 |
 |
tl;dr except that maybe we'll miss out on KC beer? SAY IT ISN'T SO! :) D -----Original Message----- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kevin S. Clarke Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2011 11:49 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Code4Lib 2012 Registration Cost? +1 to the below... On Thu, Nov 10, 2011 at 10:12 AM, Jason Stirnaman <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > I agree that conference-ish things are mostly not broken, and that we > should keep talking about this in order to make them better. I also > think Tim makes an important point here: > >>then let's not separate the two parts of C4L conf like a > traditional conference Why do we need to define workshops or hackfests > as "pre-conference"? > Why not just say "this is the conference: hackfests, workshops, talks, > great people, and brew-tasting"? And maybe more people would > participate or benefit if hackfest was "middle-conference" or > "post-conference", i.e. after they're spurred by presentations and ready to dive in. > And couch-surfing ++ > I'm expecting I won't get to spend my library's entire travel budget > to attend C4L this year and lodging obviously accounts for a huge > chunk of that. If not, I'll just save up my bottles of KC's finest for > next year and hope some newcomer replaces me in the registration rush. > > Jason > > > Jason Stirnaman > Biomedical Librarian, Digital Projects A.R. Dykes Library, University > of Kansas Medical Center [log in to unmask] > 913-588-7319 > > >>>> On 11/10/2011 at 11:01 AM, in message > <[log in to unmask]>, > Cary Gordon <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > > In the grand scheme of things, $150 for a conference is very low, and > $320 for a pre conference is low, as well. This doesn't make them > cheap or mean that everyone who would like to go, can go. I fully > understand that $25 is in inconsequential amount of money… Unless it > is your $25. > > I think that there is consensus that we want to keep c4l at its > current size, and I think that money shouldn't be the primary factor > determining attendance. > > Perhaps it would be good if we raised our price to $200 or $250, > increased our sponsorship fundraising efforts, and used the excess to > provide partial and full (including travel and lodging) scholarships > for those who need them. > > Maybe we should encourage local couch surfing hosts. > > We should keep talking about this. > > Cary > > On Wed, Nov 9, 2011 at 9:11 PM, Timothy McGeary <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: >>> >>> At $150 for registration, I agree with Kyle, that this is a very > good price >>> in comparison to most technical conferences. Perhaps you could > consider the >>> extra airfare and hotel room night as the price of the > pre-conference. >> >> >> The extra airfare and hotel, in this case, is $320 per person. > Hardly a >> reasonable comparison. >> >> I realize that I'm now looking at this from a different perspective > than >> when I was a first time Code4Libber, when I was simply try to soak it > all >> in and build a network of people I could work with on projects that I > and >> my library were interested in. Now I have to be concerned with > budgets, >> and getting people other than myself to C4L so they can join the > community >> and contribute. >> >> If the price points of rentals goes down because of the preconf day > where >> the costs are mostly a wash, then that's great, but then let's not > separate >> the two parts of C4L conf like a traditional conference, or put such >> emphasis on the "participation" in a preconf that undermines or > undervalues >> the participation of someone coming to the conference days > themselves. We >> can't have it both ways. Code4Lib conferences *ARE* unique and they > are >> invaluable to many, many, many people who are fortunate enough to A) >> register in time and B) can afford to come at all. So let's not > diminish >> this by presuming or assuming anything, rather take extra care in >> protecting this event as a treasure, lest all of the tireless efforts > the >> conference planners put forth be for naught. >> >> The last thing I'd want to see is C4L be under attended because > people >> couldn't justify reasonable costs to their organization due to lack > of >> information, openness, or mere confusion. >> >> Tim >> >> -- >> Tim McGeary >> Team Leader, Library Technology >> Lehigh University >> 610-758-4998 >> [log in to unmask] >> >> [log in to unmask] >> GTalk/Yahoo/Skype/Twitter: timmcgeary 484-938-TMCG (Google Voice) >> >> On Wed, Nov 9, 2011 at 6:26 PM, Fowler, Jason <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: >> >>> > let people completely fend for themselves w/r/t to food/drink on > the >>> preconference day. >>> >>> Coders consume from the "flat" food group. Anything that fits > beneath a >>> door… >>> >>> ..jason >>> >>> >>> On 11-11-09 3:12 PM, "Kevin S. Clarke" <[log in to unmask]<mailto: >>> [log in to unmask]>> wrote: >>> >>> On Wed, Nov 9, 2011 at 1:41 PM, Kyle Banerjee <[log in to unmask] >>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: >>> Yes, we have. We've even had people want to come to the > preconference >>> (and pay the preconference charge) but not attend the regular >>> conference. :-) >>> >>> >>> They've wanted to do it, but have they actually been able to? What > makes >>> c4l worthwhile is the ability to mix it up. If people attend with > the >>> intention of just receiving specific training, they're not > contributing and >>> that undermines the experience for everyone. >>> >>> Yes... at least at the Asheville conference (though there were just > a >>> couple). >>> >>> C4l has seen both free and paid preconferences and it's easy enough > to >>> rationalize either. >>> >>> Having put on a paid preconference, I think if I were to do it > again >>> I'd make it free. We received several comments about the lack of > food >>> at the Asheville preconference (though we had coffee). I think > having >>> a price attached to it leads to expectations like that. Perhaps it > is >>> better to just say "The preconference is free... the price for the >>> conference is $150" ... let people completely fend for themselves >>> w/r/t to food/drink on the preconference day. >>> >>> Fwiw... >>> >>> Kevin >>> >> > > > > -- > Cary Gordon > The Cherry Hill Company > http://chillco.com >