To: Vivian Pisano, REFORMA Secretary/Recorder
Fr: Susana Hinojosa, Chair, RNCII
Re: RNCII Midwinter 1999 Report
This report contains an update of all activities associated with the planning of the Second Reforma National Conference (RNCII) scheduled August 3-6, 2000. This information will be shared and discussed at the RNCII meetings planned for this ALA Midwinter Conference, Philadelphia, 1999.
RNCII Planning Committee Membership
Susana Hinojosa, Chair
Toni Bissessar, Chair, Site Selection Committee
Kathy Blackmer Reyes, Program Committee Chair
Rafaela Castro, Preconference Committee Chair
Lily Castillo-Speed, Publications Committee Chair
Carol Brey, Exhibits Committee Chair
Rhonda Rios-Kravitz, Publicity and Fundraising Committee Chair
Each of the above committees has its own membership, largely comprised of volunteers recruited by the committee chairs. We are still looking for additional committee volunteers. Chairs have been encouraged to look for help and various announcements on reformanet have encouraged people to join a committee. The 1999 ALA Midwinter RNCII meetings will also look for and encourage new volunteers. All REFORMA Chapter Chairs have been contacted, given the basic RNCII information, and encouraged to participate in the planning at Midwinter.
RNCII Site Selection
With unanimous approval Tucson, Arizona was chosen as the site of RNCII. The Site Selection Committee narrowed our choices to two, Denver and Tucson, after meetings and presentations at ALA Annual, Washington, DC, 1998. After visiting the sites in August and September, Toni Bissessar and Susana Hinojosa, strongly recommended Tucson. This recommendation was approved by the REFORMA Executive Committee and announced via Reformanet by Jacqueline Ayala on December 2, 1998. An ALA press release is expected in early January. (attachments)
Conference Theme
The RNCII Planning Committee has recommended the following theme for RNCII:
The Power of Language: Planning for the 21st Century
Briefly, this theme highlights and focuses on the importance of language to our communities and as a common thread to a very large population with differing histories and cultures. The focus on language and the coming 21st century also allows us to encompass education, training, recruitment of minority librarians and political issues such as bilingualism now and in the future.
Hotels and Conference Space
A contract with the Tucson Holiday Inn is being worked on to ensure the right number of meeting rooms, exhibit space, equipment, registration areas, etc. Jana Rae Oliver, National Sales Manager, Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau, is expected to join the RNCII Planning Committee at its meetings in Philadelphia. It is expected that the Tucson Holiday Inn will be the headquarters hotel with the majority of the meetings taking place there. Additional hotels have been identified in the nearby vicinity as has additional meeting space if needed. Hotel rates in Tucson are very reasonable, average of $79 a single at the Holiday Inn and lower at nearby hotels.
Travel Technology Company has been approached as the agency to handle all hotel and travel arrangements. ALA Headquarters offices will again be responsible for conference registration.
Local Arrangments
Tucson has a strong local REFORMA Chapter chaired by Antonio Arroyo. This committee will be invaluable in planning RNCII. We have already been given strong support from the local Tucson Public Library and also from the university library. The chapter has been contacted and asked to appoint a Local Arrangements Committee. Information and advice from RNCI Local Arrangments Committee Chair, Margo Gutierrez is also being gathered and shared.
RNCII Meetings in Philadelphia
As mentioned above, the RNCII Planning Committee is meeting in Philadelphia to continue discussion and planning of the year 2000 conference. REFORMA members, everyone is invited to join the work and discussion. In particular:
Preconference a draft of a full day preconference devoted to electronic resources will be presented by Rafaela Castro
Programs a preliminary draft of a full conference program will be presented by Kathy Blackmer Reyes along with guidelines for program proposals; within the program schedule meeting space is being held for major conference events, such as awards, keynote speakers, banquets and entertainment; a list of possible keynote speakers is being developed and more names are being solicited
Fundraising & Publicity a report on fundraising activities will be made by Rhonda Rios Kravitz. At these RNCII meetings, attendees will be given RNCII buttons and ribbons also to be mailed to REFORMA Chapters.
Exhibits major outreach and publicity to exhibitors/vendors will be made at Midwinter. Chair, Carol Brey will initiate meetings with RNCI exhibitors/vendors to help us anticipate needs and to better incorporate exhibits into the conference.
Publications Lily Castillo-Speed will briefly explain the planned process for publishing proceedings from RNCII
The RNCII Midwinter meetings schedule:
Saturday, Jan. 30, 2-5pm
Sunday, Jan. 31, 10-1pm
Tuesday, Feb. 2, 9-12pm
All meetings located in Wyndham Hotel.
RNCII Web Site
Information on the planning of RNCII is available on the REFORMA web page. At the moment RNCII is listed on the REFORMA Home page. It is hoped that once this web page is redesigned that a better and more visible link to RNCII will be available. To date, information on RNCII consists of planning committee membership (names/email addresses) and conference planning activities. (attachments)