiate assistance from his or her employer and/or other funding agencies.)

The conference may pay presenters whom the Program Committee actively solicits. The payment may be a modest honorarium for those speakers who are not also conference delegates or a reduced-fee registration for those who are delegates. The conference may also pay for photocopying handouts for these sessions.

C. Pre- and/or Post-Conference Institute

Very early in the planning process, the Conference Coordinator and/or the Program Chair should consult the IASL Board (through the Vice President Association Operations) and the president of any cosponsoring association to determine if and when they wish to hold a workshop, institute, etc. as a pre- and/or post-conference event. At the very least, any such event must be mounted on a cost-recovery basis and have a stated minimum enrolment. Otherwise, the planning for this event is the same as for any other in the conference educational program.

III. THE PROGRAM COMMITTEE

A. Appointments

Very early in the planning process (approximately 12-18 months before the conference), the Conference Coordinator, in consultation with the IASL President and the president of any cosponsoring association(s), appoints a Program Chair. He or she, in turn, and considering input from the sponsoring association(s), appoints the members of the Program Committee and calls them to an initial meeting. Beyond that, the Program Chair calls meetings of the Program Committee on an as-needed basis. He or she also chairs these meetings, keeps a record of major decisions and concerns, and reports them to the Conference Coordinator.

B. Responsibilities

With input as necessary from the Conference Coordinator and other members of the conference organizing committee, the Program Chair works with the Program Committee to:

• interpret and refine the suggested conference theme, and develop subthemes as necessary and appropriate for the various conference strands
• determine the overall type of conference program, keeping in mind the objectives of IASL and any cosponsoring association(s) and any special needs of the host country
• plan and develop any pre- and/or post-conference events (and follow though with the speakers as described below)
• suggest names for the Keynote Speaker at the Opening Ceremonies
• actively solicit internationally known speakers for the [sponsored] plenary sessions (and follow though with them as described below)
• develop forms for the Call for Proposals
• coordinate printing and/or other distribution (e.g., electronically) of the Call for Proposals forms
• provide copy to the Publicity Chair for a press release announcing when and where the Call for Proposals forms are available
• work with the Publicity Chair to ensure that the announcement has the widest possible distribution, including at the current year's conference
• respond to requests for the Call for Proposals forms
• keep a record of numbers of requests and locations of requesters
• receive the completed Call for Proposals forms and keep a record of numbers, names, and locations of those submitting a proposal
• if necessary, forward proposals for the international research forum or for the professional papers series to the appropriate chair
• acknowledge receipt of the other proposals
• review the proposals and select those to be accepted
• notify all those who made a proposal as to the outcome of the review process
• if necessary, actively solicit speakers or other presenters to fill in gaps in the program identified after completing the review of the proposals
• complete a Call for Proposals form (or ask the speaker to complete the form) for these "solicited" speakers when each is confirmed
• work with the Volunteers Coordinator to assign and confirm conveners for the program sessions at the conference, including the international research forum and the professional papers series (if there is one)
• prepare "instructions" for program session conveners
• notify the speakers of details of their session-date and time; room (including any equipment requested); approximate numbers attending, if available; convener
• coordinate volunteers to photocopy handouts for these sessions
• prepare copy, based on the speakers' abstracts, about the program sessions for the conference [program] brochure and/or registration booklet
• advise the IASL President [with a copy to the Budget & Finance Chair] about the need for translation and/or interpretation services.

In addition, the Program Chair:

• prepares a thank-you letter, cosigned by the Conference Coordinator, for the speakers
• assists in preparing an inventory of room set-up and equipment requirements
• assists in assigning rooms for the program sessions
• notifies the Publicity Chair of any program updates for press releases, etc. and/or for announcements at the conference
• keeps track of postage and other costs (e.g., fax, photocopying) associated with the work of the Program Committee and submits claims regularly to the Budget & Finance Chair
• attends meetings of the conference organizing committee and reports regularly to the Conference Coordinator, including a summary report after the conference
• assists in designing the conference evaluation form(s)
• works with other members of the conference organizing committee after the conference to examine and summarize the evaluations
• prepares and submits the evaluation composite report to the IASL Executive Committee (through the Vice President Association Operations).

