The 114th annual meeting of the Association will be held January 6–9, 2000, in Chicago at the Sheraton Chicago and Chicago Marriott Downtown. Hotel reservation information is included on pages 40 and 41 of the September issue of Perspectives and is available on this web site on the Annual Meeting page. The meeting preregistration form will be in the October issue.

The Program of the Annual Meeting will be mailed to members during the first week of October, and will also contain copies of the meeting preregistration and housing forms.

Many of the profession's most distinguished members will be present to deliver papers and over 800 scholars, including 61 foreign scholars, will participate in the three-day meeting. In addition, over three dozen specialized societies will meet in conjunction with the AHA. Each society will hold its own sessions, luncheons, and/or meetings, as well as some joint sessions with the Association. Robert Darnton of Princeton University will deliver the presidential address the evening of January 7 and the Association's book awards, Awards for Scholarly Distinction, the Troyer Steele Anderson Prize, Eugene Asher Distinguished Teaching Award, the Beveridge Family Teaching Prize, the William Gilbert Award, the Gutenberg-e prizes, the John E. O'Connor Film Award, the Nancy Lyman Roelker Mentorship Award, and the 1999 Honorary Foreign Member will be announced.

Accommodations

AHA annual meeting sessions as well as affiliated society sessions and events are scheduled in the Sheraton Chicago and Chicago Marriott Downtown. Blocks of rooms have been reserved at several hotels: the Sheraton, the Marriott, the Hyatt Regency Chicago, and the Inter-Continental Chicago. There will be free shuttle service among all hotels. The shuttle schedule will be included in the program and as an insert in your meeting registration packet.

The Sheraton Chicago, located at 301 East North Water Street, will serve as headquarters and will house the AHA book exhibits, Job Register, and some AHA and affiliate sessions. The hotel is one block east of Michigan Avenue and adjacent to the Chicago River at Columbus Avenue. The Chicago Marriott Downtown, at 540 North Michigan Avenue, will serve as co-headquarters and will accommodate AHA sessions and affiliate events. The Hyatt Regency Chicago is located at 151 East Wacker Drive, and the Hotel Inter-Continental Chicago is at 505 North Michigan Avenue.

Negotiated rates for the meeting are as follows: Sheraton $89 single and $98 double, Marriott $90 single and double, Hyatt $86 single and $99 double, and Inter-Continental $93 single and $103 double. The additional person charge at all four hotels is $15. All rooms are subject to city and state occupancy taxes of 14.9 percent per room, per night. Rates will be in effect three days before and after the January 6–9 meeting dates.

Making a Hotel Reservation

Hotel reservations must be made exclusively through One-Stop Chicago, a service of the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau. Reservations will be processed by fax (the preferred method), mail, and toll-free number, with separate phone and fax numbers for international attendees. Reservation office hours for phone operations are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST. Incoming fax service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

You may fax the form on this web site on p. 40 of the September issue of Perspectives or available for download at the annual meeting page to One-Stop Chicago at (800) 521-6017, or call (800) 424-5248, or mail the form to 108 Wilmot Rd., P.O. Box 825, Deerfield, IL 60015-0825. International attendees may fax the form to (847) 940-2386 or call (847) 940-2152 to make a reservation.

The housing service offers confirmations by e-mail, mail, and fax. All processing deadlines and cancellation policies will be noted on the confirmation. The cut-off date to make reservations is December 9.

Deposit

All guests will be required to pay a standard $150 deposit per room reservation. Deposits will be accepted by credit card or by check. If payment is to be by check, the check must accompany the housing request form. Credit cards will be billed immediately for deposit. Reservations will not be processed without a deposit.

Changes, Cancellations, and Refunds

The housing service will process all new, changed, and canceled reservations prior to the cut-off date of December 9. Prior to December 9, contact One-Stop Chicago—not your hotel—by telephone, fax, or mail to make changes or to cancel without penalty. After December 17, contact the hotels directly for reservations, changes, and cancellations. (Between December 9 and 17, all reservations will be finalized and transferred between One-Stop Chicago and the hotels.)

The housing service will process any necessary credits and debits of deposit prior to December 9, and refunds will be in the same form of payment as originally made. Cancellations made after December 9 are subject to a $16 cancellation fee by the hotel. Deposits are completely nonrefundable if reservations are not canceled at least 72 hours prior to arrival date.

Making Travel Arrangements

Association Travel Concepts (ATC) has been selected as the official travel agency for the AHA's 114th annual meeting. As the official agency, ATC has negotiated discounts with United Airlines and Alamo Rent-A-Car to bring you special airfares and car rental rates lower than those available to the public. By calling ATC, you will save 10 to 15 percent on United (I.D. # 558 DV) tickets purchased more than 60 days prior to the meeting. For tickets purchased less than 60 days prior, the discounts will be 5 to 10 percent off of the lowest available fares. Some restrictions may apply. Discounts apply for travel January 3 through 12, 2000.

ATC will also search for the lowest available fare on any airline serving Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports. ATC also provides personalized service, advance seat assignments, special meal requests, frequent flier programs, electronic ticketing, e-mail access for convenient booking of your tickets, and more.

