Activity Timeline for
WAAL Conference Planning Committee
Last updated June 1, 2000
| April | By conference date | Identify co-chairs and 2-3 members |
| At conference site | First
planning meeting: 1. brainstorm possible additional members 2. outline process 3. brainstorm speakers 4. Set up next three meetings 5. Obtain copies of prior years' reports |
|
| May | By May 12 | Recruit
additional members Obtain copy of hotel contract |
| May 12 | Second
planning meeting: 1. Choose theme 2. Tour hotel facility 3. Assign member responsibilities 4. Outline rough daily schedule 5. Ask members to contact possible meal speakers 6. Investigate email room location, live internet connections for programs |
|
| June | ||
| July | ||
| August
|
Identify potential vendors (from last year's list and area firms and libraries) and send Letter #1 (Invitation to sponsorship) | |
| By August 4 | Create
detailed budget based on prior years (send to members) Have members submit timelines for their areas of responsibilities Contact entertainment/social event providers to determine fees/availability Contact possible speakers to determine availability, interest, and fees Create detailed daily schedule Locate someone to create/maintain conference web site Create process to ensure internet requirements will be met Contact possible graphic designers to determine interest, fees Locate data entry personnel for program information |
|
| August 4 | Third
planning meeting: 1. Review daily schedule 2. Review detailed budget 3. Review timelines for areas of responsibility 4. Choose meal speakers based on availability, interest, and fees 5. Brainstorm program ideas and presenters; assign contact people 6. Choose social activities based on availability, fees 7. Review website / webmaster progress 8. Review process to ensure internet requirements are met 9. Choose graphic designer |
|
| By Aug. 15 | Fax tentative schedule to hotel | |
| After Aug. 15 | As responses come in from vendors, send Letter #2 (Thank you for agreeing to sponsor) to them. | |
| Sept. | September 15 | Deadline for proposals |
| By Sept. 28 | Extend
formal invitation to meal speakers, obtain verbal commitment Send contracts to meal speakers Contact possible program presenters, nail down 90% Create tentative room assignments for programs Extend formal invitation to entertainment/social event providers Send contracts to these providers Meet with Internet wiring service person, discuss details Meet with graphic designer, establish deadlines Finish sending all sponsorship invitations (Letter #1) to vendors; expand list if possible. Follow-up those who have not responded. |
|
| September 28 | Fourth
planning meeting: 1. Finalize programs 2. Finalize meal speakers 3. Brainstorm poster sessions 4. Review tentative room assignments 5. Update on Internet progress 6. Update on meals 7. Update on publicity 8. Update on communication with vendors / budget 9. Update on registration timeline 10. Update on web site 11. Update on deadlines for graphic designer |
|
| October | Draft an update of last year's registration form | |
| October 10 | Send contracts to presenters | |
| October 25 | Presenters send co-chair description of program/title/presenters, contracts | |
| October 27 | Co-chair signs contracts and sends back to presenter (with A/V form, due 2/1?) | |
| After Oct. 25 | Create
spreadsheet document of programs Create Pre-registration Checklist listing all programs and requesting preferences |
|
| By Oct. 31 | Select and price meals including tax, tip, and contribution to WLA. Send this information to the person updating the registration form. | |
| Nov. | Another follow-up call to potential vendors who haven't yet committed or given. | |
| Finalize room assignments for programs | ||
| November 1 | All
information regarding registration needs to go to Carolyn (registration fees, meals, hotels, social events, deadline, refund policy) |
|
| November 10 | All
Call to conference information due from committee members (registration form, letter from chair, road map, session insert) |
|
| November 21 | Co-chair
gives first documents to graphic designer: call to conference text letter from chair road map front cover graphic registration form |
|
| Decem. | December 1 | Send letter to Monty Fish at Demco reminding him of printing schedule |
| December 10 | Send meal selections to hotel | |
| Late December | Create or verify directions to hotel by actually driving routes | |
| January | Follow-up call to vendors who made commitments but have not yet sent check to WLA or materials to committee. | |
| January 8 | Co-chair
gives 1300 copies of Preregistration Checklist inserts to Demco Graphic designer delivers call to conference/registration form to Demco |
|
| January 10 | All
program booklet information due from committee members (letter from chair, floor plan, list of committed vendors, room assignments) |
|
| Mid January | Complete list of local restaurants with addresses and descriptions | |