C. Call for Proposals

At least two-and possibly three-versions of the Call for Proposals are necessary: (1) for the general concurrent program sessions, (2) for the international research forum, and (3) for the professional papers series (if there is one).

The basic Call for Proposals form includes:

• personal dataćname as it is to appear on name badge, preferred form of address, title, institution and/or employer, preferred full mailing address, telephone number(s), fax number(s), email address
• name (plus title and employer and/or institution) of co-presenter(s), if any
• title of presentation or paper
• abstract (100-150 words)
• brief biography (approximately 50-100 words) for each presenter
• type of presentation (e.g., research paper, panel discussion, workshop, etc.)
• if applicable, choices for length of presentation
• if applicable, choices for date and time of presentation
• preferred room set up
• specific equipment requirements
• the audience(s) and/or experience level(s) for whom the paper or presentation is most relevant
• names (plus title and institution and/or employer, and email address) of two references

The basic form also includes:

• clear instructions for completing and submitting the form
• criteria by which proposals will be reviewed and evaluated
• name, address, and contact numbers of person to whom completed proposal is to be sent [The basic form goes to the Program Chair, the research forum proposals to the Chair of the International Research Forum, and the professional papers forms to the Chair of the Professional Papers Series.]
• deadline date by which all proposals must be received
• indication of how and when those submitting the proposal will be notified of the outcome of the review process.

In addition to the details required for the basic form, proposals for the international research forum should include a detailed description (approximately 1000 words) of the research project under the following headings, on a separate sheet or sheets:

• title of paper/study
• research questions and/or hypotheses/purpose of the study
• methodology/process
• results/findings (may be preliminary)
• conclusion(s) (may be preliminary), including significance of the study and, if appropriate, relevance to professional practice

In addition to the details required for the basic form, proposals for the professional papers should include, on a separate sheet:

• title of the paper
• a detailed descriptive annotation (up to 500 words) outlining the paper's content and its relevance to professional practice

1. Criteria

The appropriate reviewers evaluate each proposed topic according to:

• relevance (including timeliness and originality/innovativeness) to the conference theme
• intellectual significance
• wide appeal to a diverse international audience
• usefulness for practical [international] applications (e.g., stages in the development of a project)
• theoretical and/or research basis with practical application
• clarity for an international audience.

The reviewers also evaluate the proposal itself for clarity and completeness and consider the suitability of the format or style of presentation to the topic and the audience.

D. Proceedings

Early in the planning process, the Conference Coordinator consults with the IASL Board (through the Vice President Association Operations) and the chair of the Research SIG (refer to SIG Research page for current chairperson) to appoint an editor for the Proceedings. The editor may be the Research SIG chair, one or the other [or both] of the chairs of the international research forum and the professional papers series, and/or another suitable person. The Proceedings Editor works closely with the Conference Coordinator to:

• if necessary, appoint or hire an assistant for copy editing, data entry, and/or indexing
• ensure all deadlines are met, including delivery of copy to the publisher
• negotiate, with the IASL Secretariat in respect to publishing guidelines.

In addition, the Conference Coordinator:

• either works with the Chair of the International Research Forum and the Chair of the Professional Papers Series or instructs each chair to obtain copies (both in printed form and on disk) of all the papers in the international research forum and in the professional papers series (if there is one)
• coordinates delivery of the papers and disks to the Proceedings Editor
• arranges with the publisher for the delivery of the Proceedings to the conference for distribution at registration
• arranges for the return of any unclaimed Proceedings to the publisher after the conference
• arranges with the Budget & Finance Chair to make deposits and/or any other payments associated with the production of the Proceedings.

The Proceedings follow the same basic guidelines-only slightly modified-regarding bibliographic style, etc. as for IASL's journal School Libraries Worldwide. The Proceedings Editor reserves the right to modify any submission to conform to these guidelines and other standards such as length. The Editor also decides on the order in which the papers will appear in the Proceedings and writes the Introduction. Alternatively, the Proceedings Editor may request assistance from the chairs of the international research forum and/or the professional papers series to complete these tasks.

