MLA 2006 Local Assistance Committee: Phoenix

If anyone is interested in a few hours tour offered by a 45-year native of Phoenix, please write to Jacque. My colleague has offered to show up to 3 MLAers around, seeing things of interest to them. She's a knowledgeable person, and would be great fun to be with. She's available Saturday afternoon the 20th, between 12 and 3 pm, and is most able to share gardens, museums, libraries and bookstores, etc., based on your interests!

Arizona places frequented most by overseas visitors in 2004:

1. Bank One Ballpark (now Chase Field), Phoenix -- www.diamondbacks.com

2. Tempe Town Lake -- www.tempe.gov/lake

3. London Bridge, Lake Havasu City -- www.golakehavasu.com

4. America West Arena (now US Airways Center), Phoenix -- www.usairwayscenter.com

5. Phoenix Zoo -- www.phoenixzoo.org

6. Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe -- www.thesundevils.com

7. WestWorld of Scottsdale -- www.scottsdaleaz.gov/westworld

8. Rawhide Western Town & Steakhouse, Gila River Reservation -- www.rawhide.com

9. Tombstone -- www.tombstone.org

10. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson -- www.desertmuseum.org

Top 10 natural attractions

1. Grand Canyon National Park -- www.nps.gov/grca

2. Saguaro National Park, Tucson -- www.nps.gov/sagu

3. South Mountain Park, Phoenix -- www.phoenix.gov/parks

4. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Page -- www.nps.gov/glca

5. Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Boulder City, Nev. -- www.nps.gov/lame

6. Canyon de Chelly, Navajo Nation -- www.nps.gov/cach

7. Montezuma Castle National Monument, Camp Verde -- www.nps.gov/moca

8. Lake Pleasant Regional Park, Morristown -- www.maricopa.gov/parks

9. Petrified Forest National Park -- www.nps.gov/pefo

10. Lake Havasu State Park, Lake Havasu City -- file://www.azstateparks.com/

From: The Arizona Republic, February 12, 2006 - Author: Scott Craven

I am an independent and self-sufficent student in the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies at Queens College, attending the MLA convention for the first time this year. I am writing to ask if you know someone who needs a roommate. It is important that potential roommates know that I am female, and will be travelling with my very friendly guide dog Midnight. Although I would prefer to be within walking distance of the convention center, I am more than capable of traveling back and forth from the hotel that is 3 miles away. I will be arriving in Phoenix on Thursday, May 18, and departing on Wednesday May 24, 2006.

Please write to Mary Riordan (mriordan@ahsl.arizona.edu) or Jacque Doyle (jdd@asu.edu) if you are interested, or know of someone!

Thanks.

The LAC is pleased to alert you to the many concerts scheduled for MLA Week.












Check out the online events calendar at: http://www.azcentral.com/ent/calendar/ for more options and details!

DEADLINE APRIL 25

See the Grand Canyon, Thursday, May 25 - 7am - 9pm

You can sign up for the MLA-sponsored Sterling tour if you register before April 25.

The $92 fee covers motorcoach transportation, professional guide, entrance to Grand Canyon National Park, all gratuities and taxes on Thursday, May 25 7:00am - 9:00pm

This is very reasonably priced, and well recommended.

We're responding to a request for info about tennis venues, so here it is:

Very nearby to the hotels and CC:

Renaissance Athletic Club
Two N. Central Ave., Ste. B-100
Phoenix, AZ 85004
Central Av between Adams and Washington

Cycling classes, yoga, full-service locker rooms, locker rental includes laundry service, TENNIS, outdoor track, massage, personal training, aerobics, basketball, racquetball, cardio steam rooms, Jacuzzi, dry sauna, physical therapy, and weight equipment.

M-F 5am-8:30pm; Sat 8am-3pm.Phone: 602-256-0844

Hotel guest fee is $10/day, or $20/week. Call to confirm!

Other courts are available around town. For a more complete listing, visit: http://www.west.asu.edu/colt97z/documents/TennisCourts.doc

Those of us who remember our first MLA can make life easier for newcomers.

We read on MEDLIB-L:

To date, Colleague Connection has received several enthusiastic responses from newer MLA members attending MLA Annual. The number of newer MLA members signed up for Colleague Connection far exceeds the number of potential mentors. Colleague Connection needs experienced librarians who are "old hands" at the MLA to sign up at http://libweb.lib.buffalo.edu/hsl/cc.asp

Why not go out for tea, a theater matinee? Maybe you'd rather dance (clubs), dance (BP), dance (GLBT) or take in a game (baseball)? See a garden or hike up a hill?

