1. Call to Order
President Jack Robertson called the scheduled annual meeting of the membership of the Art Libraries Society of North America to order at 1:36 p.m. on Monday, April 6, 1997, in the sanctuary of the Travis Park United Methodist Church in San Antonio, Texas. One hundred sixty members, guests, and staff attended the meeting.
2. President's Report
Robertson reported that, during his 11-month tenure as President, much had been accomplished:
1) The Strategic Plan (1996-98) had been written, revised twice, and published in paper and on the Society's Web Site. Action items were being addressed, and the Plan will be revised as needed since it serves as a guideline for action.
2) The Policy Manual was examined and revised; an official version is mounted on the Web Site as a public document as part of the Society's administrative framework. Previously, the manual was always considered a "secret" document as only a few copies existed in entirety.
3) The Chapter Success Book has been reconstituted and published in paper and on the Web Site.
4) The Management Calendar has been transformed into a content-rich management tool printed in paper and on the Web Site.
5) Executive Board job descriptions have been revised and made public on the Web Site.
6) Both progress and annual reports have been submitted electronically and mounted publicly on the Web Site; these will be used to keep track of progress in conjunction with the Strategic Plan.
7) The Web Site itself has evolved through several incarnations of organization and graphic design.
8) A new Art Documentation editorial team has been assembled--Elizabeth Peck Learned and Stephanie Sigala, content co-editors, and Eileen Markson, copy editor--to begin work on the fall 1997 issue (Vol. 16 #2).
9) The 1996 Conference Proceedings were gathered, compiled, edited and published in paper and on the Web Site.
10) Administrative listservs for the Executive Board, chapter officers, committee chairs, group moderators, and conference planners were established and used for conducting Society business.
11) Guidelines were developed for the conduct of Executive Board electronic motions.
12) The membership renewal form was revised to gather additional membership data; special reports incorporating this new data are being generated.
13) The 1996-97 Handbook and List of Members, pulled from the former membership database, was reconfigured, the format revised, and new indexes added. The 1997-98 Handbook and List of Members will be compiled from the new database.
14) A working group of the Cataloging Section has standardized the forms of entry for data into the new membership database, especially the table of authority for institutional names.
15) Committee charges, guidelines, and procedures have been revised, expanded, and mounted on the Web Site.
16) A Management Services Task Force has been created to clarify the Society's management needs.
17) A Visual Resources Issues Task Force was formed and has metamorphosed into an Advisory Committee with Trudi Jacoby as chair and a charge to integrate visual resources professional practices and concerns into ARLIS/NA's planning agenda and management structure. The Committee shall represent visual resources interests to the Executive Board of ARLIS/NA, formulate positions on specific visual resources issues, and serve as a liaison to external organizations.
18) Discussions with the Visual Resources Association (VRA) board have resulted in a joint VRA-ARLIS/NA conference in 1998 in Philadelphia.
19) The "Criteria for the Hiring and Retention of Visual Resources Professionals" was disseminated to affiliated organizations and adopted by several, including the College Art Association (CAA).
20) Preliminary plans are being launched for the Society to provide Internet access for its leaders which do not have such access.
ART LIBRARIES SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA
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21) The Society joined the National Initiative for a Networked Cultural Heritage (NINCH) and liaison will be provided through the Technology Relations Committee. The Society also joined LOEX (Clearinghouse for Library Instruction) with liaison through the Professional Development Committee. The Society joined the Digital Future Coalition (DFC), affording liaison through the Public Policy Committee.
22) Preliminary discussions and planning have been held regarding hosting a satellite conference during the IFLA 2001 annual conference in Boston through the IFLA Art Libraries Section.
23) The initial goal of $25,000 for the 25th Anniversary Scholarship Fund has been reached, thanks to donations from members and chapters; $4,000 sold in raffle tickets; a $5,000 donation from the Amon Carter Foundation; and through the dedicated work of the Development Committee and Milan Hughston, conference fundraising chair.
24) The Professional Development Committee is now working on guidelines for a library school student internship to be funded by the interest earned on the 25th Anniversary Scholarship Fund portion of the Short-Term Fund.
25) The Arizona chapter has been enlarged to encompass five more states as "ARLIS/Mountain West."
26) ARLIS/NA has begun a copublication venture with the America Library Association's ALA Editions for the 12th Occasional Paper, ArtMARC Sourcebook, whose editors, Linda MacRae and Lynda White, have generously donated their royalties to the Society.
