Dear ARLIS/NA Members,
A project and service charter to form a task force on art libraries' response to COVID-19 was approved at the May 2020 Executive Board Meeting. Vice President/President-Elect Mark Pompelia and I are serving as co-leaders, and the group has now been partly
constituted with representation from the Academic Library Division, Art and Design School Library Division, Museum Library Division, Architecture Section, ArLiSNAP, Advocacy & Public Policy Committee, and the Chapters Liaison.
We are now seeking applications from ARLIS/NA members for two members-at-large for the task force: (1) a member with expertise in research design and data analysis; (2) a member who is interested in the survey project and brings a background and
perspective to the project that is otherwise missing from the current group.
The charge of the task force is to assess and respond to ARLIS/NA members' need for data about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on art information professionals by identifying and compiling existing sources of information and conducting survey(s) of
the membership to fill identified information gaps. We envision a survey device, data analysis, and reporting, although the task force will decide how all of that takes shape.
The relevance to the Society's Strategic Directions: gathering information on members' institutional responses to the pandemic will give us a collective understanding of the situation. Knowledge of the status of member institutions will inform advocacy efforts.
To apply: Please complete this form, describing your interest in joining the task force and the experience or background that prepares you for the work of this group. Please submit your application
by
Friday, June 26. The task force will convene in early July and its work will unfold over the remainder of the calendar year.
I would be glad to hear from anyone with questions or comments about the project.
All my best,
Amy Furness
ARLIS/NA Canadian Liaison
Amy Marshall Furness
Rosamond Ivey Special Collections Archivist and Head, Library & Archives
416 716 9331 (mobile)