Dance madly to the wild sounds sounds of the Bearded Pigs rehearsal from 8:00 to 11:00 on Sunday night in the Sundance room at the Hyatt. You can even request songs in advance! BP is an open access roots music band, in-residence at MLA since 2002.


The Bearded Pigs raise money for the MLA Scholarship fund through The Thicket. You can get their special t-shirt if you act fast!

(They have a blog, too. )

Looking for a good bookstore while in Phoenix? Here are some suggestions:


The Antiquarian Shop
4246 N Scottsdale Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85251
(480) 947-0535
http://www.theantiquarianshop.com/index.htm
The Antiquarian Shop is a real bookstore for dead-serious bibliophiles. Here you'll find George Washington's autograph and a copy of Cicero's Cato Major printed by Benjamin Franklin in 1773.

Book Gallery
3643 East Indian School Road Phoenix, AZ 85018
(602) 508-0280
Extensive inventory of fine quality, collectible & O/P books in all categories. Specializing in the unusual and hard-to-find.

Bookmans
8034 N. 19th Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85021
(602) 433-0255
http://www.bookmans.com/
Welcome to Bookmans, where almost every type of used printed and recorded entertainment can be found under one (rather large) roof.

Border's Books - Biltmore Fashion Park
2402 E. Camelback Road, Suite 200 Phoenix, AZ 85016
602.957.6660
http://www.bordersstores.com/

By The Book
1045 East Camelback Road Phoenix, AZ 85014
(602) 222-8806
http://www.abebooks.com/home/bybooklc/
Fine collectible books bought and sold. Specialties include Children's, Science, Medicine, the Orient, Illustrated, First Editions.

Changing Hands Bookstore
6428 S McClintock Dr Tempe, AZ 85283
480-730-0205
http://changinghands.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp
Over 12,000 sq.ft. of New, Used & Collectible Books of every kind. Large Children's Section, Travel Center, Wind Chimes, Cards & Gifts

Heard Museum Shop & Bookstore
2301 N. Central Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85004-1323
(602) 252.8344
http://www.heard.org/shop.php
A variety of books relating to Native American cultures and the Southwest are available including hard-to-find selections and publications by Native American authors.

Poisoned Pen Central (MLA's Sunday evening event is here. You must buy tickets in advance. Additional information in the blog)
215 E. Grant St.Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602) 252-0663
http://www.poisonedpen.com/
We are the Valley's Mystery Bookstore!

Samurai Comics (voted best comic book store in Phoenix)
5024 North Seventh Street Phoenix, AZ
602-265-8886
http://www.samuraicomics.com/

Wide World Of Maps Map Center & Gallery
2626 West Indian School Road Phoenix, AZ 85017
(602) 279-2323
http://www.maps4u.com/about.html
Wide World of Maps is the most complete map store in the Southwest!

See more recommendations from Valley Independent Booksellers Association (VIBA)
http://www.bentcover.com/vibaindx.htm

In consultation with colleagues who love to boogie, the LAC has the following options for your consideration. Click on comments, please to add your own!

Directories

• ClubPlanet Phoenix: http://www.clubplanet.com/Default.asp?site=21
• Phoenix NewTimes-http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/Issues/current/music/index.html

Clubs

• Bobby C’s - http://www.planet99.com/phoenix/restaurants/15409.html
• Char’s - http://www.charshastheblues.com/

• Monroe’s Food and Fine Spirits - http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/search/restaurants.php?oid=oid:5923

• Phoenix Uptown - http://www.johnnysuptown.com/
• The Rhythm Room - http://www.rhythmroom.com/

Taxi rates are about the same everywhere. However, Phoenix is a typical western city: it's a long way between here and there. Taking a taxi instead of making a 15 minute walk will cost about $5.00 - worth the cost if it's late! Going from downtown to Tempe may run more than $30.00.

Update
It's $60 by taxi to Scottsdale - $120 round trip. Renting a car runs $25 to $60 a day, including gas, tax and fees. TravelocityCars found one car for $16 (but once you add fees, it's closer to $25.) It is cheaper to rent on the weekend than on weekdays. Multiple drivers also raise the cost of car rental - one driver is cheaper. Check your car insurance to see if it covers rental cars: most insurers do. Most car rental agencies will deliver the car to your hotel, or pick you up. Drop it off when you've finished your trip, unless you are in one of the complimentary parking hotels!

