Onsite Accessibility Services

All convention centers and hotels the conference occupies are accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). All rooms at the conference are wheelchair accessible and have seats in the first row and back row marked as reserved for individuals with accessibility needs. Please use these accommodations if you need them and we ask that no one question anyone’s use of this accommodation as some disabilities are invisible.

Space has been left for two wheelchairs in the front and back of each meeting room. Please keep designated wheelchair areas and aisles clear for person who may be using wheelchairs, canes, crutches, or motorized scooters. Space should be left around the doors and aisles to allow access.

Convention Center & Event Space Limitations

AWP works closely with the hotels and convention center to plan the conference and assure Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and related accessibility compliance. However, AWP does not control or oversee the building’s accessibility for the hotels or the convention center. The hotels and convention centers are responsible for the accessibility of all common areas, building entrances and exits, room entrances and exits, hallways, bathrooms, roll-up doors and air walls, escalators, and elevators. AWP does not have the authority to make alterations to these spaces or their fire codes and security policies. While AWP has taken numerous steps to ensure these properties adhere to the guidelines set forth in the ADA, including multiple assessments of each property, as well as obtaining contractual language guaranteeing ADA adherence, we rely on the hotel and convention center staff at these venues to make sure the buildings themselves are accessible. Each building has ADA accessible entrances as outlined in this document, but some other entrances must be locked to the outside for all attendees to ensure the security of the building for all attendees.

Mobility Constraints

Due to the large size of the AWP Conference & Bookfair, the 200 sessions are often spread out, and distances between sessions may be considerable. Please remember in your travel plans to bring any mobility equipment you may need to help navigate throughout the conference, including between the convention center, hotels, and surrounding areas. If you find you need to rent equipment onsite, please see the Scooter & Wheelchair Rentals section of this document. If you require help navigating the conference, please see the Attendant and Assistants and Volunteer Assistance sections of this document.

Registration Services

AWP’s online registration system provides attendees with the opportunity to indicate if they have accessibility needs. If you indicate that you have accessibility needs when registering, an AWP staff member will contact you to follow up and help ensure those needs are met.

AWP does not require that any conference attendee disclose a disability; however, we can better meet specific needs if we know well ahead of time that a reasonable accommodation will be needed.

Onsite registration, located in the Pennsylvania Convention Center, will have an entrance for attendees with disabilities who would prefer not to stand in long registration lines, in addition to a wheelchair-height registration kiosk.

For any questions regarding the registration process, please email registration@awpwriter.org.

Onsite Accessibility Contact

We will post onsite contact information in early March 2022.

Onsite Accessibility Tour

The Accessibility Tour is scheduled at 3:00 p.m. on March 23. Please meet at the Accessibility Services Desk in the Registration area, located in Halls D & E of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, 200 level. If you cannot make this time, but would still like a tour, please email colleen@awpwriter.org to arrange an alternate time.

Accessibility Desk

Requests for help onsite are best addressed directly to the Accessibility Desk. While the conference is in session, AWP’s small staff cannot monitor social media for requests. Please see the staff at the Accessibility Desk if you have a request. The location of the Accessibility Desk will be located directly next to the registration Help Desk. If you require assistance after-hours, or are unable to get to the Accessibility Desk, please see the Onsite Accessibility Contact section of this document.

AWP conference staffers will be available at the Accessibility Desk from 12:00 noon to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, and from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to offer assistance.

Service Animals

All service animals are welcome in all spaces at the AWP Conference & Bookfair.

Attendees are reminded that service animals are working animals and should not distract or attempt to pet them.

Interpreters and CART

Interpreters, including American Sign Language, Cued Speech Alliteration, and Computer Assisted Real Time Captioning (CART) are available.

AWP can provide interpreters and CART services for any onsite conference event, including the bookfair, from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm.

