The 111th annual meeting of the American Historical Association will be held in New York City at the New York Hilton and Towers and the Sheraton New York Hotels. Hotel reservation information is included on page 12 of this issue of Perspectives. The meeting prereservation form will be in the October issue. The Program of the Annual Meeting will be mailed to members during the first week of October; it will also contain a copy of the meeting preregistration form.

Many of the profession's most distinguished members will deliver papers, and over 750 scholars, including 70 foreign scholars, will participate in the three-day meeting. In addition, 42 specialized societies will meet in conjunction with the AHA. Each society will hold its own sessions, luncheons, or meetings, as well as some joint sessions with the Association. On the evening of January 3, Caroline Walker Bynum (Columbia Univ.) will deliver the presidential address, and the Association's book awards, Awards for Scholarly Distinction, Eugene Asher Distinguished Teaching Award, Beveridge Family Teaching Prize, John E. O'Connor Film Award, Nancy Lyman Roelker Mentorship Award, and 1996 Honorary Foreign Member will be announced.

Accommodations

AHA annual meeting sessions as well as affiliated society sessions and events are scheduled in the New York Hilton and Sheraton New York Hotels. Blocks of rooms have been reserved at four midtown Manhattan hotels: the Hilton, the Sheraton, the Crowne Plaza Manhattan, and the Milford Plaza. The Hilton, located at 1335 Ave. of the Americas at West 53rd St., will serve as headquarters and house the AHA Book Exhibit and Job Register. The Sheraton, which will serve as coheadquarters, is located directly across the street from the Hilton at 811 7th Ave. at 52nd 51. In addition, a block of rooms has been reserved at the Crowne Plaza, 1605 Broadway, between 48th and 49th Sts.

A block of rooms has also been reserved at the Milford Plaza, located at 270 W. 45th 51. at 8th Ave. Room rates at the Milford Plaza will be $75 for a single or double; $90 for a triple; and $105 for a quad. Cost-conscious attendees (such as students) are encouraged to take advantage of this special rate. Be aware that this is a nine-block walk or a bus (current fare $1.50) or cab (approximately $3 plus tip) ride to the coheadquarters hotels. The rates do, however, offer substantial savings.

Hotel reservations must be made in writing on the hotel reservation form and mailed to the AHA Housing Bureau at 2 Columbus Circle, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10019. If you choose to use a credit card, you may fax the form to the bureau at (212) 484-1280. No direct telephone reservations with the hotels or bureau will be accepted. All reservations must be guaranteed with a major credit card or a check made payable to the AHA Housing Bureau. American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and Diners Club are acceptable. Requests for rooms will be given priority in the order received. A charge will be assessed for the first night if reservations are not canceled 48 hours prior to arrival.

Upon receipt, the bureau will send an acknowledgment to the individual. The acknowledgment is followed by an actual confirmation by the hotel. Subsequent changes or cancellations should be made directly with the Housing Bureau in writing up to December 12; after that date, alter or cancel directly with the hotel. The cutoff date is December 12. After that date, the hotels will continue to process reservations and changes subject to hotel and rate availability.

State and local taxes on these rates total 13% percent plus $2 per room, per night: 81,4 percent state sales tax as well as 5 percent and $2 per room, per night, New York City occupancy tax.

Transportation to New York City

Special airfares have been negotiated with American Airlines, Delta Airlines (including East Coast Shuttle operations), and Amtrak for members traveling to the annual meeting.

Zenith Travel Inc., 16 E. 34th St., New York, NY 10016, has been designated the official travel agency and American "Airlines has been designated the official carrier for the AHA's 1997 annual meeting. If your travel plans include staying over a Saturday, American is offering a 10 percent discount on coach airfares and a 5 percent discount on any reduced promotional fare. The fares are valid for roundtrip travel between December 31 and January 7. If your plans do not include staying over Saturday, January 4, American will waive that requirement and you will still be able to obtain the advantages of some lower-priced fares. Please note, however, that an advance purchase requirement will apply in most cases. For information and reservations on American Airlines, call 1-800-433-1790 and ask for Star file number 83D6AB. The American Airlines registration desk is open Monday through Friday, 7 to midnight (CST). It is necessary to request that your ticket be issued by Zenith Travel to receive these special fares. In addition, Zenith will enter your name in a raffle for a pair of American Airline tickets to London or Buenos Aires. An AAdvantage member ticketed by Zenith who stops by the Zenith hospitality table at the meeting this year will also be eligible to win an additional 10,000 bonus miles.

Delta Airlines has been designated the official shuttle carrier and will provide special discounts to attendees traveling from Boston and Washington, D.C., to New York. Additional savings are available systemwide should the Delta schedule best suit your needs. The fares are valid for round-trip travel between December 28 and January 10. To make these reservations, call Delta's meeting and convention desk at 1-800-241-6760 between the hours of 8 A.M. and 11 P.M. (EST). Ask for File Number XN360 and request that Zenith Travel issue your ticket.

