As I write this I'm in Providence, attending the Digital Library Federation
Fall Forum. Today Birkin Diana was kind enough to take me on a tour of the
conference hotel for Code4Lib 2009 -- the Renaissance Providence, see:

<http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/pvdbr-renaissance-providence-hotel/>

The hotel is directly next to the state capitol building. Here is a photo I
took from a side door of the hotel:

<http://flickr.com/photos/rtennant/3027972701/>

And many rooms look out directly on it. The hotel itself is quite historic,
in a weirdly interesting way. There is an incredible back story to this
hotel, which crops up in interesting ways.

Originally built as a Masonic Temple, it remained uninhabited for 75 years
(yes, you heard right) since its construction around the Great Depression.
It was finally renovated into the hotel you will inhabit at Code4Lib. But
aspects of its past have been retained -- from Masonic symbology to
treasured remnants of graffiti that graced the walls of the empty building
for many years, as numerous generations of rambunctious teenagers did their
best to leave their mark.

The hotel has a cool basement bar and restaurant graced with graffiti
remnants and a large bar room with modern couches, candles, and comfortable
short stools that can be repositioned in a variety of groupings.

The rooms are fantastic. Assuming they are mostly like the one Birkin and I
saw today, they are quite roomy, with a desk, couch, chair, and plenty of
space beyond the two double beds. The bathroom was completely up to and
beyond par, and has a door that opens into the clothes closet for easy
dressing.

The meeting rooms seem fine, like most modern hotels. I'm hopeful, due to
its size, that the main room will accommodate tables for computers. Birkin
assures me that the wireless is up to the task and they will have plenty of
power strips in place.

In terms of neighborhood amenities, the hotel is not a long walk (although
in February you can't hold me to this) to "restaurant row" in downtown
Providence. However, if the snow is blowing hard there is not only the hotel
restaurant (which definitely looks good although I did not inspect the
menu), or several decent choices one block away beneath the large shopping
mall (yes, there is serious indoor mall shopping nearby).

As someone who participated in the
ill-fated-but-bound-to-come-back-like-a-bad-dream Columbus bid for the 2009
conference, I can say that I am completely happy with the Providence
location and I am very much looking forward to the 2009 conference. On to
Providence!
Roy