by Janet Dickelman
What an exciting time to be involved with the American Council of the Blind! Our 65th annual conference and convention is fast approaching!
Registration Reminders
Conference and convention registration will open on May 28th for members and June 4th for non-members.
In order to register, you must have a member account. To set up your account and to complete the registration form, visit https://members.acb.org/. For all registration information, visit the April edition of the ACB Braille Forum at https://www.acb.org/acb-braille-forum-april-2026.
Zoom Days
In addition to the in-person conference days, there is so much more that will be available via the Zoom platform and ACB Media.
Learn about candidates running for board positions at the Candidates’ Forum on Wednesday, July 8.
Don’t miss the ACB virtual summer auction on Saturday, July 11 at 5 p.m. Central time, preceded by two days of appetizer auction items.
The convention will officially open virtually on ACB Media and the Zoom platform on Monday, July 13, with the reading of the convention standing rules and the first credentials report, followed by the nominating committee. On Wednesday, July 15, don’t miss the Zoom-only exhibitor open house, where you can hear from exhibitors who will host booths during the convention. Learn about any convention specials and, if time permits, get your questions answered.
Beginning on July 16, we will offer three days of Zoom-only sessions for special-interest affiliates, ACB committees and our business partners. The Zoom-only sessions will also be broadcast on ACB Media.
The evenings of July 14 through July 17 will be dedicated to resolutions and bylaws, with voting on bylaws and amendments on Tuesday, July 21. There will be much more information about this from the pertinent committees.
Once You Arrive in St. Louis
You can look forward to numerous tours, in-person socials, mixers, ACB Film Night, Bingo and so much more.
In addition, our general sessions and some of our other sessions will be hybrid; they will be available via Zoom and broadcast on ACB Media. Many in-person-only sessions will be recorded and available as podcasts.
Hotel Details
Room rates at the Hyatt Regency Arch, 315 Chestnut St., are $104 single or double, $129 triple, or $154 quad, plus applicable state and local taxes (currently 17.92%).
To make reservations online, go to https://www.hyatt.com/events/en-US/group-booking/STLRS/G-ACBL.
If you prefer to make your reservations by telephone, please call central reservations at (888) 591-1234. Make sure to let them know you are reserving a room at the Hyatt St. Louis Arch at 315 Chestnut Street, and use group code G-ACBL.
The cut-off date for reservations is July 5, 2026. So don’t delay — make your reservations today!
Room Amenities
All sleeping rooms have safes, ironing boards, refrigerators and K-cup coffee makers.
The hotel has a 24-hour fitness center; it does not have a pool.
There are no guest washers and dryers. There is a dry-cleaning service.
The hotel is cashless; any purchases must be made with a credit or debit card.
Meet the 2026 Talking Book Narrator, MacKenzie Beyer
“MacKenzie is thrilled and honored to be the talking book narrator for the 2026 ACB conference. In 2014, she attended The Shakespeare Theatre Academy for her Master’s in Fine Arts for Acting. Since 2017, she has worked for Talking Book Publishers in Denver, Colo., servicing the Library of Congress-National Library Service. Her favorite genres to read are sci-fi, romance, and fantasy. She is an actor and barista in Denver in addition to narrating, and loves hiking, traveling, art and writing in her free time.”
MacKenzie will address our general session on Tuesday, July 28, and also join Library Users of America on Tuesday afternoon.
Blood Drive in St. Louis
ACB Blood Drives:
July 20 – 26: Virtual drive via QR Code at a Red Cross location near you. (The QR code will be sent via email as the time gets closer.)
July 27, 2026 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.: In person, in the Gateway West room on the 18th floor of the Hyatt Regency Arch.
To sign up for an in-person appointment, go to https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=ABC.
Welcome to St. Louis Party
The Missouri Host Committee will hold their Welcome to St. Louis party on Friday, July 24th from 8 to 11 p.m. This is a ticketed event; see the convention registration form for details.
Bring the Kids
We have great activities for our Kids Club (ages 5 to 13). Our wonderful leaders will have craft projects and a daily field trip. Check the convention registration form for all the details!
Staying in Touch
The convention announce list will be filled with information. To subscribe to the list, send a blank e-mail to acbconvention+subscribe@acblists.org.
If you received updates for the 2025 convention, you do not need to subscribe to the list.
For any convention-related questions, please contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, at (651) 428-5059, or via email, janet.dickelman@gmail.com.