Arrangements for interpreters and CART require advanced planning for a conference as large as AWP’s. Interpreters can best meet interpreting and CART needs when requests are received for the specific events you will attend in advance. To make a request for an interpreter, contact Colleen Cable at colleen@awpwriter.org by Wednesday, March 9, 2022 with a list of the events you plan to attend. AWP makes every effort to accommodate requests that arrive after March 9, but sometimes interpreters are unavailable unless booked well in advance of our conference.

All featured events will be ASL interpreted and live-captioned. All virtual events will include captions.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services

We understand that being in a fully masked environment can be difficult for those who are D/deaf or who are hard of hearing. We are asking for presenters to be aware of those in the audience who may need to lip read or see a full facial expression in order understand what is being said. Presenters are allowed to remove their masks while they are actively speaking during their event. The first row of audience seating will be placed six feet from the speaker tables to accommodate for this exception to the mask policy. The other option is that presenters may request and pick up a clear mask from the AWP Help Desk to wear during their event if they are not comfortable taking off their mask.

All event rooms used by AWP at the Pennsylvania Convention Center will have assisted listening technology enabled. In order to access, you can download the WaveCast Receiver App on a smart phone, which will allow you to hear amplified audio through personal headphones. If you do not have a smart phone, assisted listening devices will also be available.

Blind and Low-Vision Services

The conference program is provided in multiple formats to accommodate multiple accessibility needs. Large format and plaintext digital versions of the schedule are available. Braille programs are available onsite at the Accessibility Desk. Please see the Accessibility Desk section of this document for directions. Additionally, conference presenters are encouraged to describe themselves and any visual aids they might use.

Attendants & Assistants

Registered attendees requiring an attendant or assistant to facilitate their participation and accessibility needs will be granted one complimentary registration for an attendant/assistant. To register an attendant/assistant, please email registration@awpwriter.org.

Volunteer Assistance

Volunteers are available for those who may require assistance throughout the conference. Volunteers can provide assistance with note taking, navigation, and other tasks. AWP can best meet volunteer assistance needs when requests are sent by Wednesday, March 9, 2022 to Colleen Cable at colleen@awpwriter.org. AWP makes every effort to accommodate requests that arrive after March 9.

Attendees requiring specific problem solving and onsite assistance during the conference should request it from personnel at the Accessibility Desk. Please see the Accessibility Desk section of this document for directions.

In-Person Zoom & Technology

AWP welcomes those unable to attend the conference due to a disability to Zoom in as a presenter via the virtual conference platform.

AWP is able to provide internet, a projector, and screen for Zoom if the organizer of the event emails Events Coordinator Aubrey Kamppila at events@awpwriter.org before October 20, 2021 to make the request. If contacted before October 20, AWP can almost certainly provide this technology.

Unfortunately, AWP is not always able to fulfill technology requests that come after October 20. In cases where presenters request to Skype in after October 20, organizers can purchase internet for their event and use a personal laptop or tablet to Skype in their remote presenter. Email events@awpwriter.org if you have questions.

Presentations & Handouts

Please see the Presenter Guidelines webpage for more information about how best to fulfill obligations to the audience, including attendees with accessibility needs.

Hallway Seating & Quiet Space

Several lounges throughout the bookfair provide seating options for attendees. When possible, additional seating has also been provided in hallways and common areas at Pennsylvania Convention Center.

The Dickinson Quiet Space is a dedicated space for attendees to collect their thoughts, unwind, and escape the literary commotion. The quiet space is not available for conversations or meetings. Please check the Schedule of Events for location information.

AWP will also designate a space as a non-florescent quiet room. Please check the Schedule of Events for location information.

Weather

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in late March has an historic average temperature high of 55-56 degrees, and a low of around 36 degrees. Please prepare accordingly and visit a source such as AccuWeather for the most up to date Philadelphia weather forecast.

Allergy Accommodations & Fragrances

As a courtesy to attendees with chemical sensitivities, attendees should refrain from using scented products to help ensure the comfort of everyone at the conference.

