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 General Information and Convention ServicesAppointmentsMembers who wish to make appointments with Executive Director Rosemary G. Feal or Director of Research and ADE David Laurence may do so through the MLA headquarters office in the Hilton San Francisco (Union Square 25, 4th floor, Building 3). Appointments with Director of Programs and ADFL Nelly Furman may be made through the MLA headquarters office in the San Francisco Marriott (Pacific Suite G, 4th floor).Audiotaping and Videotaping at SessionsNeither audiotaping nor videotaping of sessions is normally permitted. Occasional exceptions may be made for members of the media taping short segments designed to convey the convention atmosphere. Such arrangements must be made through the press office and require the consent of all speakers at a session. When taping is approved, a representative of the media staff will accompany the reporter and crew. The session organizer will announce to the audience that audiotaping or videotaping will take place during a part of the session. Only background taping is allowed, not the taping of an entire session. Requests to film the convention as part of a creative or documentary project must be submitted to the Executive Council no later than 15 October.BadgesPlastic badge holders are available at the MLA registration and information centers in the Hilton San Francisco, San Francisco Marriott, and the Fairmont San Francisco. Lost badges can be replaced for $5 at MLA registration centers.Business CentersHilton San Francisco FedEx Kinko's, Lobby level, Building 2 (6:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m., Mon.–Fri.; 9:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m., Sat.–Sun.)San Francisco Marriott Business Center, Golden Gate Hall, B2 level (7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., Mon.–Fri.; 7:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Sat.–Sun.) Fairmont San Francisco Business Center, Terrace level (7:00 a.m.–7:00p.m., Mon.–Sat., closed Sun.) Hours are subject to change. Child CareA daytime child care center will operate in the Fairmont San Francisco (Mezzanine level) on Sunday and Monday, 28 and 29 December, from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., and on Tuesday, 30 December, from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Parents and guardians should preregister their children for each day they intend to use the child care service; otherwise, children cannot be guaranteed a place. Registration forms may be downloaded using the link below. Completed forms must be returned to the convention office by Friday, 5 December 2008, and must be accompanied by a registration fee of $45 per day for the first child and $15 per day for each additional child. For graduate students, the fee is $25 per day for the first child and $15 per day for each additional child. A very limited number of on-site registrations may be available, depending on space restrictions, insurance considerations, and staffing capabilities. Those interested in arranging for child care in their hotel rooms should refer to information materials at their hotel.Download the 2008 Children's Program Preregistration and Parent Consent Form, or write the convention office (convention@mla.org) Convention GuideA pocket-size brochure providing general information about convention services and containing city and hotel maps will be sent with the convention badge to registrants who register before 1 December. Copies of the guide will be available free to persons who register at the convention.Convention Registration and HousingAll persons wishing to attend meetings or use convention services must register for the convention. Persons who plan to attend the convention may register by mail or through the MLA Web site (www.mla.org); the early-registration fee must be received before 1 December. Preregistration information was sent to all MLA members in September and was available at the MLA Web site in early September. Registrations may be accepted after 1 December at the higher rate, but programs (for nonmembers) and badges may not be sent. Members attending the convention who have not preregistered may register during the convention at the registration areas located in the Hilton San Francisco (East Lounge, Ballroom level), the San Francisco Marriott (north and south registration areas, lower B2 level), and the Fairmont San Francisco (Garden Room, Lobby level). Registration areas will be open on 27 December from 12:00 noon to 9:00 p.m., on 28 and 29 December from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and on 30 December from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.Hotel Reservations. Members are reminded that hotel rooms at the special MLA rates are available only to persons who are registered for the convention. Each convention registrant can reserve a maximum of one hotel room. Housing forms will not be processed if they include the names of persons in the profession who have not paid their registration fees for the convention. (Spouses, friends, and