Dear ARLIS/NA Members:
As we hit mid-August the thickness of late summer heat surrounds with
Black-eyed Susans peaking and evenings awakening with the busy buzz
of cicadas. I hope, dear Members, that you are taking the time to
relish the last few pages of your summer reading, hours on projects,
and just breathing in the summer air!
Since my last message in June, the Executive Board has news to share
of the business we've attended to, despite juggling our vacation
schedules! I imagine you are you are wondering where we left off with
the Assessment Task Force
Recommendations, how the Denver Conference Planning is going, what's
on our Mid-Year Meeting Agenda, and the status of our Membership
Directory/Handbook.
As you were made aware, the Executive Board collected all of your
feedback from before, during, and after the Atlanta conference. We
poured through your comments and found some recommendations that were
accepted without issue and others that brought a range of perspectives.
I noted in June, that the EB decided to adopt the functional roles
recommended by the task force. Regional representation is not lost in
this transitional move, but instead, is served alongside the newly
adopted functional roles. This adaption of the recommendations has
given us the opportunity to exercise the idea of the functional
roles. The Nomination Committee has been working hard to find members
who are generous and willing to continue to serve these dual roles
until we determine the best path in the next year.
Concern about losing Canadian representation on the Board was raised
by a few members. The Board crafted a way to manage that issue
without having to over-extend the number of seats on the Board. A
Canadian Ambassador will be appointed to serve for two years as the
liaison to the Canadian Chapters and the Chapter Coordinator position
which serves on the Board. As well, the Ambassador will liaison to
committees as appropriate.
Other significant points that will greatly interest you include the
status of the Divisions and Sections and Round Tables and
Committees. All Committees, Divisions and Sections will stay in tact.
Perhaps the possibility of their dissolution reinvigorated
everyone's interest and attention to the purpose of these groups. How
exciting! The Round Tables, however, did not demonstrate much in the
way of urgency or purpose. And so, we are looking into how we might
reconfigure these, perhaps into Interest Groups, that may serve us
all better. More details on how this will play out to come.
I want to tell you how thrilled I am to report on the planning for
the Denver Conference, May 1-5, 2008. The Conference Planning
Committee met in Denver on July 26th and 27th. We had a rigorous
meeting to figure out how to structure a conference schedule that
would be very appealing to everyone, including our dedicated vendors,
and which will hopefully make scheduling a little less
condensed. It deviates slightly from past conferences. But besides
the schedule you will simply enjoy being in Denver. I am so impressed
with the city, and because our lovely hotel is right in the heart of
a hip downtown area you will have easy
opportunity to explore it. And just wait until you see the list of
events and tours - they will make you jump a mile high!
Last year, the EB decided to afford (at a minimal fee) Memberclicks
software, which will give us the opportunity to have a consistently
updated membership directory. Knowing that we are all accustomed to
the printed handbook, the EB proposed that the Publishing Committee
create an electronic format of the handbook/directory which will be
available to all members in a
printable version. Since the cost of printing a handbook/directory,
at this time, is prohibitive, it seemed wise to give this new approach a try.
The Executive Board meets September 17th and 18th in Minneapolis. We
will be discussing a revision of our nomination process based on the
report from the Nomination Task Force from last year and notes from
the current committee. We will be discussing the Technology
Appointment recommended by the Assessment Task Force, and the formation of an
SEI Advisory Group. These are just a few priority items.
This should bring us all up to date, for now.
My very best,
Deborah K. Ultan Boudewyns
President, ARLIS/NA
Art History & Performing Arts Librarian
University of Minnesota
170b Wilson Library
309 19th Ave South
Minneapolis, MN 55455
ph: (612)625-6438 fax: (612) 626-9353
email: [log in to unmask]
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