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I'd to address some of Roberto's points: ** As has been pointed out by Sherman initially, there is no longer official sponsorship of panel sessions by round tables, etc. at conferences, so that specific purpose for existence is no longer necessary. And to demonstrate that this isn't even necessary, consider "The Queer Art World" panel session Sherman & I co-moderated at the New York City ARLIS/NA conference. We came up with the proposal and the panel session without anything having to do with GLIRT; queer content had nothing to do with the round table. Because GLIRT sponsored important sessions in the past does not imply that there is a necessity for it to still exist as it currently does when the group no longer sponsors sessions. If there is no longer official sponsorship of panel sessions, what is the purpose of DSRTs? Does the Executive Board (who has been painfully silent on this issue) plan to dissolve each of the DSRTs one by one, over time-is this the plan? Or will the EB focus on the ones that they deem expendable? First it was Diversity, now GLIRT, who's next? ** The GLIRT mailing list and the web site were wonderful things in the past, but has already been noted, both have gone to the wayside. The list was dissolved at a committee meeting chaired by me for two very practical purposes: (1) Eric Schwab (the moderator, who did an excellent job as list manager) was leaving Cornell where it was hosted; and (2) there were hardly any postings anymore, and those that were business-related had to get posted to ARLIS-L anyway. In my year as Chair of GLIRT, I think there were maybe a dozen messages posted to that list (not counting "me too" replies). As for the web site, it wound up that for various reasons it died out and did not get started up again. It is perhaps lamentable, but can anyone in ARLIS/NA really claim that since it's been down (for 3+ years now!) that we've missed it for practical work-related purposes? It may have been beneficial when it started, but I hesitate to think that even a new version would or could supplant other queer-related web sites out there. Consider also that I could get no one to volunteer to be webmaster, which brings up another point... ** Getting people to volunteer to chair the round table itself was problematic. After fruitless attempts to email for volunteers and to ask for volunteers at the business meeting, I had to contact Miguel specifically to ask him to take over, and he agreed. This does NOT imply that people are not committed to queer-themed art library issues or do not have an interest in GLIRT. Rather, to me, it implies that everybody is overworked and doesn't have time to devote themselves to "yet another committee," especially when/if they are involved with other ARLIS/NA committees, divisions, and chapters. I think members will make time for whatever interest they are passionate about. Yes, it is hard to get people to step up to the plate but I guarantee after this debacle, while there may be a shortage of volunteers in Banff, there will be enough and I predict it will be standing room only in Atlanta. In the best interests of ARLIS/NA (which has attempted to streamline things over the past couple of years), it only makes sense to me that GLIRT can be dissolved. No one said it was going to be a popular decision. And no one even remotely implied that queer-themed sessions and/or discussions would not take place in ARLIS/NA ever again. I mean, come on, let's face it -- ARLIS/NA has some of the most active gay/lesbian-related members than most other organizations! And if queer-themed sessions/discussions do fall to the wayside, I suspect it will be because members with an interest in these areas will have turned away, not because the society will have rejected them. And I also see no reason why former GLIRT-related members could not consider reorganizing as a social or discussion group like we have seen so many others pop up in the past couple of years of ARLIS/NA's history, without having the added worry of filing an annual report, finding a chair, etc. In the past (emphasis on the past), GLIRT HAS operated like a social group, hence certain people felt entitled to dissolve it. I like Ray Anne's idea of establishing a Friends of GLIRT group-perhaps we can raise funds for the group the same way the Society Circle raises funds for the organization. GLIRT must be given the freedom to restructure and morph in new and interesting directions (some we haven't thought about) as decided on by its members, not by a handpicked few. I'd like to also point people's attentions to the Queer Caucus for Art, an affiliated organization of the College Art Association. Sherman and I are both members, and we have both played active roles in that organization as well (Sherman does the newsletter!). The QCA is in fact much more organized than GLIRT ever has been, in my mind. The recent "InterseXions" conference in NYC is an amazing example and demonstrated to me how international gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender artists, art historians, gallery owners, and librarians can all come together and exchange information in a way that perhaps as librarians/visual resource curators in a small library organiation we often can't see beyond our own bookshelves/databases. And their listserv, though not heavily congested, does get more email than the GLIRT list ever did. Those interested in preserving GLIRT might consider diverting their attentions towards the QCA and attempt to find a way to make that organization an affiliated society of ARLIS/NA. Why should we have to join yet another organization to have a space for glbtq issues and programs, if not in ARLIS/NA? Not everyone can join or attend CAA meetings. GLIRT, as a roundtable, has made a place at the table for ALL members (gay, straight and in between) who come to meetings and programs, whether they be public librarians, academic librarians, museum librarians, or visual resource specialists. We must strive for inclusively, not exclusivity. -- Miguel Roberto C. Ferrari [log in to unmask] __________________________________________________________________ Mail submissions to [log in to unmask] For information about joining ARLIS/NA see: http://www.arlisna.org/join.html Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc) to [log in to unmask] ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance: http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html Questions may be addressed to list owner (Kerri Scannell) at: [log in to unmask] __________________________________________________________________ Mail submissions to [log in to unmask] For information about joining ARLIS/NA see: http://www.arlisna.org/join.html Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc) to [log in to unmask] ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance: http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html Questions may be addressed to list owner (Kerri Scannell) at: [log in to unmask]