Library Legislative Day Information Provided by NYLA

Where:
Empire State Plaza Convention Center, Meeting Room 6, Concourse Level; Located Below the Egg in Albany.

When:
Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

What:
Lobby Day Briefings, beginning at 9:00 am and continuing throughout the day, will be held in Meeting Room 6.

The Library Lobby Day event this year is a Library Rave. From 11:00 am until noon on March 16, we invite the library community to come together in a show of unity and support in Meeting Room 6. Every legislator will be invited to join us for coffee and bagels in Meeting Room 6 to meet with delegations. At 11:30 am we will all hear from Speaker Silver, Senator Bruno, Assemblymember Galef and Senator Farley. We hope to impress them with the number of library supporters who have traveled to Albany to speak up for libraries. This is our opportunity to show strength in numbers, so we really want to pack the room and rave about libraries!

In addition to Lobby Day activities on March 16, the NYLA Legislative Committee is hosting the second annual "Wine & Whine at NYLA" on Monday evening, March 15. We hope that those of you who work in Albany and those in town for pre-Lobby Day meetings will stop by the NYLA office for wine and conversation. We are inviting all the legislators to stop by after work between 5:00-7:00 pm to meet informally with NYLA members and staff. Finger Lakes wine will be served -- made by Billsboro Winery. As far as we know, this is the only librarian-owned winery in New York!

Please plan to join us and encourage your legislators to stop by.

Busing Information: NEW IMPORTANT!
For those of you traveling on buses, the Albany City Police are now requiring that all buses pre-register with the NYLA office before traveling to Albany. Each bus now costs $50 to bring into the city and park. Each group will have to pay NYLA $50 per bus and NYLA will in turn pay the city. By March 5, please send payment and the following information via e-mail (nylaevents@pobox.com) or facsimile (518-427-1697) to the NYLA office:

- Coordinator name
- Coordinator telephone and e-mail
- Group name
- Number of busses you are bringing
- Number of attendees per bus
- Name of bus company
- Date and time of arrival
- Date and time of departure

Please mail payment to the NYLA office: 252 Hudson Avenue, Albany, NY 12210. Please identify your group name with your payment. NYLA accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, checks and cash.

The NYLA office will distribute drop-off and pick-up locations and bus parking information the week of March 8. If further information is required, please contact the NYLA office at 518-432-6952.

Parking Information:
Car parking is available under the Empire State Plaza in the Visitor Lot. You can get to this lot by taking the Empire State Plaza Exit off I-787. If people are parking under the plaza in this lot, there is a fee and the lots usually fill up fairly early. In addition, the driver has to show photo ID to enter the parking lot. Further information, directions and additional downtown parking lots can be attained by visiting the NYS OGS web site - www.ogs.state.ny.us/parking/visitor.asp. A map of these parking lots can be viewed by visiting - www.ogs.state.ny.us/parking/parkingmap.asp.

Directions to the Empire State Plaza Convention Center:
Take I90 into Albany (either East or West depending on where you are traveling from) to I787 South.

Take I787 to the Empire State Plaza exit. This will take you under the Plaza.

Parking is available here. Follow signs for North Visitor's Parking Area.

Elevators will take you to the Concourse Level, where the Convention Center is located.

Parking is also available at the Pepsi Arena on a first-come, first-served basis.

Once in the Concourse, follow signs for Meeting Room 6.

Security Information:
We have been told to expect airport-like security measures in place in the New York State Capitol, the Legislative Office Building and its surrounding buildings. Please be prepared to pass through a metal detector and have your belongings go through an X-ray machine to enter. All adults (16+) must show a photo ID to enter; it is recommended that attendees carry a photo ID at all times. In addition, items that are sharp or may be construed as weapons are not allowed in any of the Empire State Plaza buildings.

Due to the security measures and the number of people expected in Albany on Lobby Day, please leave yourself plenty of time to travel between meetings, Meeting Room 6 and the Library Rave.

If you have questions, please contact the NYLA Office at nylaoffice@pobox.com.

Watch NYLA's web site (www.nyla.org) for further Lobby Day details and information.