27) Investigations are now underway to pursue additional joint publishing ventures with Scarecrow Press.
28) On a one-year trial basis, the duty of Ombudsman has been added to the Past President's responsibilities as a special appointment.
29) Based upon a recommendation from the Public Policy Committee, the Executive Board voted not to endorse the CONFU guidelines for digitalization.
3. Executive Director's Report
Executive Director Penney De Pas reported that the Raleigh office had served as ARLIS/NA headquarters for the past two-and-three-quarters years. She introduced Associate Executive Director Susan Kruse, Membership Services Director Shera Hube, and Executive Staff Amanda Davis and indicated that other staff members provided support in the areas of accounting, information systems, graphics, mailroom, administration and reception. The staff was accessible by a toll-free phone number, email, snail mail, express mail, fax, and 24-hour voice mail.
The most significant changes experienced by staff in the past year were related to technology: new email accounts, a fileserver upgrade in March, a database conversion last fall, and a transition between DOS and Windows systems. Increased financial reporting has developed over the past year, including an audit by an independent CPA firm. The publications area has been thoroughly examined with new Occasional Paper guidelines, new Art Documentation editors and guidelines, redesign of the cover and format of Art Documentation, and its frequency change from quarterly to semi-annually. ARLIS/NA Update now includes Bib Notes and the Treasurer's Report; because it is longer and more time-consuming to produce, the cover dates were changed to February, April, June, August, October, and December. The publications, membership, and careers brochures were revised and updated.
De Pas reported that total membership in the Society declined from 1246 last year to 1222 as of April 2, 1997. There were 646 Basic Individual members, 253 Institutional members, 36 Business Affiliates, 68 Supporting , 5 Sustaining, 59 Student, 40 Retired, 17 Unemployed, 53 Overseas Members, 35 Overseas Subscribers, and 10 Honorary members. The largest declines were in the categories of unemployed and overseas subscribers; the largest increases were in the sustaining and overseas members categories. De Pas outlined some strategies the Society was pursuing to increase membership: a chapter member prospect mailing had recently been sent, both the North American Relations and Membership Committees were working on outreach plans, and a combined mailing to library schools was proposed. De Pas thanked the Society's many volunteers.
ART LIBRARIES SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
APRIL 6, 1997
TRAVIS PARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
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4. Treasurer's Report
Instead of "launching into a stem-winding tour of the Society's financial topography," which already appeared in the February issue of ARLIS/NA Update, Treasurer Ross Day spoke to the membership about "commitment" and the contributions of both the Society's pioneering founders and its current leadership in the guise of the Development Committee; the Finance Committee; Conference Fundraising Chair Milan Hughston; Sponsoring, Sustaining, and Supporting Members; and donors to the 25th Anniversary Fund. He recognized the efforts made by the Executive Board and staff to "...examine rigorously the Society's operating budget: its assumptions, shortcomings, redundancies, and omissions," while acknowledging "...that for any vital organization, cost savings will be offset by new, financially obligating activities. In the swiftly changing information environment we find ourselves, we as a Society must be prepared to grow, much as each of us in our professional lives grows." To this end, Day asked the membership to "take up the call...equally via the only avenue remaining to us: an across-the-board membership dues increase--something we have been reluctant to mention, let alone propose, until we were satisfied that all other avenues had been exhausted." He pointed out that such an increase would not be felt until 1999, given the approval methods required by the bylaws, a full four years from the previous dues increase. Day concluded, "...I am satisfied that the progress we have made to date, and the point we will have reached by 1999, will make a dues increase not a necessary evil as it may appear to us today, but rather a tangible recognition by all of us of what we have accomplished as a Society and a commitment to what we still seek to achieve."