Airport
SuperShuttle will pick you up at anywhere in the Valley of the Sun (=Greater Phoenix Area) and take you to the airport for $9 to $12.00. There's a booth at the Airport, or you can call 800-258-3826. The hotel front desk can make reservations for you, too. The Shuttle will even go to Bed and Breakfasts or the Convention Center. A group of seven can arrange for a discount.

Safety
Phoenix is a city, so be careful. Don't explore alleys after dark, leave your your purse unattended, or accept invitations from strangers to see the etchings in their rooms :-)

I think 6am-9pm is reasonable for walking. Some members of the Local Arrangements Committee think 4:30am-11:00 is safe; some think dawn to dusk. Note that Sundays tend to be emptier than other days; you might want to take DASH on Sunday evening. If the streets are empty, then worry a bit. If the streets are crowded, then just be cautious.

Free time
You will have evening, lunch and dinner free at least on some days. Sign up for the Dine-Arounds, both to find good local restaurants and to meet people in a small group.

If you will be at MLA on Saturday & Sunday, then taking four hours off on Monday-Wednesday is reasonable. Not every part of the program will be of equal interest. (As an avid gardener, I believe that everyone should see the Botanical Garden!) Ducking out of the business meetings - not that we admit to having done so ourselves - is known to occur. If you do not plan to join a committee or business section, then the time allocated to section business and committee meetings will be free for you. (Although, if you are in a hospital library, I recommend joining the Hospital Library Section!) Also, the business meetings are a good way to meet people.

It's 10am EDT, and you are ready to go out and do something ... but the local time is 6am. Well ... take a hike! Or a walk, if you prefer.

Sauntering around Copper Square & Patriot's Square Park, the Civic Center or Arizona Center is very safe and secure. Lots of interesting sights, including the outdoor sculpture garden at the Heard Museum, if you are willing to taxi or hike out that way.

Phoenix has a number of city parks with genuine green grass, but Encanto Park, near Encanto Boulevard and 7th Avenue is one of the largest. It also offers boat rentals, a Children's Amusement Park, and an Exercise Course. Encanto is a safe place to walk or sit; however, as with any downtown park, a small transient population is just about guaranteed.

South Mountain Preserve (16,500 acres) is bit further away but considerably larger and wilder, with a dozen hiking and riding trails. Bikers and horseback riders can rent here. A recent article gives more information.

Phoenix Mountain Preserve (7,000 acres) offers yet more trails scattered around the city, ranging from road-like to slide-rock slippery slopes.

Finally, if you really want to go up in the world, climb the Seven Summits of Phoenix!

Recommendations
#1
Wear sunscreen; the locals will also have on a hat and sunglasses.

#2
Avoid hiking between noon to 2:00pm. Prime time on the trail is 5:00am to 10:00am.

#3
Leave the wildlife alone. Give critters the right of way (if you are lucky enough to see any!) Note that rattlesnakes find nice deep cool dens during the summer. You may see javelina, coyotes, birds (images) or lizards (images).

#4
Bring water - at minimum, one pint for every hour. Dehydration leads to headaches, dizziness and nausea. Humidity runs around 5%; moisture just evaporates off hikers, faster than they realize.

...is scheduled during MLA - Sunday, May 21, with a 6:30 am start time. Visit:
http://www.getsetaz.com/Evtdtl.php?EvtID=2090 to learn more, and register. You will also find other running, walking, swimming events around Arizona at: http://www.getsetaz.com/.

Don't miss an opportunity to save with the early-bird discount for MLA'06, Phoenix, AZ.

Register by 11:59 PM, Monday, April 17 and save $60. Registration is quick and easy at http://mlanet.org/am/am2006/register/

Hurry, early-bird discount ends Tuesday, April 18.

The Valley Metro bus schedule is at: http://www.valleymetro.org/Transit/06bbk/BusSchedules.html.

Taxi cabs to Scottsdale and or Fashion Square could be about $25-$30, as an estimate. The hotel concierges will be helpful with all transportation needs.

ON a late afternoon in Sedona, with the sinking sun beaming a powdery light over the mustard-red buttes, spires and mesas that surround the city like the ruins of fortress walls, everything looks better than good. Even the scenes that are banished from the postcards — the time-share developments, the trinket shops, the clusters of poky tourists — pick up an otherworldly glow. Those paunchy and ponytailed local hippies? All of a sudden, they're glamorous: it's as if they've been lit by Annie Leibovitz for a Rolling Stone cover circa 1978.

A few years ago, USA Today called Sedona the most beautiful place in America. At sundown, that doesn't begin to cover it. And it's not just the views. There's a vibe in the air, something not quite audible, a kind of metaphysical dog whistle that calls people out to have a look around and to try to feel something that, if you're not a committed New-Age pilgrim, is hard to put into words. Nowhere else in this country does a natural setting feel so much like the inside of a soaring pantheistic cathedral....