Some conference hotels offer allergen-free rooms, cleaning products, and bedding, as well as a mini-fridge, upon request. Please contact the hotel of your choice for more information.

Hotel Rooms

All AWP conference hotels are ADA accessible and should be contacted directly for reservations. Hotel contact information may be found on the Hotel & Travel webpage. These hotels have a limited number of rooms available for guests with accessibility needs. Given the number of attendees, and attendees with accessibility needs at the conference, AWP hotels often sell out months in advance as reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis. If you require an ADA room, please make reservations as soon as possible. If you are having difficulty securing an ADA room, please contact Claire Johnson at at claire@awpwriter.org.

Scooters & Wheelchairs

10 scooters and 10 wheelchairs are available free of charge at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. These may be reserved by emailing Colleen Cable at colleen@awpwriter.org. Reservations are not required. Scooters and wheelchairs will also be available on first-come, first-served basis throughout the days of the conference.

If you would like to rent a scooter or other mobility equipment during your time in Philadelphia, please see Scootaround’s website for more information.

Convention Center Layout & Visual Cues

Photos of the Pennsylvania Convention Center will be posted in the coming weeks.

REGISTRATION PROCESS

The Pennsylvania Convention Center’s Broad Street Entrance. The photo was taken across the street. A striped crosswalk traverses Broad Street underneath a traffic light and leads to the entrance. There are three main sets of doors to enter the building.

This is the entrance to the Pennsylvania Convention Center located at 155 North Broad Street. North Broad Street is the entrance where all attendees will have to come through in order to get to the vaccination verification check-in. All attendees should have their vaccination verified through CrowdPass before arriving onsite and have the CrowdPass QR code and ID ready on a phone or print-out.

A wide strip of bright blue carpet leads to the atrium containing another organization’s check-in equipment.

This is the Broad Street Atrium, where you will enter from 155 North Broad Street. This is where we will have staff and volunteers scanning your CrowdPass QR code to verify your vaccination. When you have gone through this process, you will receive a lanyard, which will indicate that your vaccination has been verified. Please proceed to the Registration Area in Hall D & E to complete the registration process, including printing your registration badge and picking up your tote bag.

This photo was taken during another show in this space. There will be no blue carpeting over the days of #AWP22.

The route from the Broad Street Atrium to the Registration Area in Hall D & E is approximately 400 feet. Seating in the hallways will be available, and if you will need a scooter or wheelchair, please let us know and we can have someone bring one down to this area for you. Otherwise, this equipment will be available in the Registration Area.

A beige marble hallway leads to a set of three silver elevators.

After your vaccination is verified, you will proceed to Hall D & E to complete the registration process. These elevators are directly across from the verification area adjacent to the Broad Street Atrium. Escalators and stairs are to the right of this photo. Go up one floor to the 200 level.

A hallway facing a set of escalators on the left and a set of stairs on the right. To the right of the stairs, another hallway leads to the elevators. The flooring is beige marble with periodic black stripes.]

These are stairs and escalators from the Broad Street Atrium to the 200 level. To the left of this photo is the vaccination verification check-in. To the right of the stairs is a hallway to the elevators.

A foyer with elevators to the left and a set of escalators to the right. One set of escalators comes up from the 100 level and the other goes up to the 300 level. The floor is carpeted in a blue and gray geometric pattern.

This is a photo of the 200 level at the top of the escalators and stairs. This is where the elevators from the Broad Street Atrium let out on the 200 level.

A wide hallway with dark blue lounge seating set up against the walls. At the end of the hallway is a mounted TV and a set of windows. There is a door at the end of the hall leading to the left. The carpet is a gray and blue geometric pattern.

Once you get to the 200 level by elevators, escalators, or stairs, take this hallway and turn left.

A long hallway with beige walls and gray and blue patterned carpet.