5. San Antonio Conference Committee Report
President Robertson introduced the 1997 Conference Planning Committee: Jeannette Dixon and Allen Townsend, program co-chairs; Robert Beebe and Ann Jones, local arrangements co-chairs; Laura Schwartz, registration; Phil Heagy, exhibits; Pat Blackman, tours; Milan Hughston, fundraising; and Sam Duncan, Internet room. Robert Beebe formally welcomed the conference attendees to San Antonio and reported the following attendance figures: 336 members, 29 non-members, 5 students, 76 exhibitors, 3 staff, 62 speakers, and 3 daily registrations for a total of 544. Beebe expressed his gratitude to Ann Jones, Pat Blackman, the staff of the San Antonio Public Library, Margaret Culbertson, Bonnie Reed, Phil Heagy, Gary Marshall, Laura Schwartz, staff members Susan Kruse and Amanda Davis, and the Crowne Plaza St. Anthony Hotel staff, especially Convention Services Manager Toni Lavers. Allen Townsend reported that 40 session proposals had been submitted, thanked Jeannette Dixon and Jack Robertson for their work in selecting the final program sessions, acknowledged the amount of work done by the session moderators, and thanked Conference Manager Susan Kruse. Robertson presented Dixon, Townsend, Beebe, and Jones with tokens of appreciation.
6. Proposed Bylaws Changes
Secretary Maryly Snow reviewed the six proposed bylaws changes and one affiliation proposal which were presented to the membership via mail ballot last fall:
PROPOSED BYLAWS CHANGES
The Executive Board of the Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA) has proposed that the Society's bylaws be amended as follows (additions noted in bold italics, deletions are shaded):
ARTICLE V. ELECTED OFFICERS
Section 1. The elected officers of the Society shall be: President, Vice-President/President-Elect, Past President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Only individual members of the Society may hold elected office.
ART LIBRARIES SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
APRIL 6, 1997
TRAVIS PARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
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Explanation: Individuals are elected to a three-year term: first year as Vice President/President Elect; second year as President; third year as Past President. The office of Past President had not previously been specified.
Section 4. The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping the official minute book and Policy Manual of the Society, sending out press releases, and for distributing the minutes of the Executive Board meetings in a timely manner;. in addition, t The Secretary shall act as the teller for balloting for amendments to the Constitution Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.
Explanation: The Secretary keeps official Executive Board meeting minutes and makes note of all needed revisions or additions to the Policy Manual. Direct transfer of these revisions or additions from the record of Board business into the Policy Manual is clearcut and efficient. Press releases are issued by HQ, at the behest of the Executive Board, or various committees such as Conference Planning, Awards, Muehsam, Research, Travel.
to be added:
Section 6. The Past President provides general continuity and historical perspective for the Executive Board.
Explanation: The Past President traditionally serves in this capacity; the Bylaws have never so stipulated.
renumber:
Section 7. All elected officers must submit written reports as frequently as required by the Executive Board.
Section 2. One Regional Representative shall be elected from each of five regions: 1) Canada; 2) Northeast; 3) Midwest; 4) South; 5) West. A description of regional composition shall be maintained at the headquarters of the Society and shall be published at least annually in an official publication of the Society. The representative for Canada shall be called the Canadian Representative. All other representatives shall be called the ______ Regional Representative.
Explanation: Since Canada is not a region, it is a country, the proposal is to change the name from Canadian Regional Representative to Canadian Representative.
ARTICLE XI. COMMITTEES
Section 1. The Executive Board has responsibility for appointment of officers and members to the Standing Committees of the Society. The Standing Committees are:
Cataloging Advisory Committee Membership Committee
George Wittenborn Award Committee Nominating Committee
Gerd Muehsam Award Committee Professional Development Committee
Development Committee Publications Committee
Finance Committee Public Policy Committee
International Relations Committee Standards
Committee
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
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Explanation: Proposed that the ad hoc Cataloging Advisory Committee be changed to a standing committee by virtue of its longevity as a committee, its centrality to the missions of the Society, and the authority of its chairperson to appoint ARLIS/NA representatives to national cataloging committees.
ARTICLE XIII. CHAPTERS
Section 5. Membership in a chapter is conditional upon membership in the Society. Regional Representatives shall be non-voting ex-officio members of the chapters in their region. The Canadian Representative shall also serve as chair of the ARLIS/Canada national chapter. ARLIS/Canada is autonomous of the other Canadian local chapters and has no authority over them.
Explanation: The Executive Board, at
its midyear meeting in August 1996, unanimously approved the proposed ARLIS/Canada
chapter bylaws as amended. The effect of the bylaws is to change the Canadian
region into a national Canadian chapter. The Canadian Representative will
continue to be elected at large, and will become the chair of the ARLIS/Canada
chapter. Other Canadian chapters will be autonomous of the new national
chapter, but will be represented on its executive committee. Membership
in the Canadian chapter will be open to all ARLIS/NA Canadian members as
well as other interested members of ARLIS/NA.