For complete article visit: http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/04/09/travel/09sedona.html?ex=1145332800&en=43bbc6149c31f2e8&ei=5070&emc=eta1

We are delighted to be seeing so many people! Welcome to you all.

To accommodate attendees, MLA has added another block of rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn, Phoenix/Midtown, 4000 N. Central, Phoenix, AZ 85012. (Map)

To make a reservation at the Hilton Garden Inn, call 602/279-9811. Be sure to specify group code MLA. The special MLA group rate is $119 per night, plus applicable state and local taxes.

Hilton Garden Inn is located about 3 miles from the Phoenix Civic Plaza and Convention Center, site of MLA'06. The hotel will provide shuttle transportation to and from the convention center.

For more information about MLA'06 see http://mlanet.org/am/am2006/index.html

If you are holding a hotel reservation you do not need, please consider cancelling it so the room can be released to another member who might need it. If you would like to be near the convention center you are encouraged to try calling the Hyatt Regency Phoenix (800.233.1234) and Wyndham Phoenix (800.359.7253), in case rooms become available.

Alone in the hot town … better go to the Theater! And it would be nice to have someone to go with.... If so, then select a play and post your phone number or email in the Comments to find a colleague who shares your tastes. Prices range from $10 to almost $200. For a complete list, see ShowUp.

Lunch Time Theater at the Herberger
Catch a one-act show for $5.00 (but another $6.50 to order a catered lunch)

Never Say No To Johnny
Performance Outreach Theater
Herberger Theater Center 222 E. Monroe - 602-254-7399
What’s a mother to do when her son reaches adulthood in the 1870s and decides to go West and risk his life?

Near the Convention Center

May 11, 2006- May 28, 2006 (7:30)
Tuesdays with Morrie
Produced by Arizona Theatre Company Center Stage
Herberger Theater Center 222 E. Monroe - 602-254-7399
A vivid recounting of the interlocking stories of one man losing his life as another is finding his. Mitch Albom’s book Tuesday’s With Morrie has been an international best-seller since its original publication in 1997.

May 05, 2006 - May 20, 2006 (7:30)
The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds
Produced by iTheatre Collaborative Performance Outreach Theater
Herberger Theater Center 222 E. Monroe - 602-254-7399
Beatrice Hunsdorfer wreaks a petty vengeance on everybody about her including her two daughters.

May 21 06:30 PM
Vina Morales "Vina in the Fast Lane"
Orpheum Theatre, 111 North Third Street - (602) 534-5600

Dinner Theater
Through May 31
Murder! More or Less A Comedy!
Murder Mystery Dinner and Comedy Show.
Crowne Plaza Hotel, 2532 West Peoria Avenue - (480)628-5721

Through June 4
Epic Proportions
The Copperstate Dinner Theater, 3801 East Washington Street - (602)279-3129
Phil and Benny are extras in the epic saga 'Exeunt Omnes', a movie by film giant D.W. DeWitt being shot in Molten Rock, Arizona in 1932.

Around Phoenix

• Taxies are dear; parking is cheap. Rent a car or find a local person to drive.

May 06-May 28; Saturday 2:00pm and 5:00pm, Sunday 2:00pm
Tomas and the Library Lady
Tempe Performing Arts Center, 132 East 6th Street Tempe (480)350-8119
Based on the true story of Tomas Rivera, who began his life as a migrant worker and ended it as a university chancellor, Thomas and the Library Lady celebrates the wonder of reading.

May 17 – May 21
2:00 matinee on weekend. 7:30 each evening.
Les Miserables
ASU Gammage, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ - 480-965-3434
Classic Hugo & Weber …

These blogs discuss medical libraries:

The Krafty Librarian post a list of Medical Library Blogs (April 1.) This is a very substantial, annotated list. This is one of the best stay-current sites for medical librarians. Stop by his PodCasting Poster at MLA to chat about blogs

UBC Google Scholar Blog is a bit more academic, but offers useful analysis.

The Rabid Librarian - whose site also features some excellent library cartoons - has a shorter list (March 6.)

Metropolitan Detroit Medical Libraries Association blog has a local flavor but discusses points of interest to all medical librarians.

How to Blog
When you register for MLA, take a CE course that includes blog information:
MLA CE - Technology Planning for Health Sciences Librarians (CE 502)
MLA CE - How to Use Really Simple Syndication (RSS) to Know More and Do Less (CE 503)