ACRL College & Research Libraries News

Association of College & Research Libraries

Seattle ’84

Spring is the season when Seattle is at its best. The entire city seems to blossom. Visitors to the ACRL Third National Conference will not only have the opportunity to attend an exciting conference, but will see Seattle at its loveliest. Those who live in cold, snowy climates will especially appreciate the fresh green, mild climate, blue water, and variety of color that characterizes Seattle in April.

Temperatures in Seattle in the spring can vary a great deal, even in one day. A cool, rainy morning may be warm and sunny by noon, and cool in the evening. Most Seattlites are masters at layered dressing, a practice visitors may want to adopt to remain comfortable throughout their stay. An umbrella is an essential layer on a spring day. Plan for temperatures ranging from 40-70 degrees in a day. Since the boat trip to Kiana is in the evening, the ride back will be cold, unless one stays inside the boat. Anyone planning to go out on deck to watch the skyline on the return trip should be warmly dressed.

The arrival point for many conference attendees will be the Henry M. Jackson International Airport (SeaTac). The Grayline downtown airporter buses provide service between the airport and major downtown hotels, including the Sheraton, the Crown Plaza, the Four Seasons Olympic, and the Westin Hotels. These buses leave from the baggage claim level of the main terminal at the airport.

The Airporter buses depart every 30 minutes from 6:10 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Using the special discount coupon reprinted on p. 133 of this issue, conference attendees will receive a $4.00 rate for the Airporter. Anyone staying at the YMCA or the Pacific Plaza will need to get off of the Airporter at the Four Seasons Olympic; those staying at the Vance or the Mayflower Park should get off at the Westin.

After checking into the hotel, the next step will be to get to the Seattle Center to register. The Monorail is the fastest and easiest way to get to the Seattle Center from downtown. The Monorail runs every 15 minutes. The ninety second ride costs 50￠; a cashier will make change if needed. The downtown monorail terminal is a short walk from the Sheraton and other conference hotels. Check the map of downtown Seattle published in this issue for the exact locations. Registration at the Seattle Center Opera House will open at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 4.

Another easy way to get around in Seattle is to take the bus. The Metro Transit system has a “Magic Carpet” or Free Ride zone around downtown where all of the buses are free. Outside of the free ride zone, within the city limits, fares are 60t during peak hours (6:00-8:30 a.m. and 2:30-5:30 p.m.) weekdays, and 50￠ at other times. The Hospitality desks will have selected bus schedules and transit maps for consultation. Exact change is needed for the bus. Taxis are also available, but are not regulated in Seattle, so fares vary from cab to cab. Generally, the most reliable and lowest cost taxis are Yellow, Graytop and Far West.

Even on foot, Seattle is a compact city offering lots to see and do within a small geographic area. The Pike Place Market, the Waterfront, the Aquarium, and Pioneer Square are all special sights within walking distance of downtown. The more adventurous may want to walk to the ferry terminal and take a trip across Puget Sound on a Washington State ferry. Five specially printed guides will help conference attendees find their way around. These guides are: Fitness and Recreation; Restaurants; Shopping; Libraries, Bookstores, and Museums; and 20 Things to do in Seattle. The guides, along with other informational material on Seattle will be available at the Hospitality desks.

For assistance in getting around during the conference, ask at the Hospitality desks, or look for someone with a volunteer ribbon attached to their badge. If the volunteer can’t answer a question directly, they will know where to go to get the information needed.

One way to prepare for a visit to Seattle is to consult some of the previous Seattle ’84 columns. The columns have appeared in C&RL News since March 1983. The May column focused on Seattle, the June column on vacationing in the Pacific Northwest, the October column on readings about the Pacific Northwest, the December column on Vancouver, British Columbia, and the January 1984 issue described the Conference program and Seattle.

Come to Seattle and enjoy an exciting conference program and beautiful Seattle spring!