Financing MLA'09 in Hawaii

The following are some suggestions discussed at MLA in Chicago--we thought that they might be helpful to you in planning for the MLA'09 Meeting:

Remind your administrators of the good ideas, information, contacts both other colleagues and vendor contacts that have helped you and your organization.

• Sessions will focus on how medical libraries can meet the complex challenges and opportunities impacting medical libraries today and into the future.
• Discover innovative and cost-saving ways to deliver library services.
• Session topics will include change management, digitization, integrating new technologies -- such as web 2.0 tools -- into library services, health information literacy, evidence-based medicine, consumer health information, library space planning, and much more!
• Provides an excellent opportunity for Medical Librarians to learn new approaches to facilitate improved access to library products and services.

Hotel rate at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, our conference hotel, at $199.00 plus taxes is lower than what we all paid in Chicago. (Total tax to be applied to your hotel bill would be 11.962% (sales tax is 4.712% plus Transcient Accomodations Tax 7.25 %) That rate should be available to you 3 days before and 3 days post-conference according to availability. Book early.

• Garden View $199 plus tax
• Partial Ocean View $216 plus tax
• Ocean View $250.

Airfares:

Save your coffee money-- what you'd spend on coffee daily and you'll have a good chunk of change toward covering your airfare.

Use your miles--consider using your "miles" to get yourself to the west coast and pay the rest of the way or try to use your miles for the entire trip..book early.

Non-continental travel not allowed? Consider asking your administrator to fund you as they would for the meeting in Chicago or in Washington DC.

Airfares
The following websites have been recommended for checking for the lowest fares...also the Hawaii Convention Center representative indicated that sometimes the middle of the week produces better fare rates.

• http://farecast.com
  
• http://www.farecompare.com/
  
• http://www.kayak.com

You can also set up "fare alerts" on travel sites such as Travelocity, Orbitz, and Kayak. With "fare alerts," you get an email when flights to your destination go on sale or good deals are to be had..

• Yapta has been recommended for tracking flights you have already booked. Users have been able to get travel voucher credits from their carriers when rates go down.
  

Baggage

• Pack light - May is sunny and warm (low 70's to high 80's). Must haves - a pair of sandals, a light sweater (air conditioning), sun block and an umbrella. Leave your fancy things at home. Hawaii is a casual place. There are few places or restaurants that require you to dress up. Neat casual clothing is even appropriate at the 5 star restaurants.
  
• Cotton/cool clothing is preferable for a tropical climate. Bring comfortable walking shoes.
• Need resort wear? All major department stores can be found in Honolulu and clothing prices are comparable to those in any large U.S. city.
• Shopping for bargains can be fun in Honolulu! Discount outlets such as Ross's and Nordstrom's Rack are in the Ward Shopping Village as is a local Crazy Shirts Outlet where bargains can be found.

Eating in Honolulu can be very reasonable...whether your tastes are exotic or normal sandwich/salad fare.

Sales tax is a low 4.712% on all purchases.

Water out of the tap is so good--there is no need to buy bottled water.

Many free attractions for all to enjoy--including the beaches, the sunsets, Friday night fireworks display, scenic walking areas, etc.

Please email us your suggestions (mlahi09@gmail.com) or post your comments to the Wiki and we will incorporate your suggestions on this page.