IV. RESEARCH FORUM

The presentation of research papers has always been a part of the IASL conferences. This presentation was formalized at the 26th annual (1997) conference as the First International Forum on Research in School Librarianship. This international research forum continues as an important feature and highlight of IASL conferences.

Very early in the planning process and after consultation with the chair of the IASL Research SIG, the Conference Coordinator appoints someone to chair the international research forum. The chair is nominally a member of the Program Committee and reports to the Program Chair. Depending upon arrangements, the research chair may carry out the responsibilities on his or her own or in a partnership, or he or she may delegate some tasks to someone else. The Chair of the International Research Forum, therefore, works with the Research SIG chair to either perform or oversee tasks as follows:

• assist in developing a form for the Call for Proposals
• appoint an international panel to review the proposals
• receive the completed Call for Proposals forms and keep a record of numbers, names, and locations of those submitting a proposal
• acknowledge receipt of the proposals
• develop a "tool" [based on the Criteria stated above] for use by the reviewers for evaluating the proposals
• send each proposal along with the evaluation tool to at least 3 reviewers
• acknowledge return of the proposals from the reviewers and thank them for their efforts
• compile results when the proposals come back from the reviewers
• notify all those who made a proposal as to the outcome of the review process
• follow up with those whose proposals were accepted regarding final papers
• prepare copy, based on the speakers' abstracts, about the international research forum sessions for the conference [program] brochure and/or registration booklet
• if requested, edit and/or assist with editing the completed papers
• if requested, write and/or assist with writing an appropriate introduction to the research papers for the Proceedings
• work with the Publisher and Editor of the Proceedings (if there is a separate or another one) to ensure the Proceedings are available for the conference
• work with the Program Chair to assign and confirm conveners for the international research forum sessions at the conference
• notify the speakers of details of their session-date and time; room (including any equipment requested); approximate numbers attending, if available; convener
• prepare a thank-you letter, cosigned by the Conference Coordinator, for the speakers
• keep track of postage and other costs (e.g., fax, photocopying) associated with planning the international research forum and submit claims regularly to the Budget & Finance Chair
• report regularly to the Program Chair and to the Conference Coordinator, including a summary report after the conference
• work with the conference organizing committee after the conference to examine and summarize the evaluations.

V. Professional Papers

The presentation of professional papers has always been a part of the IASL conferences. This presentation was formalized somewhat at the 26th annual (1997) conference as the Professional Papers series. This series continues-sometimes formally and sometimes informally-as an important feature and highlight of IASL conferences. If the Conference Coordinator and Program Chair agree on the informal approach, proposals for professional papers are treated in the same way as those for the more general sessions described above. There is no need for separate or special treatment. If the Conference Coordinator and the Program Chair agree on a more formal approach, they should proceed as outlined immediately below.

Very early in the planning process, and after consultation with the Program Chair, the Conference Coordinator appoints someone to chair the Professional Papers series. The chair is nominally a member of the Program Committee and reports to the Program Chair. Depending upon arrangements, the chair of the series may carry out the responsibilities on his or her own or in a partnership, or he or she may delegate some tasks to someone else. The Chair of the Professional Papers Series, therefore, either performs or oversees tasks as follows:

• assists in developing a form for the Call for Proposals
• appoints a panel to review the proposals
• receives the completed Call for Proposals forms and keeps a record of numbers, names, and locations of those submitting a proposal
• acknowledges receipt of the proposals
• sends the proposals and the list of criteria to the reviewers
• compiles results when the proposals come back from the reviewers
• acknowledges return of the proposals from the reviewers and thanks them for their efforts
• notifies all those who made a proposal as to the outcome of the review process
• follows up with those whose proposals were accepted regarding final papers
• prepares copy, based on the speakers' abstracts, about the professional papers sessions for the conference [program] brochure and/or registration booklet
• if requested, edits and/or assists with editing the completed papers
• if requested, writes and/or assists with writing an appropriate introduction to the professional papers for the Proceedings
• works with the Publisher and Editor of the Proceedings (if there is a separate or another one) to ensure the Proceedings are available for the conference
• works with the Program Chair to assign and confirm conveners for the professional papers sessions at the conference
• notifies the speakers of details of their session-date and time; room (including any equipment requested); approximate numbers attending, if available; convener
• prepares a thank-you letter, cosigned by the Conference Coordinator, for the speakers
• keeps track of postage and other costs (e.g., fax, photocopying) associated with the Professional Papers series and submits claims regularly to the Budget & Finance Chair
• reports regularly to the Program Chair and to the Conference Coordinator, including a summary report after the conference
• works with the conference organizing committee after the conference to examine and summarize the evaluations.