When you turn left, follow this hallway, and Hall D & E is on the left. Hall D & E is where the Registration Area is located, in addition to the Help Desk, Accessibility Services Desk, and the Bookfair.

An open door leads to Hall D. There are many sets of doors leading to this space. There is also a hand sanitizer station to the left of the open door. The carpet in the hallway is a circular pattern of blue and gray. The inside of the hall is a beige polished cement.

This is the entrance to Hall D.

ENTERING FROM MARRIOTT

A photo of the Marriott side of the skybridge leading to the convention center side. Two people stand in the hallway. On either side of them, the walls of the skybridge are glass, and bench seating is on both sides. The carpet is a circular and diamond pattern of orange and blue.

The headquarters hotel, the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, is connected by a skybridge to the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The skybridge is located on Floor 3 of the Marriott Philadelphia Downtown.

Because the skybridge is on the opposite side of the building from AWP’s space inside the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the walk may be significant, about 1,400 feet or 0.3 miles. There will be additional seating along the hallways, and if you need a scooter or wheelchair, please call or text the Accessibility Hotline, and one can be brought to you. If you would like someone to walk with you to avoid getting lost, please also call or text the Accessibility Hotline, and AWP will send a volunteer to help.

The shortest route from the Marriott to the Pennsylvania Convention Center is to exit the Marriott onto Filbert Street, then turn and go half a block to North 13th Street. Turn right and go one block until you get to Arch Street. The 13th and Arch Street entrance will be right there.

A photo of the Grand Hall taken from the convention center side looking back to the Marriott side. The ceiling is very high and steepled. At the entrance point, there are gray columns, and the floor is gray tile.

When you cross the skybridge from the Marriott, you will pass through the Grand Hall.

A hallway connecting the Grand Hall to the rest of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The end of the Grand Hall has large gray tiles on the floor, and then blue and red carpet once the connecting hall start

After the Grand Hall, follow this hallway, approximately 430 feet.

A hallway with red and blue carpeting. At the end of this hallway, there is a spiral staircase leading down to the 100 level.

This is a photo towards the end of that hallway. At the end of this hallway, turn left.

A hallway with blue and red carpeting. To the right of the hallway near the wall, there is a small pod-like room with the words “Mamava” and a smiley face logo on the side and door.

This hallway leads to the Registration Area in Hall D & E. On the right is the first location of a Mamava lactation suite. Further down this hallway to the right is a food and coffee outlet and a FedEx office.

A hallway with a light purple wall on the left side. The right side is open to below with gating. The carpet is in a star pattern of red and blue.

Continue down this hallway 400 feet.

There are two sets of doors, one open, one closed, leading to Hall D. There is a hand sanitizer station to the left and front of the doors.

As you come down that hallway, the entrance to the Registration Area and the Bookfair will be on the right. Make sure that if you are coming from the Marriott to have your vaccine verified at the Marriott on Wednesday to receive your lanyard. Otherwise, you will need to pass through the Broad Street Atrium before coming to Registration.

ALTERNATE ENTRANCE

A photo of a set of entry doors to the Pennsylvania Convention Center taken from the outside sidewalk. There are three shallow steps with hand railings leading to this entrance.

After you have verified your vaccination, you no longer need to enter the Pennsylvania Convention Center through the Broad Street Atrium. The entrance at 13th and Arch Street is very centrally located to the Bookfair and AWP’s meeting space. This entrance has a wheelchair button on the cement wall next to the right set of doors.

A cement ramp from the outside sidewalk to the entry to the Pennsylvania Convention Center. There is a wheelchair access button at the top of the ramp.

This is a ramp to the entrance on 13th & Arch Street.

A foyer area inside this entrance. On the immediate left are a set of escalators leading to the 200 level of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Directly ahead of the entrance is a security stand and a set of men and women’s bathrooms—men on the left; women on the right. The carpet is blue, green, and gray.