family members who wish to share a room with a registrant and who are also engaged in the study of language and literature must register and pay their registration fees for the convention.) Convention registrants who arrive in San Francisco without hotel arrangements may go to the registration and information desk at the Hilton San Francisco (East Lounge, Ballroom level). A representative of the MLA housing service, CMR, will be there to help such attendees find housing and to assist attendees with any hotel issues they may have. Registration Fees. Registration fees until 1 December are as follows: regular members, $125; graduate student members, $40; emeritus members, $40; nonmembers, $170; graduate student nonmembers, $65; emeritus nonmembers, $65; non-tenure-track and unemployed members, $50; regular members residing outside the United States and Canada, $50. Registration fees after 1 December are as follows: regular members, $150; graduate student members, $40; emeritus members, $40; nonmembers, $190; graduate student nonmembers, $65; emeritus nonmembers, $65; non-tenure-track and unemployed members, $50; regular members residing outside the United States and Canada, $50. Registration Refunds. Requests for refunds of registration fees must be made in writing, accompanied by unused convention badges, and postmarked no later than 26 December. Refunds requested after 26 December will not be granted unless there were extenuating circumstances that made it impossible for the registrant to attend the convention. A $10 service fee will be deducted from all refunds. Any disputes regarding convention fees should be put in writing and sent to the director of convention programs at the MLA office. Disabilities, Facilities and Services for Persons withThe MLA is committed to making arrangements that allow all members of the association to participate in the convention.Hotels. Meeting rooms in the headquarters hotels are accessible by elevator, and the doors are wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs. There will be desks in the convention registration and information centers at the Hilton San Francisco (East Lounge, Ballroom level), the San Francisco Marriott (north and south registration areas, lower B2 level), and the Fairmont San Francisco (Garden Room, Lobby level), staffed with personnel who can provide assistance to convention attendees with disabilities. There will also be satellite desks in the lobbies of the Hilton San Francisco, the San Francisco Marriott, and the Fairmont San Francisco. To reserve hotel rooms that are specifically equipped for persons with permanent or temporary disabilities, check the appropriate boxes on the convention registration form and the housing reservation form or write or call Karin Bagnall in the MLA convention office by 14 November. The earlier we receive your requests the better we can meet your needs. Shuttle Bus. A complimentary transportation service will be available throughout convention meeting hours to transport attendees with disabilities. Arrangements should be made at the desk for persons with disabilities in the Hilton San Francisco (East Lounge, Ballroom level), the San Francisco Marriott (north and south registration areas, lower B2 level), and the Fairmont San Francisco (Garden Room, Lobby level), as well as the satellite desks located in the lobbies of the Hilton San Francisco, the San Francisco Marriott, and the Fairmont San Francisco. Further details and phone numbers will be posted at the headquarters hotels. Sessions. Speakers are asked to bring five copies of their papers, even in draft form, for the use of members who wish to follow the written text. Speakers who use handouts should prepare some copies in a large print format (14- to 16-point font size). Speakers should indicate whether they want their papers and handouts returned. Sign language interpreters and real-time captioning are available on request. To arrange for either of these services, write or call Karin Bagnall in the MLA convention office by 14 November. Scooter Rentals. Scooters, for navigating the convention more easily, can be rented from Scootaround (888 441-7575). Karin Bagnall coordinates arrangements for persons with disabilities; she can be reached at the MLA convention office at kbagnall@mla.org; the TDD number is 646 576-5148. ExhibitsOver 130 firms will display books and other materials of interest to teachers of language and literature in the Hilton San Francisco (Grand Ballroom, Grand Ballroom level, Building 2). The area will be open on 28 and 29 December from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on 30 December from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Admission to the exhibit area is restricted to persons wearing badges or carrying appropriate passes. To view a list of the 2008 exhibitors, visit www.mla.org/exhibitorslist. The editor of the MLA International Bibliography will be in the MLA exhibit booth on 28 and 29 December from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. MLA staff members will be available in the MLA exhibit booth to demonstrate