2016 VLA Vendor UpdateWe have received phenomenal support for our annual conference from vendors! It is the financial support of these vendors that makes our annual conference possible. Please show your appreciation for our exhibitors by making time to visit them during non-conflict times at the Omni Homestead Resort next month. The Exhibit Hall will be open from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm on Thursday, October 27, and Friday, October 28, from 8:30 am – 2:00 pm. Email sent to vendors 10/20/2016: Hello VLA Vendors! Just a week away from the best conference ever! In your booths, each of you will find a small bundle of silly ribbons for people’s name badges. Attendees *love* these. If you’re a social media person, take pics of these ribbons and use our #2016VLA hashtag to let people know your booth number and where to find the ribbons. Example pic attached. Things you want to know: The Exhibit Hall will be open from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm on Thursday, October 27, and Friday, October 28, from 8:30 am – 2:00 pm. (Load in begins at 5pm on Wednesday and the Exhibit Hall will be locked around 10pm. Will be unlocked at 7:30 am on Thursday.) SPEAKING OF LOAD IN: The Hotel has asked me to remind you that Vendors *must* use the loading dock. You cannot ask the bellmen to bring your items to the exhibit hall; they will be too busy trying to check in our 500+ attendees. If you try to unload your booth materials in the front of the hotel, security will have you pack up and will direct you to the loading dock. Thank you for complying with this rule. If you plan to take clients out to dinner at the conference, please be aware that the Homestead is in the middle of nowhere. You’re going to want to make reservations asap if you plan to eat in the Main Dining Room. Please note, there is a dress code. Visit the DINING tab for more information: https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/homestead-virginia SPEAKING OF FOOD: VLA representatives will deliver your box lunch to you on Thursday after all of the attendees have gotten their box lunches. This eliminates the need for you to stand on line for a lunch during valuable non-conflict time, and we can wait until the hall clears out a bit so we don’t interrupt you while you’re talking to clients (or potential clients!) VLA will have a light breakfast, coffee and tea in the exhibit hall on Thursday and Friday. We’ll also have coffee on Thursday afternoon. Do not miss VLA’s Vendor Party on Thursday from 5pm – 6pm in the Grand Ballroom Foyer. This is a private party for Vendors. Includes an open bar and lots of yummy foods from the Homestead. VLA Scholarship Raffle: Though many of you will be hosting raffles in your own booths, we appreciate any donations you can make to the VLA Scholarship Raffle. This is the 25th year VLA has been offering scholarships to MLS students, and we do not currently have a library school in VA, so every little bit helps. Past contributions have included gift cards to national or online stores. If you’ve read this far, here’s the login for the wifi. Choose Omni Meeting and enter VLAVendor24445. And if you haven’t read this far, no worries, all of this information will be in your vendor packet in your booth at the conference when you arrive. Trust me, though, you want to read this far. Travel safely, Lisa
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