This is a photo taken directly inside the entrance to 13th & Arch Street. From here, you can take the elevators or the escalators to the left to get to the Registration Area and Bookfair. While elevators are not in this picture, they are located just to the left of the escalators.

If you come in through the 13th & Arch Street Entrance and you have not already had your vaccination verified and received your lanyard, you will need to proceed to the Broad Street Atrium to do so. After entering through 13th & Arch Street, turn left to go to the Broad Street Atrium.

A hallway with blue and gray patterned carpet. There are columns on the left and a purple wall and handrail on the right.

Follow this hallway, 200 feet. At the end of this hallway, turn right.

A wide hallway with beige tile floor with some black panels. The walls are also beig

Once you turn right, you are 100 feet away from the vaccination verification check-in. While not pictured, there is also a Mamava lactation suite located just to the left of the photo.

Photo taken just inside the entrance to a large, empty meeting room in the Pennsylvania Convention Center. There are double doors at the exit and the floor is covered in red, gray and yellow patterned carpet.

The majority of our meeting rooms are on the west side of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. This photo is an example of a standard meeting room.

Because the Pennsylvania Convention Center was built atop city blocks, the 100 Level is broken up by cross streets. Some of our meeting rooms will be on one side of 13th Street, while some will be on a different side. You may exit the Pennsylvania Convention Center and use the outdoor crosswalk to cross 13th Street; however, you can also go to the 200 level of Pennsylvania Convention Center and walk across the divide, then return to the 100 level to access those meeting rooms. Please consult Pennsylvania Convention Center maps to plan the best route.

A photo of the Nutter Theater taken from just inside the entrance. There is built-in theater-style seating with one aisle down the middle. There is a wooden stage with yellow curtains at the end of the seating. The aisle carpet is a red and blue check pattern.

This is the Michael A. Nutter Theater, located on the 100 level of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. This is where prerecorded featured events will be premiered onsite in addition to the virtual conference platform.

The first row of built-in theater seating with space for wheelchairs.

The theater has built-in seating with spaces left available for wheelchairs.

A large foyer area outside of the Terrace Ballrooms. The carpet is patterned gray and blue.

All in-person featured events will be held in the Terrace Ballrooms I & II, located on the 300 Level of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, accessible by escalator and elevator.

Offsite Events

Offsite Events are not produced, moderated, or curated by AWP, and AWP is not responsible for their quality or accessibility services. We list these events as a courtesy to the literary field. The organizers of these events have promised to AWP that the offsite venues listed in the offsite schedule are accessible according to the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you have any questions or concerns about specific offsite events, please contact the organizers of the event directly. If you attend an offsite event and find it is not accessible in accordance with the ADA, please contact Colleen Cable at colleen@awpwriter.org to let us know.

Closest Pharmacies

Arch Pharmacy
933 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (500 ft)
Monday-Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET
Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET

CVS 1046 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (0.1 mi)
Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET
Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET

Rite Aid
1000-1008 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (0.2 mi)
Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET
Saturday-Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET

Sober AWP

The conference hosts a daily 12-step meeting. The time and location of this meeting will be made available in the conference schedule. All in recovery are welcome. Please contact soberawp@gmail.com for more information.

Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings

Southeastern Pennsylvania Intergroup Association of Alcoholics Anonymous (SEPIA)
1903 South Broad Street - 2nd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19148-2216
Staff available by phone 24/7: 215-923-7900
https://www.aasepia.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Find a Meeting, Philadelphia:
https://alcoholicsanonymous.com/aa-meetings/pennsylvania/philadelphia

Narcotics Anonymous Meetings

Greater Philadelphia Region of Narcotics Anonymous
Philadelphia Area Meetings
https://naworks.org/philadelphia-area-meetings/

Attendee Terms & Conditions

Refund Policy

#AWP23

March 8–11, 2023
Seattle, Washington

Washington State Convention Center

Request Services

Please submit your request to colleen@awpwriter.org.

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