The Users' Office, Resource for Experimenters
When an experimenter comes to Fermilab, the Users' Office WH1W, (ext. 3111) performs the introductions between user and laboratory, handles registration and ID cards, and gives new users information about laboratory policies, procedures and facilities. Throughout the experimenter's stay, the Users' Office provides information and responds to questions and concerns. The staff takes telephone messages and accepts mail for users who don't have another point of contact in the laboratory, maintains a copy machine for users and provides secretarial and administrative support to the Users' Executive Committee.
Personal Help for You and Your Family
Newcomers to Fermilab can get general information, school information, maps and other materials from the Users' Office WH1W (ext. 3111). The Users' Office will be glad to send you the Certificate of Child Health Examination form, required by the state of Illinois for all children entering local schools. Your child's doctor should complete this form just before your departure for Fermilab. The West Chicago school district provides free bus transportation for children who live on the Fermilab site.
Fermilab has an electronic gate system to control access to the site. Access procedures are explained in Chapter 3. You may contact the Key and ID Office (WHGNX) at extension 4506 to find out the most convenient access method for family members living on site and for social visitors.
We encourage foreign visitors to request Fermilab's Guide for Foreign Visitors. It informs you about health insurance, social security cards, drivers' licenses and other things you need to know before you arrive. The Users' Office will be glad to send it.
NALWO (an organization open to all women affiliated with Fermilab) sponsors English classes when possible. The classes are free of charge and may be joined at any time. Information about the times and place is available from the Users' Office.
Once a week, morning coffee hours sponsored by NALWO provide an opportunity for spouses of experimenters to meet and get acquainted.
A Place to LiveFermilab's Housing Office (ext. 3777) in the lobby of Aspen East at the corner of Sauk Boulevard and Batavia Road in the Fermilab Village helps experimenters and their families find housing while they are at the laboratory. The Housing Office compiles an annual brochure, Apartment and Townhouse Information; most of the apartment complexes it lists offer one-year leases. The staff also maintains a book of privately owned properties for rent or lease. The Housing Office staff is glad to help you find off-site housing, but you make contractual arrangements directly with the landlord.
Living On Site
Facilities. Fermilab has furnished houses, apartments and dormitory rooms on site for users to rent. You can purchase weekly maid service (required in houses and apartments with more than one experimenter) at an additional charge. Dormitories have lounges and kitchens; the dormitory room charge includes weekly maid service.
Reservations. The Laboratory makes housing assignments based on individual needs and the best interests of the laboratory program. The Housing Office maintains a current reservation list. You may sign up for housing at any time.
The Housing Office needs to know the names of all tenants in each unit at all times. When an experiment group rents a house, apartment or dormitory rooms, the Housing Office needs to know as each new guest arrives or departs. Please update the name card on the door to show the current occupants and report the changes to the Housing Office.
For on-site repairs, services and housing complaints, call ext. 3777, the Housing Office. For emergency repairs after working hours, call the switchboard operator, who will make arrangements for service.
Cancellations. The Housing Office must receive cancellations two weeks before the scheduled arrival date or a fee equal to two weeks' rent will be charged.
Rental Payment. You can pay your rent by budget code, cash, personal or travelers check, Visa or MasterCard.
Registering and Check-Out. You may pick up keys in the Housing Office, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. At other times, please pick up your keys from the Communications Center, WHGNX.
Check-out time is 10:00 a.m. in houses and apartments, 1:00 p.m. in dormitory rooms. Please turn in keys to the Housing Office at Aspen East or to the Communications Center, WHGNX. Late check-out means an extra charge of one day's rent.
Pets. We allow pets in houses and apartments, but not in dormitory rooms. Before you bring a pet into a housing unit, you must sign a statement in the Housing Office that the pet's owner will take responsibility for keeping the animal ìunder control.î If the pet is a dog, the owner must produce a valid license and a recent rabies vaccination certificate. Pet owners are liable for any damage or injury their pets cause. Failing to notify the Housing Office about the presence of a pet may result in the denial of housing accommodations.
