We started our tour in the north-east end of the hotel, near the room where the Ontario Library Association will hold a pre-conference event on Thursday, May 13. Conference registrants arriving by public transit will enter the Doubletree here. We could also see the group of off-site restaurants, like Tim Hortons, Swiss Chalet, and Milestones, right across Dixon Road.

As we strolled south-west through the hotel, we passed the Orchid restaurant where many conference attendees will have breakfast and other casual meals, and the front desk. In the same area, we saw two other restaurants—Alfredo’s (northern Italian and Continental cuisine), Ginko (classical Japanese cuisine)—and Harry’s Bar.

Turning south at the front desk, we passed the west entrance from the parking lot, a small retail area, and the pool and fitness centre, on the way to the Plaza conference centre where OGS Conference 2010 will be held.

The Plaza conference centre is on the second floor. Our registration area will be at the bottom of the stairs (there’s an escalator and an elevator, too.) It was easy for the committee to see how that will channel registrants on the right route.

At the top of the stairs, escalator and elevator, the spacious Plaza foyer will be home to a number of activities (more later) and will serve as a gathering place. The 10,000 square-foot Marketplace and the meeting rooms are all clustered around this foyer. (With the exception of one overflow room which is a short stroll away on the ground floor.)

All these areas have complimentary wi-fi access.

The Plaza rooms were undergoing an upgrading of the ventilation system when we visited, but despite the tarpaulins, it was clear how quick and easy it will be to get from session to session, and to the Marketplace.

We finished the tour with a quick peek at a couple of the well-appointed hotel rooms, noting that all rooms have complimentary wi-fi access.

We were impressed with the facilities, the attention to detail, and the staff at the Doubletree—and confident that it will be a great venue for OGS Conference 2010.

The 2010 organizing committee is considering the environmental impact in every planning decision—from coffee cups to name badges to air travel.

Some decisions are easy, like the reuse of plastic name badge holders. OGS has been doing that for years to save money, and your 2010 badge may have seen five years of service. “Waste not, want not” has become an environmental adage.

But consider the coffee cups. We estimate that, over the three days of the Conference, about 3,500 disposable cups will be replaced with reusable ones. Ice water in pitchers and tumblers will replace the dreaded plastic bottles.

We’ve been saving paper during the planning process by distributing the minutes of our meetings by e-mail. Most committee members have found it unnecessary to print them, and for many meetings the only paper distributed has been a one-page agenda.

Following the 2009 Conference lead, we’ll be distributing most publicity electronically, including the program and registration form. We’ll have printed forms available for those who would prefer them, but we anticipate the quantity of paper to be a fraction of former years.

For the first time at an OGS Conference, a password-protected online syllabus will give registrants access to lecture information ahead of time and the ability to print all or just the pages for the lectures they plan to attend. With up to five lecture choices in each time slot, that could reduce the paper used by close to 75%. (Registrants will have the option to purchase a printed syllabus, if they prefer.)

There are many more decisions to make in the months ahead, and opportunities to have less of an impact—or a positive impact—on our environment. We welcome your suggestions.