the features of the MLA Web site and to answer questions.Friends of Bill W.In the Hilton San Francisco, Union Square 13 (4th floor, Building 3) is set aside for the Friends of Bill W. throughout convention hours. A list of meetings will appear in the MLA Convention News and Program Update, available at the convention.Future ConventionsIn 2009 the convention will be held in Philadelphia. The dates of the convention are 27–30 December. There will be no convention in December 2010. In 2011 the convention will be held in Los Angeles from 6 to 9 January. In 2012 the convention will be held in New Orleans from 5 to 8 January.Graduate Student LoungeA lounge with comfortable chairs and tables where graduate students can meet for discussion or relaxation will be located in the Hilton San Francisco (Executive Boardroom, Ballroom level).Headquarters OfficesHeadquarters offices will be located in the Hilton San Francisco (Union Square 25, 4th floor, Building 2) and the San Francisco Marriott (Pacific Suite G, 4th floor). Members of the MLA convention staff will be available in these offices whenever meetings are in session to handle problems that might arise with meeting rooms or meeting facilities. Program organizers are asked to refer questions on such matters to one of the headquarters offices, not to the hotel management. More general questions will be answered by staff members at the MLA information centers.Illness and Medical EmergenciesProcedures may vary from one hotel to another.Hilton San Francisco. Dial 444 for security from any house phone or call 800 362-8677 and describe the situation. San Francisco Marriott. Dial 0 and describe the situation. Fairmont San Francisco. Dial 0 from any house phone and describe the situation. Please note: whether you are seeking medical advice or have a medical emergency, the hotel will direct you to the closest hospital emergency ward. Information CentersGeneral questions about the convention and the association will be answered at the MLA information centers in the Hilton San Francisco (East Lounge, Ballroom level), the San Francisco Marriott (north and south registration areas, lower B2 level), and the Fairmont San Francisco (Garden Room, Lobby level). Copies of the Program and the Job Information List will be sold at the centers; the MLA Convention News and Program Update will be distributed free; and information about cultural events, restaurants, and transportation will be available at the registration and information areas in the Hilton San Francisco and the San Francisco Marriott or through the MLA Web site (www.mla.org). The information centers will be open on 27 December from 12:00 noon to 9:00 p.m., on 28 and 29 December from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and on 30 December from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.Job Information CenterFor Prearranged Interviews. Consult the interviewer's sign-in file in the Fairmont San Francisco (Terrace, Terrace level) if you do not know whether your interview is scheduled for a hotel room or the interview area or if you need to find out the hotel room number for your interview. Allow yourself ample time to obtain this information. If your interview is scheduled for the interview area, proceed directly to the Fairmont San Francisco (Grand Ballroom, Grand Ballroom level) and ask a staff member for the table number.If the interviewer has not signed in, consult the "Who's Where" directory in the information centers and members' lounges in the Hilton San Francisco, the San Francisco Marriott, and the Fairmont San Francisco. Once you know where the interviewer is staying, you can call the hotel information desk and be connected with the interviewer's hotel room. (For reasons of safety, hotel staff members will not give guests' room numbers to callers.) If the interviewer is not in, use the hotel's message facilities. A message left in a hotel mailbox will be flashed on the guest's room telephone. If the person is not listed in the "Who's Where" directory, check the Program Participants section of the convention program to see whether that interviewer is speaking at or chairing a session and can be reached at a specific time and place or ask a Job Information Center staff member for help. The MLA Job Information Service will operate a center at the Fairmont San Francisco (Terrace, Terrace level). Positions that become available after the printing of the December Job Information List will be posted, and a counseling service for job candidates will be available in the interview area on 28 and 29 December. An interviewers' sign-in file will be maintained and facilities provided for job candidates and interviewers to exchange messages. Space will be available for interviews, but candidates and interviewers are urged to arrange interviews in advance. Job candidates are reminded that almost no unscheduled interviews take place at the convention. Therefore, members are advised not to attend the convention for the sole purpose of seeking employment if they do not have scheduled interviews. The Job Information Center will be open