The 7th edition of the Convention Industry Council Manual brings meeting planning into the new millennium.

In the beginning, the Convention Industry Council put together a manual to serve as a working guide for meeting planning. And it was good--so good that the book has been the planner's bible since it was first published in 1961. It is also is the ultimate study guide for the CIC's Certified Meeting Professional examination.

When the CIC began to work on the manual's latest incarnation, the organization realized that, to meet the demands of the new millennium, it might need more of an overhaul than an updating. After all, the last version was published back in 1994, when the Internet was an obscure toy for techies, and a laptop was where the cat liked to snuggle.

So CIC pulled together nearly 70 leading professionals from associations, corporations, and the hospitality sector who, under the guidance of executive editor and CIC vice president, Susan Krug, CMP, were charged with completely reorganizing, updating, and expanding the manual.

Chapter and Verse From the two sample chapters available for review at press time (Chapter 11: Meeting and Convention Web Sites; and Chapter 14: Facility Selection), it looks like the authors have got it down pat. The chapters are logically organized, with a table of contents on the first page to help readers maneuver through the information to find what they need.

The Web site chapter is full of information on Web site goals and objectives, content planning and management, features and functionality, webcasting, merchandise sales, chat rooms and discussion lists . . . pretty much everything a planner could want to know. It also contains tech tips, CMP study points, industry resources, and a checklist readers can use to develop their own Web sites. This chapter will give you everything you need to get up and running (except a tutorial in html and JavaScript, which perhaps is best left to the professionals anyway).

Even those who think they know everything there is to know about site selection may find a new factoid or two in the Facility Selection chapter. From a breakdown of the different types of facilities, to scheduling and conducting site inspections, to negotiations, this chapter is comprehensive. It also includes a table of negotiating points in seasonal markets, and it pulls out useful information, like ADA compliance issues and how PCMA's Space Verification Program works.

These sample chapters are indicative of the overall overhaul, according to CIC. The manual has grown from 26 chapters in the sixth edition to 33 chapters in the new version, divided into six major sections: education (new: goal-setting and continuing education chapters); financial management (new: chapter on budgeting); technology (new: chapters on computer applications, the Internet, Web sites, and virtual conferencing); facilities and services (new: chapter on support services and facility selection); logistics (new: specification guidebooks); and program (new: special events and entertainment chapter).

The information also is organized differently. The chapter contents previews, tips and technology sidebars, CMP exam study points, industry resources lists, and reproducible checklists are joined by bullet lists that highlight key points; and forums on legal, legislative, and regulatory issues are included.

For more information about the CIC Manual 7th Edition, which is scheduled for publication in December 2000, contact CIC at (800) 725-8982; Web site www.c-i-c.org. You also can place an order at www.c-i-c.org/CMP_publications.htm.