PROPOSED SOCIETY AFFILIATION
According to ARTICLE XIV, Section 2, of the ARLIS/NA bylaws, "Formal affiliation or merger with another organization must be approved by a two-thirds majority of those individual members voting by a ballot conducted in accordance with Sections 2 and 3 of Article XIX."
The Executive Board of ARLIS/NA proposes to the membership formal affiliation with the Association of Architecture School Librarians.
Explanation: From the Policy Manual (X-3), "Affiliation is defined as the formal establishment of a relationship of mutual support and encouragement and of such forms of cooperation as will enhance this relationship. Concrete ongoing forms of cooperation include a regular exchange of information between the organizations, particularly through exchanges of publications, and reciprocal assistance to individuals wishing to attend each other's conferences, by offering them members' rates for conference registration."
ARLIS/NA is already affiliated with the following organizations:
American Library Association
ARLIS/Australia & New Zealand
ARLIS/Netherlands
ARLIS/Norden
ARLIS/Norge
ARLIS/United Kingdom & Ireland
College Art Association
Visual Resources Association
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
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Proxies and additional ballots were collected.
7. Web Master's Report
Web Master Ed Teague thanked the contributors to the Society's Web Site in terms of documents, comments, and use; he noted that the existence of the site was transforming how ARLIS/NA conducted its business. He reported that, currently, there were 1200 pages (520 files) mounted, and that the Executive Board had approved a new section of policies concerning the Web Site, including a goal statement.
8. Preview: 26th Annual ARLIS/NA Conference, Philadelphia, March 5-11, 1998
Local arrangements co-chair Carol Graney presented a slide show about Philadelphia; the Avenue of the Arts; the Doubletree Hotel, the conference site for March 5-11, 1998; and the many performing and visual arts activities in and outside of the city. She noted that a binder about Philadelphia was on display at the ARLIS/NA registration desk and that a Web Site, linked to the ARLIS/NA site, had been mounted by Andrea Goldstein at http://astro.ocis.temple.edu/philaAndrea.
Program co-chairs Iris Snyder and Bill Lang announced the theme for the 1998 conference: "Envisioning the City: Philadelphia in Four Centuries." They reminded the membership of the May 31 deadline for conference proposals, suggesting that potential ideas be submitted to ARLIS-L for discussion and brainstorming. Since there was so many cultural, library, and educational resources available in Philadelphia, Snyder and Lang suggested that such topics as conservation, garden history, landscape architecture, and architecture be considered. They also announced that the Visual Resources Association (VRA) would hold its conference in Philadelphia, overlapping with ARLIS/NA's conference, enabling some joint programming.
9. Special Achievements
President Jack Robertson recognized several members for their special contributions during the past year:
--Judy Dyki, who served as guest editor of two issues of Art Documentation, as Art Documentation Editor Search Committee Chair, and as indexer for volume 15.
--Linda MacRae and Lynda White, who edited the ArtMARC Sourcebook and donated their royalties to the Society.
--Margaret Webster, who chaired the joint VRA/VRD Task Force which was responsible for developing the "Criteria for Hiring and Retention of Visual Resources Professionals".
--Merrill Smith and Marilyn Russell-Bogle, who, with the Development and Professional Development Committees, developed the 25th Anniversary Scholarship Fund prospectus and internship documentation.
--Gregg Most, Hinda Sklar, and Katie Poole, who prepared the CONFU report and recommendation that the Society not endorse the guidelines.
--ARLIS/NA founding members, Past Presidents, Distinguished Service Award winners, Honorary Life Members, and former Executive Directors Judith Hoffberg and Pamela Parry.
10. Art Documentation Editors' Statement
New co-editors Elizabeth Peck Learned and Stephanie Sigala outlined
their vision for the new Art Documentation: the library periodical
that members and subscribers will want to read; vital, lively, stimulating,
and a real benefit of membership. They plan for a new cover, new content,
and use of more visual material. The content will include a broad spectrum
of articles on library management as well as shorter, more practical items.
They plan to expand the number of regular columns with "Opinions," "Professional
Issues," "Technology and Media Update," and interviews.
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11. Scheduled Announcements
President Robertson recognized several members for announcements:
* Jane Carlin, Midwest regional representative, announced that the Ohio Valley chapter had forwarded a formal proposal to the Executive Board to host the 2000 annual conference in Pittsburgh. The Executive Board will solicit comments via ARLIS-L and make a decision at its Mid-Year meeting in August.