on 27 December from 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m., on 28 December from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., on 29 December from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and on 30 December from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Lost and FoundMembers wishing to report personal items either lost or found should call extension 6200 for security at the Hilton San Francisco, 0 at the San Francisco Marriott, and 0 at the Fairmont San Francisco.LoungesAreas furnished with comfortable chairs and tables where members may congregate for discussion or relaxation will be provided in the Hilton San Francisco (Yosemite Foyer, Ballroom level) and the San Francisco Marriott (Atrium Lobby). A graduate student lounge will be located in the Hilton San Francisco (Executive Boardroom, Ballroom level).Mail and MessagesAlthough the hotels will make every effort to deliver mail and messages received during the convention, the MLA can assume no responsibility for failure in delivery. A message service in the Fairmont San Francisco (Terrace, Terrace level) is provided in conjunction with the Job Information Center to facilitate exchange of messages between job candidates and interviewers. For other kinds of messages, determine the recipient's hotel by referring to the "Who's Where" listing (see "Who's Where" section) posted near the members' lounge in each hotel, then leave messages with the desk clerk at the appropriate hotel. Bulletin boards where convention attendees may post messages for their colleagues will also be provided in the lounges.MeetingsMeetings will be held in the Hilton San Francisco (most English sessions and exhibits), the San Francisco Marriott (most foreign language and comparative literature sessions), and the Fairmont San Francisco (the Job Information Center and child care.) Details on all sessions, including the Presidential Address, the Delegate Assembly, and open hearings, can be found in the Program and on this Web site beginning in November.The Presidential Address: 28 December, 8:40 p.m., in the Hilton San Francisco (Continental 5, Ballroom level) The Presidential Forum: How We Teach Now, 28 December 10:15 a.m., in the Hilton San Francisco (Continental 5, Ballroom level) Open Hearing of the Delegate Assembly on Resolutions: 28 December, 12:00 noon, in the Hilton San Francisco (Franciscan A, Ballroom level) Open Hearing of the Delegate Assembly: 28 December, 1:45 p.m., in the Hilton San Francisco (Franciscan A, Ballroom level) Delegate Assembly: 29 December, 1:00 p.m., in the Hilton San Francisco (Continental 6–9, Ballroom level) Open Meeting of the Program Committee: 30 December, 10:15 a.m., in the Hilton San Francisco (Union Square 1, 4th floor, Building 3) Membership in the MLAFor the convenience of those who would like to join the MLA, as well as for continuing members who would like to pay their 2009 dues, membership desks will be located in the registration centers. Although new memberships are for the 2009 calendar year, individuals who join the association while registering for the convention are entitled to register at members' rates.MLA Convention News and Program UpdateDuring the convention the MLA Convention News and Program Update will print special notices, changes in schedule, and brief reports on convention activities. It is available free at the MLA information centers. The 27 December issue will be available on the MLA Web site in mid-December.National Endowment for the ArtsDavid Kipen, Director of National Reading Initiatives for the National Endowment for the Arts, will examine findings and implications of the November 2007 report To Read or Not to Read: A Question of National Consequence on voluntary reading habits (see www.nea.gov for the full report and executive summary) and will discuss The Big Read, an initiative the NEA has developed to combat the national trends in reading, on 28 December from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m. in Imperial B of the Hilton San Francisco. The report has fueled substantive dialogues and debates in national media and among policymakers, educators, and librarians.This report is a new and comprehensive analysis of reading patterns of children, teenagers, and adults in the United States. To Read or Not to Read assembles data on reading trends from more than forty sources, including federal agencies, universities, foundations, and associations; expands the investigation of the NEA's landmark 2004 report, Reading at Risk; and reveals recent declines in voluntary reading and test scores alike, exposing trends that have severe consequences for American society. There will be discussion about the quality and extent of leisure reading, the relation between reading often and reading well, and a variety of academic, social, civic, and economic outcomes. ParkingCurrent rates at the downtown hotels vary from approximately $25 to $52 per day with in-and-out privileges. Parking in garages near the hotels ranges from approximately $25 to $40 per day.PassesA convention speaker may obtain a pass for a