---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 06:44:09 -0400
From: Steven H. Murden <stevemurden@MINDSPRING.COM>
To: SEREDIT@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Upcoming ALCTS Institute

In all of the discussions over alternative sites for the Institute, one
thing never mentioned is the cost to produce such an endeavor.  I don't
have any hard data, but I was involved with planning an ALCTS institute
several years ago.  In order to make them profitable for ALCTS (and I
believe that is a requirement, or at least an expectation), it is necessary
to reach a critical mass of attendees.  There are multiple costs involved,
including rental costs for the space, food, and housing, without even
mentioning the salaries of ALCTS staff and the costs of supporting the
large faculty in attendance.  There is also the time away from their own
jobs for those faculty.  At best, an institute like this one can be a
regional one, where a region is defined rather broadly.  The ALCTS Business
of Acquisitions institute is a good example of a successful undertaking
that is slowly making it's was around the various regions of the US.

So, it's really important for this first one to succeed, before others can
be planned.  That means a lot of people from New Jersey, to Ohio, to North
Carolina need to attend.  Another way to show support is to become a
personal member of ALCTS, providing the seed money necessary to make such
events a reality.

Stepping down from the soapbox, now.  If anyone involved with this
institute sees any misleading statements in the above, please point them out.

Finally, in a situation where audience participation is important, I have
never participated in a teleconference that was especially rewarding.  They
are certainly cheaper, but far less satisfying, IMHO.

Steve Murden