It’s November already, which means the AHA’s 123rd Annual Meeting is just a few short months away. To help you prepare, here are a few quick reminders and annual meeting resources:

Job Center Reservations
Search committees who would like to reserve space for job interviews at the annual meeting need to do so by November 14. Reservation forms (in Rich Text Format) for the 2009 Job Center are available now. Job Center tables are free. Job Center rooms cost $125 for each half day or $200 for a full day. For reservation forms and more information visit the Job Center page on the AHA’s web site.

Special Preregistration Rate for Teachers with Student Groups
A special registration rate of $50 will be given to middle school and high school teachers who bring up to five students to the AHA’s annual meeting. Undergraduate teachers who bring up to five students can register at the special rate of $100. These special rates are only available during preregistration only (which ends December 19).

Status of Hotel Reservations
Preregistration and housing for the 2009 Annual Meeting opened on September 15. Two of the hotels in the AHA’s block have sold out on nights of the meeting, January 2–5: headquarters Hilton New York (1,300 rooms) and overflow property Waldorf=Astoria (100 rooms). To reserve a room or a suite for the annual meeting, you must first preregister for the meeting. The following is an availability status report as of October 31.

Standard Rooms

• Sheraton New York: 679 rooms available ($129 single and double) from original inventory of 1,500 rooms

Suites

• Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square:  10 available (at $199 per night; additional inventory has been and will continue to be added as needed)

Dates and Deadlines

• November 14 – Final deadline for reserving a table or room for the Job Center.
• December 3 – Housing cut-off date for Doubletree Suites.  Subsequent reservations taken on a space-available basis at convention rate.
• December 12 – Housing cut-off date for Hilton, Sheraton, and Waldorf=Astoria.  Subsequent reservations taken on a space-available basis at convention rates.
• December 15 – Final deadline for canceling Job Center room reservations. Invoices will be mailed after this date, and no refunds will be given.
• December 19 – AHA preregistration closes; after 12 midnight December 19, attendees registering online pay onsite rates, or must register onsite.
• December 19 – Deadline to receive preregistration refund.
• December 24 (noon): AHA headquarters office closes until January 8th to allow the staff time with family for the holidays before traveling to and from New York for the annual meeting.
• January 2 – 2009 Annual Meeting opens at 12 p.m., Hilton New York and Sheraton New York

Resources

• Graduate Students Resources – Graduate students attending the annual meeting may want to check out the Resources for History Graduate Students web page on the AHA site. There find annual meeting related information, like resources and tips on interviewing, the Job Center, and networking.
• Free Wireless Internet – Internet access is vital for many annual meeting attendees. To facilitate the ability to get online, check out the past blog post Free Wireless Internet in New York, or visit our map of free wireless options in New York
• Perspectives on History Articles – Perspectives on History has featured many annual meeting related articles in the past. Check out “The Insider’s Guide to the Job Register”* by David Darlington (Dec. 2007) and “The Annual Meeting: Reflections of a First Timer” by Jacob M. Blosser (Sept. 2005).

*Please note the Job Register has changed its name to the Job Center.

This post first appeared on AHA Today.