On-Site Accessibility Services

Convention Center & Event Space Limitations

All convention centers and hotels the conference occupies are accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). AWP works closely with the hotels and convention center to plan the conference and ensure 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 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 on-site, please see the Scooters & Wheelchairs section of this document. If you require help navigating the conference, please see the Attendants & Assistants and Volunteer Assistance sections of this document.

Hallway Seating & Quiet Space

AWP will add hallway seating throughout the Los Angeles Convention Center where possible per fire codes.

AWP will also designate a meeting room as a Quiet Space for attendees needing a respite from the hustle and bustle of the conference. Please check the #AWP25 schedule for this room assignment in November 2024.

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. On-site registration, located in the West Lobby of the Los Angeles Convention Center, will have a specific wheelchair-height Accessibility Desk for attendees with disabilities or those who cannot stand in long registration lines to pick up their registration materials.

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

Accessibility Desk

Requests for help on-site are best addressed directly to the Accessibility Desk. While the conference is in session, AWP’s small staff cannot monitor social media for requests. The Accessibility Desk will be located in the West Hall Lobby of the Los Angeles Convention Center, level 1. If you require after-hours assistance, or are unable to get to the Accessibility Desk, please see the On-Site Accessibility Contact section of this webpage.

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

On-Site Accessibility Contact

An on-site contact for questions about accessibility services will be posted in March 2025.

On-Site Accessibility Tour

The Accessibility Tour is scheduled at 3:00 p.m. PT on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. Please meet at 3:00 p.m. at the Accessibility Desk, located in the West Hall Lobby of the Los Angeles Convention Center, level 1.

Meeting Room & Event Accessibility

All meeting and event 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. 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 people who may be using wheelchairs, canes, crutches, or motorized scooters. Space should be left around the doors and aisles to allow access.

Presentations & Handouts

AWP requests that all presenters follow the Presenter Guidelines page for more information about how best to fulfill obligations to the audience, including attendees with accessibility needs.

Interpreters & CART

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

AWP can provide interpreters and CART services for any on-site conference event, including the bookfair, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. PT.

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 conference staff at ADA@awpwriter.org by Friday, March 7, 2025, with a list of the events you plan to attend. AWP makes every effort to accommodate requests that arrive after March 7, but sometimes interpreters are unavailable unless booked well in advance of our conference.

All featured and virtual events will include open or closed captions.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services

In addition to scheduling interpreters and/or CART services, assistive listening devices will available. If you would like an assisted listening device scheduled for a certain room or session, please reach out to ADA@awpwriter.org.

Blind & Low-Vision Services

The conference program is provided in multiple formats to accommodate multiple accessibility needs. Large-format and plain-text digital versions of the schedule will be available closer to the conference. A limited number of printed plain-text versions of the schedule will be available at the Accessibility Desk. Additionally, conference presenters are encouraged to describe themselves and any visual aids they might use.

The Los Angeles Convention Center uses a mix of florescent and LED lighting inside the facility.

AWP designates a room as a low-light space for attendees to rest from LED and florescent lighting. Please consult the schedule and maps in November 2024 for this room assignment.

Scooters & Wheelchairs

Fifteen scooters and ten wheelchairs are available free of charge at the Los Angeles Convention Center. These may be reserved by emailing conference staff at ADA@awpwriter.org. Reservations are not required. Scooters and wheelchairs will also be available on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the days of the conference.

Please be aware that scooters and wheelchairs provided by AWP are intended for use inside the Los Angeles Convention Center during conference hours, and equipment cannot be taken outside of the Los Angeles Convention Center premises.

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 Friday, March 7, 2025, to conference staff at ADA@awpwriter.org. AWP makes every effort to accommodate requests that arrive after Friday, March 7, 2025.

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

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 that attendees should not distract or attempt to pet them.

Attendees with service animals can find relief areas in the Gilbert Lindsay Plaza outside of the West Hall Lobby entrance.

Lactation or Nursing Spaces

AWP provides dedicated space for lactation and nursing. Please consult the #AWP25 schedule in November 2024 for location and details.

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. The Los Angeles Convention Center will only use unscented products throughout the facility.

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.

Menus of on-site concessions with ingredient lists will be posted prior to the conference. AWP works with the Los Angeles Convention Center to provide options for multiple diets and dietary restrictions.

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 conference staff at registration@awpwriter.org.

Convention Center Maps

Venue maps will be available in January 2025.

Visual Cues

Visual cues will be posted soon.

Off-Site Events

Off-site 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 off-site venues listed in the off-site schedule are accessible according to the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you have any questions or concerns about specific off-site events, please contact the organizers of the event directly. If you attend an off-site event and find it is not accessible in accordance with the ADA, please contact conference staff at conference@awpwriter.org to let us know.

Weather

Los Angeles, California, in late March has historically had an average temperature high of approximately 70 degrees, and a low of around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Please prepare accordingly and visit a source such as AccuWeather for the most up-to-date Los Angeles weather forecast.

Closest Pharmacies

Walgreens

617 West 7th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017
1.0 miles from the LA Convention Center
Store hours: Monday–Saturday 7:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m., Sunday 8:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
Pharmacy hours: Monday–Friday 9:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m., Saturday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (closed 1:30–2:00 p.m. for lunch)
Phone: 213-694-2880

CVS

3335 South Figueroa Street, Suite Q, Los Angeles, CA 90007
1.3 miles from the Los Angeles Convention Center
Store hours: Daily 7:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
Pharmacy hours: Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., Sunday 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Phone: 213-742-6765

Los Angeles Central Office of Alcoholics Anonymous
3333 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 415, Los Angeles, CA 90010
24/7 local hotline: 323-936-4343
Email: info@lacoaa.org
Virtual and in-person meetings
Visit the Alcoholics Anonymous website to find meetings in Los Angeles.

Narcotics Anonymous Meetings

Greater Los Angeles Area Narcotics Anonymous
24/7 local hotline: 1-800-863-2962
Email: publicinfo2013@glana.org
Virtual and in-person meetings
Visit the Narcotics Anonymous website to find meetings in Los Angeles.