To take advantage of these rates and benefits, call ATC at (800) 458-9383; fax (619) 581-3988; e-mail: atc@assntravel.com; web site: http://www.assntravel.com. ATC is available for reservations from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.

You can also arrange to rent a car through Alamo, with discounted rates effective from January 1 through 16, 2000. Contact ATC at (800) 458-9383, noting I.D. # 75911 GR.

Airports serving the Chicago area

Chicago O'Hare International Airport handles more passengers than any other airport in the world. It has three domestic terminal buildings and one international facility, which are linked on the upper level of each terminal to allow passengers quick and easy access between them and the new Airport Transit System. O'Hare is approximately 17 miles from downtown Chicago. Taxicabs are located on the lower level of each domestic terminal and are available from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. A ride from the airport to the hotels takes approximately 30 minutes and costs between $28 and $30, depending on traffic. A Shared-Ride program allows visitors to be charged a flat rate of $15. Continental's Airport Express provides van service between O'Hare and all downtown hotels. Ticket counters are located across from baggage claim areas. A one-way ticket from O'Hare to the Loop area is $16, round-trip is $29. Vans depart as frequently as every five minutes. Chicago Transit Authority's rapid transit train between downtown and O'Hare is easy, quick (40 minutes), and costs only $1.50. Trains leave from outside terminals on the lower level every 5 to 10 minutes, days and evening, and every 30 minutes from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Midway Airport is located 20 minutes from downtown Chicago and is served by 15 carriers from major U.S. cities. The one-building airport is divided into three terminals: A, B, and C for the arrival and departure of each airline's passengers. The main lobby area at the center entrance of the airport is where the information booth and all vehicle pick-up services are available. Taxis are located in front of the main terminal. A ride from Midway to the downtown hotels takes between 20 and 30 minutes and costs between $18 and $20, depending on the time of day. Continental's Airport Express also provides transportation to downtown hotels. Vans depart Midway every 15 to 20 minutes, and should be boarded in front of the Southwest Airlines ticket counter. The trip takes 30 minutes. The ticket agent is also located opposite the Southwest Airlines counter; a one-way ticket is $11 and round-trip is $20. Chicago Transit Authority offers rapid transit between downtown Chicago and Midway. The fare is $1.50 with trains leaving from a station connected to the east side of the airport, and taking 30 minutes to reach downtown.

By Train

Chicago is known as the "hub" of all Amtrak transportation, with 50 trains arriving or departing daily. The main station is located downtown within Union Station at 210 South Canal Street. Cabs, the suggested means of transportation to the hotels, are available on the lower level of Union Station at Adams and Canal streets. A cab ride from Union to any of the hotels runs between 10 and 20 minutes and costs approximately $5 to $10.

General Information

Group meetings and reunions: Societies and groups that have not already made arrangements to hold sessions or other meetings should send their requests for room space as soon as possible to Sharon K. Tune, Convention Director. Please specify preferred date, inclusive hours, attendance forecast, and any special equipment desired.

Business Meeting: Resolutions for the business meeting signed by 25 members of the Association will be accepted until December 15; those received by October 15 will take precedence and will be published in the December Perspectives and must be no more than 300 words. Resolutions should be sent to the Executive Director at the AHA office, with a copy to the Parliamentarian, Michael Les Benedict, 106 Dulles Hall, Ohio State University, 230 W. 17th Ave., Columbus, OH 43210.

At its meeting on May 15–16, 1980, the Council adopted the following bylaw pursuant to Article VII, Section 14, of the constitution: There shall be a quorum for the annual meeting of one hundred members in good standing.

Sessions: AHA sessions will be held at the Sheraton Chicago and Chicago Marriott Downtown. The Local Arrangements Committee office and Press Room will be in the Sheraton's Parlor C and the AHA Headquarters/ Staff Office in the Sheraton's Parlor A. The Job Register will be located in the Sheraton's Chicago Ballrooms IV-VII. Registration desks and meal ticket cashiers will be located in the Sheraton's River Exhibition Hall Promenade. The Book Exhibits will occupy the Sheraton's River Exhibition Hall.

AHA registration: Advance Registration: Members are urged to preregister at the reduced rate of $65 (nonmembers $85; students and unemployed $40; precollegiate teachers $15). The preregistration form will be printed in the October newsletter and will be enclosed in the Program mailed to members in early October. Advance registration must be received by December 3.

Registration at the Meeting: The registration desks at the annual meeting, located in the River Exhibition Hall Promenade of the Sheraton, will be open from noon to 7:00 p.m. on January 6, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on January 7, and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on January 8. Registration at the meeting will be $80 (nonmembers $100; students and unemployed $45; pre collegiate teachers $15).

Admission to all sessions, exhibits, and the Job Register requires a registration badge.

Refund Policy: Advance registrants who are unable to attend the annual meeting may request a full refund of their registration fee if a written request accompanied by the meeting badge is postmarked by/on December 17, 1999. No refunds will be issued for requests postmarked after December 17, 1999.

Book Exhibition

The exhibits will be located in the Sheraton's River Exhibition Hall and will be open January 6 from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m., January 7 and 8 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and on January 9 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

Job Register

The Job Register will be located in Sheraton's Chicago Ballrooms IV-VII. Hours of operation will be January 6 from 12:30 to 6:00 p.m., January 7 and 8 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and January 9 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.