INDEX

French mini-course

Platinum Sponsor:

World Library and Information Congress: 74th IFLA General Conference and Council

"Libraries without borders: Navigating towards global understanding"

10-14 August 2008, Québec, Canada,

Travel

Preferred Airline

Star Alliance Airlines has been appointed the preferred airline for delegate travel to and from the IFLA World Library & Information Congress 2008 taking place in Quebec City. The participating carriers are offering special Conventions Plus Delegate Fare Discounts to delegates and accompanying persons. The Star Alliance Members include the following Airlines:

Air Canada
Asiana Airlines
Austrian Airlines
LOT Polish Airlines
Lufthansa
SWISS International Airlines
Scandinavian Airlines
South African Airways
Spanair
TAP Portugal
United

To book your ticket please contact the relevant airline and quote the Convention Code, AC008S8, this will be recognised by any Star Alliance member airline or travel agent. Please note that you cannot book your airline ticket online, it must be booked through a travel agent or directly with the airline.

As always, if you're a member of one of the Star Alliance member airlines' frequent flyer programmes, you will earn points, build status and enjoy member benefits with each flight you take.

To find out more information regarding the offers available with Star Alliance Airlines please click on the following link: Star Alliance Airlines

Airport

Québec City's Jean-Lesage International Airport accommodates regular airlines offering regional, national, international and transcontinental flights. Business, charter and specialised flights are available.

Travel to Québec

Situated alongside the major highway network the Québec City Convention Centre is less that 30 minutes from the airport (Jean-Lesage Airport). The city's strategic location in the north eastern part of North America puts it within easy reach of the major trade and research centres.

By plane, it is a mere hour and a half from New York City , Boston and Toronto . Montréal is only 40 minutes away. By car, bus or train, the city is less than three hours from Montréal. The train station, Gare du Palais is less than 20 minutes away.

Insurance

Participants are advised to arrange adequate travel insurance, as the Congress Secretariat cannot cover persons against cancellation of bookings or theft of belongings.

Traveller's Tips

Listed below are links to useful tips to make your airport experience more enjoyable. Please read the "Traveller’s tips" section carefully before going to the airport at www.aeroportdequebec.com.

Before you leave, read the "Travellers" section of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority website at www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca, which provides useful tips to make your trip as pleasant as possible.

For passengers arriving in Québec City from transborder and international destinations, the following are useful links with information on customs and tax rebates:

Customs Agency

www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca

Immigration

www.cic.gc.ca

If you have any complaints about air transportation, please visit the Canadian Transportation Agency website at www.cta-otc.gc.ca.

Visa

ll visitors must carry a valid passport. Visas are also required for visitors from certain countries. For more information, visit Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s Website or contact the Canadian embassy or consulate in your country.

Local Information

Banks and Exchange Offices

Banking institutions are generally open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can withdraw cash from most automatic teller machines (linked to the Cirrus, PLUS System or Interac networks) at any time, seven days a week.

There are numerous exchange offices in Canada's main cities. Airports also offer exchange services. Some businesses accept American money, but they offer a less competitive rate than the exchange offices.

Climate

The average minimum and maximum temperatures and rainfall figures for this area* in August:

Min. Temp. 12 Cº
Max.Temp. 23 Cº
Rainfall 117 mm

Credit Cards

Major credit cards are accepted everywhere, namely Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Traveller’s cheques are generally accepted in large hotels, some restaurants and major stores. Otherwise, they must be cashed at an exchange office or bank.

Currency

The legal tender is the Canadian dollar (CAD$)**, which is divided into 100 cents. Bank notes are available in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollars, and coins in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 cents, and 1 and 2 dollars.

Driving in Québec

Visitors holding a driver's licence from their country of origin can drive on Quebec roads for a maximum period of six months. This means you do not have to obtain an international driving permit, although if your papers are in a language other than French or English, it is highly recommended that you do so.

By law, all vehicle occupants must wear a seat belt.

Consuming alcohol or having alcoholic beverages present in a moving vehicle is strictly prohibited under Quebec 's Highway Safety Code. Furthermore, a person suspected of driving under the influence will have to submit to a breathalyser test. If the test reveals a concentration of alcohol in that person's blood of 80 or more milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood, his or her driver's licence will be immediately revoked for a 30-day period.

Although the minimum age for driving a car is 16, some car rental companies require that the driver be at least 25, while others charge higher rates for drivers under the age of 21.

Electricity

The electric current is 110 volts/60 cycles, as it is throughout North America. Because the outlets cannot accommodate European plugs, an adaptor is recommended.

Food

Québecers are wild about culinary pleasures and take great delight in enjoying a good restaurant meal with family or friends. The choice and type of cuisine is vast: local or ethnic, self-serve health food or gourmet establishment, fast food or family restaurant... there is something for every taste and every budget. But one thing all Québec eateries have in common is the warmth of their welcome!

Health

Foreign travellers must cover their own medical expenses. Consequently, it is important that you take out an insurance policy prior to your departure. Travellers bringing their own medications with them are responsible for inquiring about customs formalities with the Canada Border Services Agency. Pharmacies can fill prescriptions only if they've been written by a member of the Collège des médecins du Québec (Québec's professional association of physicians). In the event of a medical emergency, dial 911 from any telephone.

Language

Québec's official language is French. The Parliament of Canada adopted the Official Languages Act which recognizes English and French as the official languages of all federal institutions in Canada. Businesses and hotels give service in both official languages.

Shopping

Stores, shopping centres and most businesses are generally open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Some establishments open earlier and close later in the evenings, such as pharmacies and grocery stores. A few shopping centres are open every weeknight until 9 p.m.

Taxes and Tipping

Two taxes — the Québec sales tax (QST) and the federal goods and services tax (GST) — are added to the selling price of most goods and services.

Several tourist regions charge a tax on accommodations. The amount is CAD$2 or $3 a night or 3% of the price of the room per night, before the QST and GST are added.

You must leave a tip on service received in restaurants and bars, and from taxi drivers and hairdressers. The amount, which is not included in the bill, generally represents 10 to 15% of the total bill (before taxes). Here in Québec, for a restaurant bill, we usually add the amounts of the two taxes (QST and GST) together, the sum of which equals approximately 15%. Tipping bellhops or porters is at your discretion (in general, CAD$1 per bag carried).

Telephone and Postal Services

A local call made from a public telephone costs just 25 cents. You can pay with coins or by using a prepaid card (you'll pay more if you use your credit card). For long distance calls, using a prepaid card is usually the best bargain.

Foreign cell phones may work in Québec, depending on the technology used and the service offered by your provider.

Visitors who plan to spend several weeks in Québec but with no fixed address can take advantage of the General Delivery service for their mail. The French and international term for this service is "Poste restante." To pick up your mail, you must go to the main post office of the city indicated in the mailing address.