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ALA Midwinter Virtual
Frequently Asked Questions

 

  1. What is ALA Midwinter Virtual?
  2. Who should attend ALA Midwinter Virtual?
  3. Do I need to be a member of ALA to register?
  4. May I gift an ALA Membership to a colleague, so that they can take advantage of the ALA Member Registration Rate?
  5. How can I participate if I've been laid off or furloughed from my library?
  6. What do I do if I transferred my Annual Conference registration to the Midwinter Virtual event?
  7. How can I register a group of people?
  8. In what time zone will the event be hosted?
  9. I live outside the U.S. and due to the time difference, cannot attend the sessions live. Can I still participate?
  10. Does ALA provide a letter of attendance?
  11. Who can I contact if I lose my registration information?
  12. How will I access the event?
  13. How will I access the sessions and meetings?
  14. Will the event be interactive?
  15. Will there be accommodations for attendees who require accessibility?
  16. Does ALA have a code of conduct for its conferences?
  17. Does ALA agree with everything that is presented at the Conference?
  18. Don't see your question?
  1. What is ALA Midwinter Virtual?

    The decision to offer ALA Midwinter Virtual has provided ALA the opportunity to design an enhanced Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits.  While many of the established activities from past Midwinter Meetings will remain, we have added NEW activities and interactive features. ALA Midwinter Virtual consists of five days of education, engaging speakers, the Library Marketplace: Exhibits, Stages & Resources, live-chats, networking, and more.  

  2. Who should attend ALA Midwinter Virtual?

    Librarians, authors, publishers, business professionals, educators and students, anyone passionate about books, libraries, and eager to learn and shape the future of the industry.

  3. Do I need to be a member of ALA to register?

    ALA Midwinter Virtual is open to all in the library field. You do not have to be an 'ALA Member' to attend. However, one of the many benefits of being an ALA Member is the opportunity to save on conference registration. To learn more about membership, view www.ala.org/membership/joinala

  4. May I gift an ALA Membership to a colleague, so that they can take advantage of the ALA Member Registration Rate?

    Yes! It’s a great idea to gift an ALA membership to a colleague, especially an LIS student who will then be able to attend Midwinter Virtual at no cost. Just complete this Gift Membership Application Form with the recipients’ information and corresponding payment information. Note: To ensure ALA sufficient time to activate the giftee's membership, completed applications must be received no later than Monday, January 11, 2021.

  5. How can I participate if I've been laid off or furloughed from my library?
    If you’ve recently been furloughed, laid off, or are experiencing a reduction of paid work hours, ALA members are invited to join us for no cost at all. During the registration process, you can indicate your circumstance to receive your complimentary registration.
     
  6. What do I do if I transferred my Annual Conference registration to the Midwinter Virtual event?

    Nothing!  You should have received a registration confirmation via email on November 5, 2020. If you didn't receive the email please contact [email protected] to request another confirmation. 

  7. How can I register a group of people?

    Registration is Now Closed.

    If you’d like to register a group of people, ALA is offering a ‘Register 5 People and get 1 Free Registration' option. To register a group, begin by signing in with the first person you’d like to register, then click the "Add Another" button on the Review Information page to add each subsequent registrant. Once you've completed registration for everyone in your group, click "Finish" on the Review page. Note: You will need to enter a unique email address for each person in your group so that they will be able to access the virtual event.

    Also, when registering the group of six, the free registration will be reflected on the Payment page. The total cost for all five registrants can be paid via credit card, purchase order, or check. If paying by check, please include the check number in the purchase order number box.

  8. In what time zone will the event be hosted?

    ALA Midwinter Virtual sessions and activities will be hosted in U.S., Central Time.

  9. I live outside the U.S. and due to the time difference, cannot attend the sessions live. Can I still participate?

    Although the schedule is based in the U.S., Central time zone, attendees across the globe can attend the event. The structure of the event is built so that many of the sessions can be accessed in an on-demand format. Registrants will also have access to the event content for one year.

  10. Does ALA provide a letter of attendance?

    Yes, the letter can be accessed through your dashboard from your registration confirmation. 

  11. Who can I contact if I lose my registration information?

    Lost registration information can be requested by emailing [email protected].

  12. How will I access the event?

    Once registered, attendees will receive a confirmation email with a link to the online Program Scheduler where they can build their schedule and “favorite” sessions. Your registration number will be used to log in to the Program Scheduler and access the event once it begins. All registrants will receive an email one week prior to the event with additional access instructions. New: Attendees will not be able to log in to the Program Scheduler until they have registered for the event.

  13. How will I access the sessions and meetings?

    Access to all sessions, meetings, and discussion groups will be possible by clicking a button on the session record. These buttons will become available when the event has started. You will not be receiving any emails with direct links to any sessions or meetings.

    If you have events saved in your schedule, just click the title link to bring up the detailed presentation record page and click the button to access the session.

  14. Will the event be interactive?

    Yes, there will be sessions designed for interaction with presenters and fellow attendees.

  15. Will there be accommodations for attendees who require accessibility?

    ALA will caption all educational sessions, keynote speakers, and live discussions for the ALA Midwinter Virtual event. Icons denoting “Captioning Available” and “ASL Interpretation Available” will be presented next to listed sessions. For additional accessibility needs, please contact [email protected].

  16. Does ALA have a code of conduct for its conferences?

    Yes, we've placed it here on our website. Visit ALA Virtual Meeting Code of Conduct.

  17. Does ALA agree with everything that is presented at the Conference?

    Because the event serves as an open forum, opinions expressed and/or materials distributed by program participants do not necessarily reflect, or imply advocacy or endorsement by the American Library Association, its officers, or members.

  18. Don't see your question?

    Ask using the Contact Us form.

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