Telephone calls. All units have private telephones. You must charge long-distance and toll calls to a credit card, or make them collect. Place overseas calls through the Fermilab operator. The operator will require a budget code and other information for chargeback. The Fermilab operator will obtain time and charges for personal calls, for which callers pay the laboratory cashier, WH4E. There is a pay telephone located at 18 Sauk Blvd.
Laundry and linen. Laundry facilities are located at 18 Sauk Blvd., the basement of Aspen East and 10 Sauk Circle basement. All house and apartment residents receive clean rental linen once a week.
Support Services staff pick up and deliver mail twice daily in Wilson Hall, Cross Gallery and Neutron Therapy. Other buildings have morning delivery and pickup only. Village resident mailboxes are located at 18 Sauk in the Village. In extreme cases of inclement weather, Village mail may not be delivered.
You can arrange for overnight business mail (Express Mail) through the mailroom at Site 38 WHSE II. Express Mail leaves Fermilab at 2:15 daily to guarantee delivery the next morning. The mailroom delivers incoming Express Mail directly to the mail station. The mailroom is open weekdays from 7:00 a.m. - 3:50 p.m. No personal packages will be accepted. Stamps may be purchased from a stamp machine located near the Credit Union on the ground floor of Wilson Hall.
Phone
The laboratory's main telephone number is (630) 840-3000. For incoming FTS calls, the laboratory's FTS number is also (630) 840-3000. Callers can reach users and employees directly by dialing (630) 840- and the four digit extension number. Within the laboratory, the four digit extension number suffices to place calls.
To avoid expensive calls from pay phones, callers can reach Fermilab from Chicago, including O'Hare airport, by dialing 326-5533 and asking the Fermilab operator for the desired extension.
Place all outgoing international calls through the Fermilab operator. For business calls, the operator will require a budget code and other pertinent information for chargeback. The Fermilab operator will obtain time and charges for personal calls, for which callers pay the laboratory cashier, WH4E.
The laboratory's main facsimile number is 4343. Other facsimile numbers are listed in the Fermilab telephone directory.
To request telephone installations, including voice mail, submit a Telephone Service Request Form (available from most secretaries) to Telecommunications, MS 228. These forms require signature approval from the appropriate department head. Phone installations require three weeks advance notice and a user account code.
Users may borrow pagers from the Telecommunications Office, WH5W, (ext. 3788).
Medical Care
Emergencies. In an emergency, dial 3131. Fermilab has staff and equipment to provide emergency medical service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Anyone seriously injured is taken immediately to a community hospital for emergency care.
Urgent care. The Medical Office, WHGNW (ext. 3232) is staffed by registered nurses on weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A physician is on the site weekdays between 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m to 5:00 pm. Should you need immediate medical care when the Medical Office is closed, go directly to the Emergency Room (phone 859-2222) at Mercy Center Hospital, 1325 Highland, Aurora, just south of the E-W Tollway on Route 31.
Routine care. Users should consult health care providers in the community for non-emergency medical care. Users must show they have medical insurance coverage while they are at Fermilab. Users will be billed by the provider for any medical services not covered under their regular health insurance plan.
Pharmacies in the United States require prescriptions for the purchase of most drugs. Eyeglasses require prescriptions as well.
Food Service
The cafeteria on the first floor of Wilson Hall serves breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snacks Monday through Friday, and breakfast and lunch on Saturday. There is usually no service Sundays and holidays. Hours are posted near the cashier. Call Food Services (ext. 3646) to make arrangements for special events.
You'll find vending machines in the southwest corner of the first floor in Wilson Hall, in the Cross Gallery of the Accelerator, the Meson laboratory, and at 18 Sauk Blvd. in the Village. Report problems with vending machines to Food Services (ext. 3646).
Day Care
Fermilab operates an infant and day care facility, the Children's Center, at 34 Shabbona in the Village. The infant care section for children six weeks to three years has infant, pre-toddler and toddler sections. The day care section cares for children three to six years of age. Hours are 6:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with full-day and half-day programs. Enrollment is based on availability and a waiting list is maintained. For information regarding costs, etc., call the Accommodations Office (ext. 3082) or the Children's Center (ext. 3762).