* Amanda Bowen, Research Committee chair, encouraged members to consider applying for one of three Society Research Awards, sponsored by H.W. Wilson, John Benjamins, and Worldwide Books. She noted that October 1 was the deadline for applications.
* Jeannette Dixon, representative to the International Federation for Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), announced that the 1997 conference would take place in Copenhagen, Denmark, in August. She encouraged members to write papers to get invited to a future conference: 1998 Amsterdam, 1999 Bangkok, and 2001 Boston.
* Ray Anne Lockard, representative to the College Art Association (CAA), announced that the ARLIS/NA session for the 1998 conference in Toronto was being organized by Mary Williamson on "The History of the Book in the Visual Arts." Lockard encouraged submissions for the 1999 conference in Los Angeles for either a regular session (2.5 hours) or a special session (1.5 hours) on the theme of "Diversity." She noted that the deadline for the 1999 conference regular sessions was September 1, 1997.
12. Retiring Executive Board Members
President Robertson thanked retiring board members Ed Teague, past president; Maryly Snow, secretary; and regional representatives Elizabeth Peck Learned, Janine Henri, and Stephanie Sigala. He noted their fine contributions: the ARLIS/NA Web Site, revision of the Policy Manual, revision of the Chapter Success Book, and the 1997 annual conference.
13. Incoming Executive Board Members
Robertson introduced the newly elected board members: Mary Graham, vice president; Jeanne Brown, secretary; Jane Carlin, Midwest regional representative; Margaret Webster, Northeast regional representative; and Lee Sorensen, South regional representative. He then introduced incoming President Roger Lawson.
14. Remarks by Roger Lawson, ARLIS/NA President, 1997-98
Roger Lawson described "...the year ahead as a road, and our task as a journey, replete with grand vistas, formidable obstacles, and the conspicuous milestone signifying 25 years of accomplishment." He indicated that work began with the approval of the 1996-99 Strategic Plan--"a document that for all its complexity, is a clear indication to the rest of the world of our aspirations as a Society"--but acknowledged that much remains to be accomplished by improving and enhancing:
* the efficiency of administrative services,
* the means of communication and collaboration among all segments of the Society and with others in related fields, and
* the safety and growth of the Society's financial resources.
"The Society has rightly affirmed its essential role in supporting standards and expanding opportunities for education, research, and professional development. We can--must--take a leading role by transforming intentions, a well-known paving material, into actions. ...At the conclusion of this conference, the Executive Board will meet to formulate an ambitious itinerary for which we seek drivers, not passengers."
Lawson concluded, "I am simultaneously awed and honored to be entrusted with the responsibility of leading the Society in its 26th year." Lawson then acknowledged the work done by the board and presented Jack Robertson with a gavel with special thanks for pursuing "the Society's best interests with unusual dedication and vision."
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APRIL 6, 1997
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15. Bylaws Ballot Final Results
Maryly Snow reported that, after counting the 207 returned ballots, all proposed bylaws changes and the affiliation proposal had passed.
16. Open Forum: Announcements, Discussion, Questions
* Sherman Clarke reminded members that April 30 was the deadline for the Conference Proceedings.
* Al Willis remarked that he was gratified with the results of the San Antonio conference since he had suggested the idea at the Providence conference.
* Ray Anne Lockard urged support for selecting Pittsburgh as the site for the 2000 conference.
* Wayne Meyer, past president of the Association of Architecture School Librarians, thanked the Society for the invitation to affiliate.
* Eileen Fry asked that the 1998 conference committee focus on issues that ARLIS/NA shares with VRA, perhaps moving the content sessions to the beginning of the Society's conference and holding business off until the end.
* Janis Ekdahl remarked that she was impressed by the board's accomplishments, noting that Ed Teague had clarified the association during his tenure and created an electronic presence and that Jack Robertson, with his political savvy, quiet demeanor, and Southern charm had gotten the strategic plan off the ground and the publications back on track. She also congratulated him for inviting Philip Pacey to speak at the Convocation to give the 25th anniversary program a global focus.
17. Adjournment
There being no further business to come before the membership, the meeting was adjourned at 3:20 p.m.
Penney De Pas, CAE
Executive Director
for Maryly
Snow, Secretary