General Information

The conference is open to all and specifically targeted at people in the galleries, libraries, archives, and museums space with a particular interest or expertise in diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and justice.

IDEAL is happening from July 15-17, 2024 at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen St W Toronto, Ontario, Canada. For attendees joining from outside Canada, be sure to check your passport expiration date in advance.

Information on registration fees can be found here.

View the schedule-at-a-glance here. During the event, schedules and details about sessions will be available on the IDEAL mobile app that will be released closer to the conference.

IDEAL 2024 is an in-person only event. 

IDEAL will welcome 750 attendees to Toronto. 

Dress comfortably in layers, as meeting room temperatures can vary.

Conference registration fees include Lunch, afternoon Energizer and evening Reception Tuesday and Breakfast, Lunch and afternoon Energizer on Wednesday.  

ARL provides meals that accommodate a variety of dietary requirements, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free meals are part of standard menu offerings and will be noted on menu cards in meal areas. Additional requirements should be noted and submitted during registration. 

IDEAL strives to create an inclusive environment for attendees. Learn more here and please make note of your requests when submitting your registration.  

All experiences available within a conference cannot always be factored into the attendee registration fee. To provide a rich and robust experience for attendees, supplementary offerings are made available at additional fees designed to meet preferences and interest.

Local IDEAL hosts are pleased to offer tour opportunities to enhance your IDEAL experience. Specifics are included on the About page and in the registration process where tours are selected. Logistics information will be provided prior to the conference, transportation to and from tour locations is the responsibility of the attendee.

Visit the Toronto page of our website.

Review the code of conduct here.

ARL is committed to ensuring event environments that invite all attendees to exercise their personal preference for wearing masks and other preventatives. ARL will provide masks and hand sanitizer throughout event areas. Attendees should not come to event activities if they feel sick or exhibit symptoms of illness. ARL will be compliant with local guidance.

During the event, you can easily find security information in the event app, the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel Security office is staffed 24-hours a day. ARL is partnering with in-house security to ensure a safe environment for all IDEAL attendees. 

 Registration Information

To register for IDEAL, learn more about the rates.

Student attendees must be enrolled in an ALA accredited master’s program to qualify for the student rate. A maximum of 100 total student registrations are available. 

A 10% Group Discount for five or more attendees from the same institution is available, please reach out to events@arl.org to inquire. 

Payment must be provided at the time of registration. Accepted payment methods include:

  • Credit card (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa)
  • Offline payment options must be requested in writing to events@arl.org

When you register, a link to your settled invoice will be included in your registration confirmation email. If you need another copy, reach out to the IDEAL registration team at events@arl.org

BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR PASSPORT EXPIRATION DATE IN ADVANCE.

Travelers are responsible to research, understand, and comply with any entry restrictions and/or health and quarantine requirements based upon their country of departure. It is the traveler’s responsibility to be aware of any entry or policy changes prior to traveling to Canada. ARL has registered the IDEAL Conference with the Canada Border Services Agency and the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to support foreign entry. 

ARL does not issue documents or letters in connection with Canada visa or immigration matters. 

All reservations and expenses to attend are the responsibility of the attendee. ARL employees, contractors, and partners are not authorized to facilitate or pay for any travel expenses for event registrants.

Yes, you can request a substitution by sending an email to the IDEAL registration team at events@arl.org with the names of both the original and substitute registrants. All requests for substitutions must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. HDT on June 15, 2024 and are subject to ARL registration team approval. 

Cancellations must be made in writing to events@arl.org. A full refund minus a US$100 administrative fee is available through April 15, 2024. From April 16—June 1, 2024 a full refund minus a US$150 administrative fee is available.  After June 1, 2024, no refunds will be issued. 

IDEAL strives to create an inclusive environment for attendees. Learn more here and please make note of your requests when submitting your registration. 

Yes, you need to wear your conference badge throughout the event. Your government issued I.D. or passport is required to check-in at the conference onsite. Credentials cannot be given to or shared with another attendee or the badge may be confiscated and the attendee asked to leave the event.  

If you lose your badge onsite, visit the IDEAL Information & Support Center at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel for assistance. You must present a government-issued photo ID such as a passport or driver’s license when checking-in and requesting a replacement badge.

If you have any further questions, contact us at events@arl.org and we’ll work with you to coordinate a connect.

 Hotel Information

You must be a registered attendee of IDEAL to reserve your room at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.  The guest room booking link for the IDEAL hotel room block will be provided in your registration confirmation. 

To modify an existing hotel reservation, changes are accepted until the link is closed (because it is sold out or until June 1, 2024).  Attendees with Marriott BonVoy membership may continue to make changes until the day before arrival on the hotel app.

Please review hotel details here. The ARL room block and rate are valid 7/15/24—7/18/24. Additional nights are at the discretion of the hotel's availability and the guest room rate and room type options may vary. 

Discounted room rates will be offered based on hotel availability until June 1, 2024. 

Cancellation of a hotel reservation must be made no less than 72 hours prior to arrival date per your hotel confirmation email.  Failure to cancel will result in a penalty charge equal to one night’s room and tax.  

For early departures, guests need to inform the front desk before 12 midnight the day you check-in to change the departure date or the full charge is applied. If you shorten your hotel stay after check-in, the hotel’s standard early departure fees may apply. 

If you don’t arrive on your scheduled arrival date, the hotel will cancel the entire reservation and can opt not to reinstate the reservation, depending on hotel availability, even if you arrive the next day. If the hotel does reinstate the reservation, they may only be able to offer the prevailing market rate. You’ll also be charged the penalty of one night’s room and tax at the group rate, regardless of whether the hotel opts to reinstate your reservation.

No. To take advantage of the discounted room rates that IDEAL offers for the conference hotel, an attendee must have a paid registration for the conference.

Yes. You must enter a credit card during the reservation process to make any hotel reservations within the IDEAL room block. 

Yes. However, if the credit card used as a guarantee for the hotel reservation is not in your name, the cardholder must be present at check-in, or you must set up an advance credit card authorization with the hotel at least 72 hours prior to arrival.

Reservations must be made through the provided online booking link and reservation changes must be made through the hotel directly after booking

Yes. All reservations made within the IDEAL room block will be confirmed via a separate confirmation email sent to the email provided during booking, from the hotel. 

Although the hotel will do their best to accommodate all special requests, the fulfillment of these requests is based on availability at check-in and is not guaranteed.

  • Guest rooms must have one registered guest at least 21 years of age.
  • Nightly room rates do not include taxes (19.780% (currently))
  • Occupancy rates per guest room over single/double occupancy may apply at CA$30.00 per person, per night.
  • All reservations and expenses are the responsibility of the traveler. 

Contact us at events@arl.org.

 International Travel

Entry requirements into Canada vary based on where you are from, how you are travelling, and what documents you are traveling with. For details, please visit https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/entry-requirements-country.html.

BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR PASSPORT EXPIRATION DATE IN ADVANCE.

Check your carrier website and your personal plan for details on cell phone usage and roaming fees while traveling internationally. 

For Travel and Tourism information visit: https://travel.gc.ca/
Find out if you need a visa to travel to Canada: https://ircc.canada.ca/english/visit/visas.asp 
Crossing the border into Canada: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/menu-eng.html