VI. OPENING CEREMONIES

This first event of the conference program sets the tone and engages the participants immediately. It must be carefully planned and executed! The degree of formality imposed on this event is a combination of IASL (and any cosponsoring association(s)'s) traditions and culture and the traditions and culture of the host country. Respect for tradition and flexibility are both important.

The Opening Ceremonies usually takes place as a separate event that concludes with a reception, which may, if appropriate, coincide with the opening of the Exhibits. Traditionally, there are three components to the Opening Ceremonies proper: (1) a flag "ceremony", (2) greetings, and (3) a keynote address. Optionally, other activities (awards presentations, for example) may constitute part of this event.

A musician or musical group may be invited to this event and asked to play appropriate music before the beginning of the ceremonies (i.e., prior to the entrance of the platform party), as the platform party enters, during the flag ceremony, and/or during the reception.

Even though the Opening Ceremonies is a program event, it is not the responsibility of the Program Committee. Instead, with input as necessary from the Conference Coordinator and other members of the conference organizing committee, the Local Arrangements Chair and/or the Social Events Chair-

• arranges a suitable venue (including any AV and/or computer equipment, etc.) for the Opening Ceremonies and for the reception following
• arranges to have the conference banner installed in a prominent place in the auditorium or other chosen venue, and removed after the event
• coordinates the flag ceremony
• arranges to have the stand(s) for the flag ceremony installed in a prominent place in the auditorium, and removed after the event (There should be a stand to hold at least the IASL flag and possibly also the flag of the host country and/or state/province, etc.)
• arranges food and beverage services suitable to the occasion
• arranges for printing name cards for individuals in the platform party
• arranges for the production of a suitable number of "Reserved" signs for the first few rows of auditorium seats (These are for:
  • award winners,
  • award sponsors,
  • members of the IASL Board and executive members of any cosponsoring association(s) who are not in the platform party,
  • members of the conference organizing committee who are not in the platform party, and
  • any special guests previously identified by the IASL President or the president of any cosponsoring association and/or by the conference organizing committee.)
• coordinates volunteers to distribute the name cards, "Reserved" signs, and programs; and to act as ushers at the event.

In addition, the Conference Coordinator-

• provides copy about the Opening Ceremonies for the conference press releases, the conference [program] brochure and/or registration booklet, and for the conference website
• works with the IASL President and the president(s) of any cosponsoring association(s) to develop the event program
• arranges for design and printing of the event program
• if requested, chairs the Opening Ceremonies. (Alternatively, the IASL President may chair the Opening Ceremonies.)

A. Flag Ceremony

The flag ceremony at the Opening Ceremonies should consist of at least the formal presentation of the IASL flag. It may also consist of the "presentation" of a flag from each of the countries represented at the conference.

1. IASL Flag

Early in the planning process, the Conference Coordinator, in consultation with the IASL President and Vice President Association Operations, determines who will be involved in the presentation of the IASL flag. Traditionally, the Conference Coordinator (who should have the flag from the previous year's conference Closing Ceremonies, or request it from the IASL Secretariat) presents the flag to the President. He or she, in turn, plants the flag in an appropriate stand already in place in a prominent position, and declares the conference officially open. After the Opening Ceremonies, the Conference Coordinator arranges to have the flag moved to a prominent location (e.g., center stage in the room where the plenary sessions take place, near the registration area) for the duration of the conference. Ideally, the flag should be close by the official conference banner if there is one. If necessary, the Conference Coordinator also arranges for the removal of the flag to the venue for the Closing Ceremonies.

