Please find minutes from our recent discussion at the annual conference below. Feel free to leave questions, comments, or corrections!
ArLiSNAP Special Interest Group Meeting Minutes
April 25, 2010, 2:30-3:30pm
ARLIS/NA annual conference, Boston, MA
Meeting called to order at approximately 2:35pm. Twenty-five people in attendance.
For the second year, a survey was developed to gauge members’ needs, concerns, and preferences. At the start of the meeting, each meeting participant (with the co-moderators as the exeption) completed a survey. Additionally, an electronic version of the survey was announced on ARLIS-L, arlisnap.org, and ArLiSNAP’s Facebook page. The electronic survey will be open until May 3. After which time, the results will be posted on arlisnap.org and ArLiSNAP’s Facebook page. The co-moderators will prompt a group analysis and solicit comments in the post.
Discussion topics:
Co-moderators report of past year’s activities, including activities by Tracy and Bryan and by those who volunteered at 2009’s meeting for additional positions. Based on suggestion, a volunteer directory will be posted to blog in future.
Mentorship discussed as an opportunity that can profit both mentors and mentees. Suggestion raised that mentorship opportunity be created for those that would like a mentor with experience and leadership in the profession in exchange for providing technical assistance and contributing knowledge about emerging technologies.
Topics of interest for future conferences include: deciding between professional or support staff positions and resume review sessions.
Relevance of job posting on blog discussed since so few jobs are coming on the market at the moment. Consensus in discussion was that arlisnap.org should continue posting. Arlisnap.org has become a destination for job postings because its service collocates specific art-related postings from multiple sources. As a result, users save time by visiting arlisnap.org.
Suggestions for additional content for the blog include more workshop content, including regional and web-based opportunities.
The relevance of using the blog as a discussion tool was talked about in detail. Some in attendance articulated that they didn’t feel comfortable expressing uncertainty about topics in a public sphere. Those in attendance were encouraged to keep posting relevant resources that would be of interest to others with the goal of encouraging the dissemination of information. Stats show that posts are being actively read, even if replies are scarce.
Outreach was also discussed. A question emerged as to how to best reach out to chapters and/or student groups of potential members at individual universities. Chapter representatives in attendance are encouraging that ArLiSNAP be in contact directly with schools. One possible solution to this might be to have a future volunteers designated as student-liaisons.
Call for election of new co-moderator will be posted to blog within a week after the meeting date (May 2, 2010). Applicants will have the opportunity to post their nominations to arlisnap.org over a one-week period, and the election will be held from the May 10th to the 17th. Final results will be announced to the elected co-moderator and posted on the blog on May 18th. Any interested candidates are encouraged to apply or to contact Tracy or Bryan with questions.
Meeting adjourned at 3:30pm.
