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Dear Members,
I would like to second William's statement on GLIRT. I'm truly sad to hear of the proposal to dissolve GLIRT. It has served as a forum to discuss important issues to its members and to raise awareness of certain issues to the whole ARLIS/NA community; GLIRT still serves these functions. I advocate the continuation of this group especially in support of having diverse forums within ARLIS/NA.
Sincerely,
Pedro
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Pedro A. Figueredo
Technical and Distributed Education Services Coordinator
/ Assistant Professor
St. Thomas University
University Library
16401 NW 37th Avenue
Miami Gardens, FL 33054
(305) 474-6861
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: ART LIBRARIES SOCIETY DISCUSSION LIST
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of William Peniston
Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 10:03 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ARLIS-L] GLIRT
It was with great sadness that I read the proposal to dissolve GLIRT.
GLIRT has indeed made a significant contribution to the life of ARLIS/NA. It has sponsored some very important and interesting sessions, sometimes alone and sometimes in conjunction with other division, sections, or round tables. It has not always had an easy time organizing these sessions, nor have all of its sessions been accepted by the program committees. And now that session do not need to be sponsored by DSRTs, then perhaps it has indeed outlived its usefulness, as some have contended, although as others have pointed out, it could just as easily continue to raise issues of gay and lesbian interests that might develop into session ideas.
GLIRT has also provided a forum for gay and lesbian librarians and others to meet one another formally in order to discuss matters of interest to them and to others. Perhaps this was the original intention of the concept of the round table. However, it is equally true that the business meetings of GLIRT have, more often than not, focused on routine matters, not on major issues. We have discussed the status of the listserv, which has since been dissolved, the condition of our website, which is no longer being updated, and ideas and proposals for sessions at future conferences, which have touch on major issues, which have occasionally developed into session proposals, and which have occasionally resulted in truly outstanding programs. Perhaps it is indeed time for GLIRT to discuss seriously what purpose it serves and what role it want to play, but it does seem to me that such a discussion should take place in the annual business meeting of GLIRT.
I am surprised to learn that the business meeting in Houston was not well attended, did not address potential conference programs, and did not even discuss the issue of dissolution. I am surprised to learn that only one out of the twelve signators to the proposal of dissolution was in attendance at the business meeting. And I am particularly surprised to learn that neither the immediate past moderator, Miguel Juarez, nor the current moderator, Ray Anne Lockard, were included in the discussion to put forward the proposal to dissolve GLIRT.
I am pleased to read the various messages that have come out in support of the continuation of GLIRT. I am particularly happy to hear that Ray Anne Lockard is willing to continue to be the moderator of GLIRT for the next year. I am excited to hear that she is full of ideas about the website, about programs for next year, about recruiting new members. If any one could revitalize the Round Table, Ray Anne could!
Let us, therefore, table the proposal to dissolve GLIRT. Let us see what can de done in the next year. And let us continue to discuss the future of GLIRT over the next year, especially at the next business meeting in Banff in May 2006.
Sincerely yours,
William A. Peniston, Ph.D.
Manager of Library and Archives
The Newark Museum
49 Washington Street
Newark, NJ 07102
Telephone: (973) 596-6625
Fax: (973) 642-0459
Email: [log in to unmask]
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