2012 SWALL Annual Meeting
The 2012 Annual Meeting will be held in San Antonio, Texas on March 29-31, 2012 in the historic Menger Hotel. The theme for the conference is “Embracing Today, Innovating for Tomorrow”.
Information About San Antonio
Mark your calendars for March 29 thru 31 when SWALL’s Annual Meeting will be held in downtown San Antonio at the historic Menger Hotel. March is the perfect time to visit the Alamo City, with average temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees. The Local Arrangements committee is planning several events to give attendees a true taste of San Antonio and our famous Texas hospitality. Here are some highlights of our wonderful city to get you in the spirit for the 2012 meeting, Embracing Today, Innovating for Tomorrow!
Location, Location, Location
Our headquarters hotel, and site of the meeting’s programs and events is the historic Menger Hotel, situated in the heart of downtown San Antonio, immediately adjacent to both the Alamo and San Antonio’s Rivercenter Mall on the Riverwalk. The Menger, built in 1859 (just 23 years after the fall of the Alamo), has hosted numerous luminaries in its history, from Teddy Roosevelt and Oscar Wilde to President Bill Clinton and Roy Rogers. The hotel’s food is beyond compare (don’t miss the mango ice cream!) and amidst its Victorian décor, the Menger provides all the modern amenities (free wireless internet!).
The hotel is mere steps away from San Antonio’s world famous Riverwalka network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath approximately 5 miles of downtown San Antonio. Lined by bars, shops, and restaurants, the River Walk is the downtown destination in San Antonio. Whether you prefer a great place for a scenic morning walk or people-watching while sipping a margarita as the sun sets, the Riverwalk will enchant and delight you. For those interested in history, be sure to take a narrated river boat tour, which allows you to enjoy the sights along the Riverwalk while learning about its rich history.
Art, History, and Culture
In Texas, one is often told to “Remember the Alamo,” so be sure to take a tour through the historic structure during your time in San Antonio, which is open daily. Or, extend your visit to San Antonio’s past with a visit to the four other missions of San Antonio, preserved in a national park, and accessible via a six-mile hike and bike trail.
San Antonio is also home to over 25 celebrated museums, including the San Antonio Children’s Museum, the San Antonio Museum of Art, the Witte Museum, and the McNay Art Museum, which will please art and science lovers of any age. We are also making plans to enjoy food, drink, and the wonderful company of our fellow librarians at a Thursday night reception at the Institute of Texan Cultures. This museum celebrates the more than 20 ethnic groups that settled in Texas and represents them through a variety of exhibits.
Food and Fun
One of my favorite ways to get to know a city and its culture is, of course, through its food. San Antonio is home to all types of cuisine, but is most famous for its Mexican and Tex-Mex flavors. Whether you are looking for high-end Riverwalk fare at the critically acclaimed Biga on the Banks, or the famous Mexican fare at Mi Tierra Café, San Antonio is sure to satisfy your tastes. For those seeking fun and thrills of a different sort, San Antonio is also home to Sea World, featuring live animal shows, rides, and a water park, and Six Flags Fiesta Texas, with rollercoasters and shows for the whole family.
Start making plans now to join us at the 2012 SWALL Annual Meeting: Embracing Today, Innovating for Tomorrow! The bluebonnets will be in bloom, the river will be flowing, and the conference promises to be a true fiesta for all.
[Note: This information originally appeared in the Fall 2011 Issue of the SWALL Bulletin in the article 2012 Annual Meeting: Springtime in San Antonio by Katy Stein, Co-Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee and Faculty Services Librarian/Assistant Professor at the Sarita Kenedy East Law Library, St. Mary’s University.]