2. Individual Country Flags

1. Option A [for a formal ceremony]. With input as necessary from members of the conference organizing committee, the Conference Coordinator (or a designate assigned responsibility for this event)-
• identifies the countries from which delegates are coming to the conference
• arranges to borrow large flags, of approximately equal size, for each such country
• recruits a suitable uniformed group-Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, cadets, or the like-to present the flags in official manner (The presenter marches the length of the center span in the auditorium, acknowledges the platform party, plants the flag in a prominently situated stand, and remains standing in front of the flag until all have been presented.)
• designates someone to call for the presentation of the flags and to call out the names of the countries as the flags are presented
• thanks and dismisses the presenters after the host country's flag has been presented.
2. Option B [for a slightly less formal ceremony]. For this option, the Conference Coordinator (or a designate assigned responsibility for this event)-
• arranges with a conference delegate (rather than a cadet, etc.) to present his or her country's flag.
3. Option C [informal]. For this option, the Conference Coordinator (or a designate assigned responsibility for this event)-
• notifies the IASL Secretariat and requests the small flag stand plus the small flags
• checks the flags when received to ensure the set is complete and each flag is current
• chooses the flags for the countries from which delegates are coming to the conference
• arranges to have the stand [with the appropriate flags] put in place in the auditorium before the Opening Ceremonies begins
• arranges for the removal of the flags and their stand after the event and their placement in another prominent location for the duration of the conference
• arranges for the return of the flags and their stand to the IASL Secretariat after the conference.
4. Option D [also for a more formal ceremony]. For this option, the Conference Coordinator (or a designate assigned responsibility for this event)-
• identifies the countries from which delegates are coming to the conference
• creates [or arranges for the creation of] a PowerPoint presentation to include a slide of the flag and the name for each such country (Given the configuration of the auditorium, two large screens-placed at either side of the stage area-can be more effective than one screen. Display the flag on both screens or on one screen with an appropriate "scene" from the country on the other.)
• arranges for a member of the conference organizing committee or a volunteer to operate the equipment for the PowerPoint presentation
• designates someone to call for the presentation of the flags and to call out the names of the countries as the flags display on the screen(s). (Alternatively, the flags can display in the background as the IASL President brings greetings.)

B. Greetings

With input as necessary from the IASL President and the members of the conference organizing committee, the Conference Coordinator:

• identifies appropriate individuals and associations and/or organizations who should be invited to bring greetings to the conference (These include, but are not limited to, the following persons or their designates:
• the IASL President and Executive Director,
• the president(s) of any cosponsoring association(s),
• if appropriate, the CEO of the institution where the conference takes place,
• if appropriate, the head of any units within the institution that have sponsored the conference,
• the chair of IFLA's Section of School Libraries and Resource Centres,
• the heads of any other related national and/or provincial or state associations,
• representatives of the municipal, provincial or state, and national governments.)
• sends an initial invitation several months in advance of the conference
• follows up and confirms approximately a month in advance
• notifies the Local Arrangements Chair and/or the Social Events Chair of the composition of the platform party so name cards can be made
• appoints a ceremonies marshal (traditionally, the IASL Vice President Association Operations) who will meet with the IASL President, the Conference Coordinator, and other members of the platform party, lead the procession to the venue for the ceremonies, and announce its arrival there.

C. Keynote Address

With input as necessary from the Conference Coordinator and other members of the conference organizing committee, the Program Chair-

• identifies an appropriate keynote speaker (and a couple of alternatives) for the Opening Ceremonies very early in the planning process
• contacts the speaker and formally invites him or her to speak at the Opening Ceremonies and to remain as a guest of the conference for the reception following
• follows up and confirms all arrangements with the speaker approximately a month in advance of the conference
• arranges with the Budget & Finance Chair for payment (an honorarium and expenses as appropriate) to the Keynote Speaker
• works with the Publicity Chair to ensure the Keynote Speaker is featured in the conference press releases, on the conference website, and/in the conference [program] brochure and/or registration booklet.

