22 January 2001

Chair: Roberto C. Ferrari
rferrari@fau.edu
561-297-3575 (ph)
561-338-3863 (fx)

Leadership Update:
Roberto C. Ferrari chaired the AWSAB for the year 2000.  Members of this specially appointed board included Lorna Corbetta-Noyes, Sam Duncan, Pedro Figueredo, Mary Graham, Paula Hardin, Eric Schwab, and Lee Sorensen.  Our Executive Board liaison was Peter Blank.  For the year 2001, the AWSAB will continue to be chaired by Roberto C. Ferrari.  Members of the AWSAB will include Lorna Corbetta-Noyes, Pedro Figueredo, Jonathan Franklin (as AWS Editor), Mary Graham, Lee Sorensen, and Ruth Wallach.  Our new Executive Board liaison will be Paula Hardin effective the annual conference in Los Angeles.

Description of Activities:
The change in management companies early in 2000 altered many of the intended goals of the AWSAB, including the planned redesign of the AWS.  As a result, the following activities took place over the course of the year:

• A massive review of the entire AWS was conducted and an AWS Cleanup report was created.  This report highlighted dead links, needed corrections, and other information.  It was passed on to the webmasters at our management company.  However, the change in management companies shortly thereafter postponed cleanup of the AWS.
• With the designation of the new management company, a new webmaster (Derek Crosley) was assigned to the AWS.  A conference call was held in July 2000 with Peter Blank, Roberto Ferrari, Derek Crosley, Elizabeth Clarke, and Karen McKenzie present.  During this phone call, a plan of action was organized.  This plan included: recommending to the EB the hiring of an AWS Editor; Peter Blank working on all EB web documents that were of timely concern and submitting to Derek for uploading; Roberto Ferrari acting as the intermediary between all Committees, Divisions, Sections, and Round Tables with information on the AWS and passing these files on to Derek on a weekly basis; and notifying general membership of these procedures and that Committees and DSRTs would be responsible for their own HTML files.
• PB and RF wrote a special column for ARLIS/NA Update with regard to the new AWS procedures for Committees and DSRTs.
• At the request of the EB, the AWSAB conducted extensive research and wrote a report discussing the possibility of advertising on the AWS.  The end result of this report was that advertising on the AWS was not recommended, but offering sponsorship would be more feasible.  This was done in September.  The EB then asked the AWSAB to prepare an implementation plan for sponsorship of the AWS.  This was completed in December.  It is understood by the AWSAB that Headquarters and the Webmaster now are coordinating this project to commence in 2001.  Copies of both of these reports are available by contacting RF.
• A job description was composed for the AWS Editor.  RF was the contact person for the position and advertised it on ARLIS-L.  The AWSAB was given the job of reviewing all applicants and choosing the AWS Editor.  The finalist was selected, approved by the EB, and, with his acceptance, Jonathan Franklin was appointed by Karen McKenzie as the new AWS Editor with his position starting January 1, 2001.
• A new procedure was implemented with the AWS Editor on board.  JF replaces RF as the contact for all files from Committees and DSRTs and replaces PB in the coding of EB documents for the AWS.  RF notified the general membership via ARLIS-L with news of the appointment and the new procedure in place.

• PB will continue to work with JF on needed EB documents for the AWS.
• RF will revise the AWS Cleanup Report and pass this on to JF.
• The AWSAB will investigate the creation of a brief survey to solicit input from the membership on ways to improve the AWS.
• The AWSAB will have a business meeting at the annual conference in Los Angeles.
• The AWSAB will begin redesigning the AWS for a new site to premiere in time for the 30th Anniversary conference in 2002 in St. Louis.  This redesign may include a new logo, new backbone structure, and new visual appearance to the site itself.