| January 24 | Co-chair
gives second documents to graphic designer: program booklet text (with room assignments) letter from chair floor plan vendor list (might not be ready yet--get to designer later) |
|
| Jan - mid March | Put out calls for session introducers/room monitors to WAAL mailing list, WAAL Board, Conference Planning Committee, and co-sponsoring groups. Make sure that each session (including meals, but not poster sessions) has a room monitor. Create a spreadsheet to track assignments for each session. | |
| Febr. | February 1 | A/V request forms due? |
| February 1 | Ask for volunteers to introduce speakers | |
| February 3 | Demco sends call to conference (1300 copies) to "First Class Mailers" | |
| February 10 | First Class Mailers mails out call to conference by this date | |
| February 17 | One week cushion | |
| Feb 1 - Mar 31 | Create and update AV equipment needs spreadsheet. Locate and arrange for all necessary equipment. | |
| Mid Feb - mid March | Select break and reception foods based upon amount of vendor donations received | |
| Mid Feb - late March | Create spreadsheet and compile Preregistration Checklist numbers | |
| March | March 1 | Absolute
deadline for vendor list to go to graphic designer for booklet Send vendor list to web site maintenance person for inclusion |
| By March 1 | Create list of signs from previous conference which can be reused and those still needed. | |
| March 1 | Send list of speakers/presenters to WLA so they get nametags and ribbons | |
| March 1-15 | Create meal tickets and make 65 copies of each page and cut to approximately 2" x 5" | |
| March 1-24 | Call local restaurants to get meal price ranges and complete the restaurant list. Make 300 copies for registration folders. | |
| March 1-24 | Find
out meal preferences for speakers/presenters Send Carolyn list of speakers who need meals and their selections |
|
| March 3 | Everyone has received their call to conference | |
| March 8 | Graphic designer delivers program booklet to Demco | |
| March 8-15 | Send out e-mails to speakers letting them know who introducer is for their session and e-mail introducers telling them to contact their speaker(s) for introductory information | |
| March 10 | Meet with hotel staff and go over specific contract, meal, and break requirements | |
| March 11 - April 5 | Meet with hotel staff as necessary to work out all arrangements and finalize contract | |
| March 13 | Order sign for Internet Room listing current year's sponsors from a local sign company | |
| March 15 | Send out memo to WAAL mailing list soliciting groups for special interest group meeting time | |
| March 15 | Master copies for registration packet items are given to Carolyn | |
| March 15 - April 1 | Create Introducer/Room Monitor Checklist sheet for each session except meals | |
| March 15 - April 5 | Create sign up sheets for special interest group sessions | |
| March 24 | Deadline to register for conference | |
| March 24-31 | Project
session attendance based on returned session inserts Re-assign sessions based on popularity |
|
| March 24 | Demco sends program booklet (300 copies) to WLA office | |
| March 27 | Deadline for attendees to return Preregistration Checklist. Make any last minute changes based on results. | |
| March 31 | Multiple
copies of registration packet items are given to Carolyn: Program booklet (300) come from WLA Conference evaluation form List of local restaurants List of attendees Room changes (based on popularity) |
|
| Late March | Purchase any necessary supplies for signs and conference bulletin board | |
| April | April 1 | Notify speakers and introducers of any room changes. Create room signs telling what session is in each room at each time. |
| April 3-5 | Receive contract from hotel for signature of local arrangements chair. Return corrected and signed contract to hotel with final meal and break counts. | |
| April 5 | Stuff registration packets and include introducer/room monitor forms in the appropriate envelopes along with meal tickets. | |
| April 11 | Onsite: Set up registration table, Internet room. Install Internet wiring. Check room set up for each breakout room. Post room signs. Meet with hotel personnel (front desk, maintenance, caterers). |
|
| April 12-14 | Conference | |
| April 15-30 | Send
thank you letters (sample #3) to all supporting vendors, with copy of
program booklet. Send thank you letters to presenters, speakers, others who pitched in. |
|
| Late April | Review itemized bills from hotel and send to WLA Office for payment. | |
| May | By May 31 | Create final budget and conference report. Submit to WAAL Chair, WLA Office, and members of next year's committee. |
File originally created by Co-chair O'Keeffe, summer 1999
URL: http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/waal/conferences/timeline.html
Revised:
December 17, 2002
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