Amtrak will offer a 10 percent discount on all unreserved trains and off-peak Metroliner service. For reservations, call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL, and ask for fare order number X-25-C-923. Amtrak will mail the ticket directly to you.

Ground Transportation

Arriving by Air. The hotels are roughly 8 miles from La Guardia International Airport (approximately 30 to 45 minutes); 15 miles from John F. Kennedy International Airport (approximately 50 to 60 minutes); and 16 miles from Newark International Airport (approximately 45 to 60 minutes). Limousine and taxi service is available from all airports to the hotels. Average taxi fare to mid-Manhattan is $20 to $25 from La Guardia and $30 to $40 from Kennedy. Fares start at $40 from Newark. Express bus service to and from La Guardia and Kennedy is provided by Carey Airport Express, 1-800-284-0909. The bus operates nonstop every 20 to 30 minutes between the two airports and Manhattan with free shuttle service to and from the hotels: La Guardia $9 each way and Kennedy $13 each way. Newark is served by Olympia Trails Airport Express, (212) 964-6233, to two nearby Manhattan locations: Penn Station (34th St. at 8th Ave.) and Grand Central Station (Park Ave. at 41st St.). It departs every 20 minutes and is $7 each way.

Shared minibus/van service is also available at La Guardia and Kennedy through Gray Line Air Shuttle, 1-800-451- 0455; fares range from $13 to $16 each way. Public transportation is available from La Guardia and Kennedy; bus and subway fares are $1.50. For bus and subway travel information, call MTA-New York City Transit at (718) 330-1234, 6 A.M. to 9 P.M. every day. To order bus and subway maps, call (718) 694-4903, Monday through Friday, 9 A.M. to 5 P.M.

Arriving by Train. Grand Central (42nd St. at Park Ave.) and Penn (31st St. at 7th Ave.) Stations are each approximately one mile from the coheadquarters hotels. A cab ride is roughly $5 plus tip each way.

Parking at Hotels. Individuals staying at the New York Hilton can park in the hotel's garage. Valet parking is available at the published rates, currently $33 for each 24-hour period. Guests at the Sheraton New York are charged $30 per day for valet parking; at the Crowne Plaza they are charged $34 per day. The Milford Plaza does not have a garage, but guests can park at Square Parking (44th St. between 8th and 9th Aves.) for $11 per day, with valet service available between 8 A.M. and 4 P.M. and 7 and 10 P.M.

General Information

Group Meetings and Reunions. Societies and groups that have not already made arrangements to hold sessions or other meetings should send their requests for room space as soon as possible to Sharon K. Tune, Convention Director, AHA, 400 A St., SE, Washington, DC 20003. Please specify preferred date, inclusive hours, attendance forecast, and any special equipment desired.

Business Meeting. Resolutions for the business meeting signed by 25 members of the Association will be accepted until December l5th; those received by November 1 will take precedence and will be published in the December Perspectives. Resolutions must be no more than 300 words in length. Resolutions should be sent to the executive director at the AHA office, with a copy to the parliamentarian, Michael Les Benedict, 106 Dulles Hall, Ohio State University, 230 W. 17th Ave., Columbus, OH 43210.

At its meeting on May 15-16, 1980, the Council adopted the following bylaw pursuant to Article VII, Section 14, of the constitution: There shall be a quorum for the annual meeting of 100 members in good standing.

Location of Events. AHA sessions will be held at the Hilton and Sheraton hotels. The Local Arrangements Committee office and Press Room will be in room 548 of the Hilton; the AHA Headquarters/Staff Office will be in room 543 of the Hilton. The Job Register will be located in the Hilton in America's Hall I and II, located on the second level of the hotel. Hours of operation will be January 2 from 2 to 6 P.M.; January 3 and 4 from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M.; and January 5 from 9 A.M. to noon. Registration desks and meal ticket cashiers will be located in the promenade on the second floor of the Hilton, one floor up from the hotel registration area. The Book Exhibit will occupy the Rhinelander Gallery adjacent to AHA registration on the second floor. It will be open January 2 from 3 to 7 P.M.; January 3 and 4 from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M.; and January 5 from 9 A.M. to noon.

Advance Registration. Members are urged to preregister at the reduced rate of $55 (nonmembers $75; students and unemployed $35; precollegiate teachers $10). The preregistration form will be enclosed in the Program mailed to members in early October. Advance registration must be received by December 6

Refund Policy. Advance registrants who are unable to attend the convention may request a full refund of their registration fee if a written request returning the meeting badge is postmarked by December 20, 1996. No refunds will be issued for requests postmarked after December 20, 1996.

Registration at the Meeting. The registration desks at the annual meeting, located in the promenade area on the second floor of the Hilton, will be open from noon to 7 P.M. on January 2; from 8 A.M. to 6 P.M. on January 3; and from 8:30 A.M. to 4 P.M. on January 4. Registration at the meeting will be $70 (nonmembers $90; students and unemployed $35; precollegiate teachers $10). Admission to all sessions, the Book Exhibit, and the Job Register requires a registration badge.