Fermilab has three, three-week sessions (full or half days) of summer day camp for experimenters' and employees' children from seven to 12 years old. Reservations are required. If there are more applicants than space available, selection is made by lottery. Call ext. 3126 for information.
Travel and Transportation
Reservations. The Fermilab Travel Office, WH1W, (ext. 3397) makes reservations for air travel, car rental, hotels and limousine service. You can pay for travel by personal check, cash or charging to a budget code. Limousine companies in the Fermilab area will not accept reservations charged against a Fermilab budget code without prior approval from the Travel Office.
On-Site Transportation. The Fermilab taxi provides transportation on site from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. To call the taxi, dial ext. 4225 (HACK).
Off-Site Transportation. No public transportation serves the laboratory site, but the Travel Office has information about the quickest and least expensive transportation in the area. The Travel Office will help you make arrangements for transportation to O'Hare International Airport.
Rental & Lease Cars. Commercial rental and lease cars at special rates are available to users on site. Call the Users' Office (ext. 3111) for information and reservations.
Government Vehicles. Government vehicles are available from the General Services Administration, Chicago Fleet Management Center, 4100 West 76th Street, Chicago, Illinois 60652. Users supported under a federal contract may be authorized to use them. Cars must be picked up and returned to the Chicago street address. Requests for these vehicles must be made prior to pickup, via the user's home institution.
Personal Vehicle Insurance Requirement. The State of Illinois has a mandatory insurance law that requires drivers to have insurance on their personal vehicles. Users have the responsibility to make sure their vehicles are insured.
Are We Having Fun Yet?
Recreational Facilities. The Users' Center, at 10 Che Che Pinqua in the Fermilab Village, is open Monday through Friday from 5:00 p.m. until midnight. The Center has a bar, ping pong and pool tables, shuffleboard, cards, chess and checkers. You'll also find a color television set and VCR, a grand piano and a small library. Children must have responsible adult supervision.
Chez Leon, a gourmet restaurant in the Users' Center, serves two meals each week: lunch on Wednesdays between 11:30 a.m.. and 1:00 P.M. and dinners on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. (for between 30 and 55 guests). You'll find the upcoming menu in the FermiNews or at http://www. fnal.gov/faw/events/menus.html Make reservations (they're required) by calling ext. 4512.
The Recreation Facility, at 16 Potowatomi, includes a multipurpose gymnasium, an exercise room, a fully-equipped weight room and locker rooms, with 24-hour access for members. Memberships can be purchased in the Recreation Office, WH15W, (ext. 2548).
The swimming pool, open Memorial Day through Labor Day, is available through the purchase of a season pass or by paying a daily fee. Children's swim lessons are also available. Membership to the pool and registration for swim lessons can be arranged through the Recreation Office, WH15W.
Three tennis courts, a basketball court, soccer field, softball diamond and two sand volleyball courts are available adjacent to the Village Barn. Located in the upper level of Anderson Barn, just off Sauk Circle, is a combination squash and racquetball court.
You can also rent a canoe for a nominal cost for use on or off-site.
The Recreation Office brochure has information about all these recreation facilities and programs, clubs and leagues. For more information regarding Recreation, contact the Recreation Office, WH15W at ext. 2548, or at http://fnalpubs.fnal.gov/benedept/welcome.html
Cultural Activities. Fermilab sponsors many cultural activities in the 830-seat Norman F. Ramsey Auditorium at the south end of Wilson Hall.
The Fermilab Arts Series features monthly Saturday evening performances of internationally acclaimed dance, theater, comedy, chamber music, jazz and folk music ensembles. In the Lecture Series, Fermilab hosts distinguished guests from many disciplines. You can obtain information and tickets at the reception desk in the atrium of Wilson Hall, or look at the web page at www.fnal.gov/culture
Fermilab's International Film Society offers international, feature and documentary films, usually on the second and fourth Fridays of each month. You don't need to make reservations or buy tickets in advance, but there is a nominal charge at the door.
The Art Gallery on the second floor of Wilson Hall offers bimonthly exhibits of paintings, photographs and sculpture, ranging from high-tech to ethnic. Fermilab invites the public to view these lively and varied exhibits seven days a week, during daytime hours.