family member or friend who has no professional interest in language or literature to hear a paper given by that speaker. These passes are available to speakers at the MLA information centers.All MLA members and members of the profession that the MLA serves are required to register in order to participate in or attend meetings. Please note that if you need a pass for an evening session you must obtain it before the information centers close. MLA convention registrants may obtain free passes to the exhibit hall for guests they accompany in the hall. Persons who are not registered for the convention and who are not accompanied by registrants may purchase a one-day pass to the exhibit hall for $10. These passes are available at the Exhibit Registration booth, Hilton San Francisco (Grand Ballroom level, Building 2). ProgramsCopies of the Program can be purchased for $5 at the MLA information centers. Free copies are available only to those who received a card in their registration packets entitling them to a complimentary Program or to registrants who did not receive their Programs. There is a $5 charge for all additional copies.Restaurant Reservations and InformationFor information about San Francisco restaurants or to make reservations, visit the MLA Web site (www.mla.org).San Francisco InformationPamphlets will be available at the MLA information centers in the Hilton San Francisco (East lounge, Ballroom level) and the San Francisco Marriott (north and south registration counters, lower B2 level). To obtain information beforehand, visit this San Francisco information Web site.Shuttle Bus ServiceA free shuttle service will operate between the Hilton San Francisco, the San Francisco Marriott, and the Fairmont San Francisco throughout convention hours.SmokingIn San Francisco it is illegal to smoke tobacco products in any public gathering space, including parks, restaurants and bars, stores, and office buildings.Speaker Ready RoomsSpace in the Hilton San Francisco (Union Square 21, 4th floor, Building 3) and the San Francisco Marriott (Pacific Suite D, 4th floor) has been reserved to allow speakers to run through their audiovisual presentations before their sessions. Those who have computer presentations should have completed a Presenter's Computer Information form to arrange for a pretest appointment. If you have not done so, please contact Karin Bagnall (kbagnall@mla.org).TelephonesWith the increased use of cell phones, there are a limited number of public phones available in the hotels. Calls may not be made from telephones in meeting rooms, and the use of telephones in any convention office is limited to members of the MLA staff.Ticket and Information TablesSeveral allied organizations will have tables for selling tickets to their meal functions or for supplying information. These tables will be in the members' lounges. The MLA is not responsible for staffing these tables, and MLA staff members cannot provide information on these organizations other than what appears in the Program.Transportation to and in San FranciscoMLA convention hotels are located in the downtown area.San Francisco is served by San Francisco International Airport (www.flysfo.com) and Oakland International Airport (www.oaklandairport.com). San Francisco (SFO): Cab fares from SFO to the various hotels range from $30 to $44. Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) trains between SFO and downtown cost $5.15 and take approximately half an hour to the downtown area. For more information, visit www.bart.gov. Super Shuttle offers van service from SFO to downtown San Francisco. For additional information or to make a reservation go to www.supershuttle.com or call 800 258-3826. There are also nearly a dozen other van services that operate from SFO to downtown San Francisco. Oakland: Taxi service from Oakland International Airport to downtown San Francisco costs approximately $55. Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) trains between the airport and downtown San Francisco take approximately thirty minutes and cost $5.30. For additional information, go to www.bart.gov. Super Shuttle offers van service from Oakland International to the downtown San Francisco area. Tickets cost approximately $25 to $35. For additional information or to make a reservation, go to www.supershuttle.com or call 800 258-3826. "Who's Where" DirectoryThe "Who's Where" directory will be posted in the members' lounges in the Hilton San Francisco and the San Francisco Marriott and near the Job Information Center in the Fairmont San Francisco. The directory will include the names and convention addresses of persons who make hotel reservations through the housing bureau or send their local addresses to the MLA office before 10 December. Only the names of hotels listed on the convention housing form or local addresses are listed. Members are advised to check their own "Who's Where" listings for accuracy and to make any necessary revisions. The information used to compile the list comes from the housing service, not from the MLA.
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