Depending upon what other activities make up the Opening Ceremonies and how much time has been allotted for this event, the Keynote Address may be as short as 15 minutes or as long as 45 minutes or even more.

If the speaker is agreeable, the Publicity Chair may arrange for copies of this Keynote Address to be reprinted in the IASL newsletter or other periodicals, reproduced on the IASL website "School Libraries Online," or otherwise made available to the profession. Normally, this and addresses delivered at the plenary sessions are not included in the published conference Proceedings.

VII. CLOSING CEREMONIES

The Closing Ceremonies may take place in conjunction with another event (an Awards Luncheon or a reception, for example) or as a separate event. Traditionally, there are two components to the closing ceremonies: (1) a presentation by the organizer(s) of the following year's conference and (2) a brief flag ceremony.

Several months in advance of the conference, the Conference Coordinator-

• contacts the organizer(s) of the following year's conference and invites representative(s) to make a brief presentation at the Closing Ceremonies [or at another suitable event if there is no formal ceremony]
• follows up with the organizer(s) and confirms participation in the Closing Ceremonies-in both this presentation and the flag ceremony.

A. Flag Ceremony

For the flag ceremony, the [current] Conference Coordinator:

• arranges ahead of time for the IASL flag to be placed in a prominent location in the room where the Closing Ceremonies will be held
• invites an appropriate person or persons (the IASL Vice President Association Operations, or a uniformed cadet, Girl Guide, Boy Scout, or the like) to take down the IASL flag, fold it according to proper protocol, and present it to the President.

The President then:

• invites the Conference Coordinator (or his or her designate) from the country where the conference will be held the following year to come forward and accept the flag [which may remain in his or her safekeeping, or be returned to the IASL Secretariat, until it is time to present it at the following year's Opening Ceremonies]
• after the handover of the flag, declares the conference officially closed.

VIII. MEETINGS

IASL requires meeting time at the conference as follows and approximately in this sequence:

• Executive Committee,
• Assembly of Associations,
• Annual General Meeting,
• IASL Board, and/or
• IASL Board and SIG Chairs.

The President or another member of the IASL Executive Committee (e.g., Executive Secretary, a Vice President) is responsible for inviting participants, preparing the agenda, and chairing each of these meetings. The conference organizing committee has minimal responsibility only as noted below.

Traditionally, the IASL Executive Committee (President, Vice Presidents, Treasurer, Executive Secretary) meets for a full day before the official opening of the conference and for a half day after the conference. The IASL Board (Executive Committee plus the regional Directors) meets for a half day towards the end of the conference and after the Annual General Meeting. These meetings are usually not listed in the conference [program] brochure and/or registration booklet. The Conference Coordinator or Local Arrangements Chair therefore must ensure that the President knows when and where these meetings will be held.

Alternatively, the President may request a suite in which he or she could hold the Executive Committee [and possibly also the IASL Board] meetings so that additional room rental charges might not apply for these events.

The Assembly of Associations should be scheduled for approximately 3 hours early [and prior to the Annual General Meeting] in the general conference program. It is listed in the conference [program] brochure and/or registration booklet. It should be opposed by as few other concurrent sessions as possible to encourage a good turnout. The IASL Vice President Association Relations is responsible for this event.

The Annual General Meeting should be scheduled for approximately 1.5 to 3 hours depending upon whether other events such as the Awards Presentations and/or a presentation by the representative(s) of the following year's conference organizing committee are part of it. (The actual business of the AGM should take no longer than an hour.) The AGM should be scheduled after the Assembly of Associations and before the IASL Board meeting. It usually falls "outside" the time of the general conference program and is unopposed by any other events to encourage a good turnout. It is listed in the conference [program] brochure and/or registration booklet. The IASL President is responsible for the AGM.

The IASL SIGs and/or other groups may wish to meet at the conference.

After consultation with the IASL President, the Conference Coordinator works with the Local Arrangements Chair to-

• schedule meeting times for the Association before and after and during the conference as requested
• arrange a suitable venue (including equipment if necessary) for each meeting
• arrange food and beverage services as necessary.