Special Interest Groups

What are Special Interest Groups?

The Bylaws Say:
Special Interest Groups may represent any professional, technological, subject area, or other interests of the membership. Special Interest Groups will serve as a focus for discussion and informal exchange of information.

Translation:

What interests you and your colleagues?
What do you need to know more about for your job or your career?

A SIG can address any of those needs where it will help to have colleagues across North America discussing the same issues and addressing the same needs.

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How to Form a SIG

The Bylaws Say:
A Special Interest Group shall be so established if it reflects an interest actively represented among the members of the Society; it does not conflict or overlap with the purposes of any other existing Special Interest Group, or Section or Division; and it is consonant with the purposes of the Society.

Translation:
Anyone can form a SIG. If you have an interest that you know others share, announce it at the conference or on the listserv. Invite others to meet with you and share your questions and your expertise.

Steps for forming a SIG

A representative from the newly formed Special Interest Group advises the Vice-President/President-Elect of the intent to form a SIG.

The Board checks that the proposed SIG complies with the Bylaws. If it complies, then the Board acknowledges the formation of the SIG. The Vice-president informs the SIG that they are official.

A representative of the SIG sends an announcement to ARLIS-L and to the News Section editor informing everyone of the group's existence.

The SIG will then be listed on the ARLIS/NA website.

The group is now officially an ARLIS/NA Special Interest Group!

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How to Join a SIG

The Bylaws Say:
Any Individual, Institutional, Business Affiliate, or Special member of the Society is eligible to become a member of any Special Interest Group.

Translation:
Any ARLIS/NA member can join--the more the merrier!

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SIG Governance

The Bylaws Say:
The members of each Special Interest Group shall select a Coordinator during the annual conference, and report their selection to the Executive Board liaison, the Vice-President/President-Elect. The SIG may request funding from the Board for special projects, but otherwise may not incur expenses on behalf of the Society.

Translation:
All you have to do is let the VP/Pres-Elect know that your SIG exists--otherwise there is no requirement to report formally to the board. If you have a project that requires Society funding, you may apply using the usual Special Funding application that goes to the Treasurer and the Board for consideration.

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List of SIGs

Art Library Students & New ARLIS Professionals [ArLiSNAP] / Web Site
Tracey Bergstrom, Bryan Loar, co-coordinators

Book Arts
Laurie Whitehill Chong, coordinator

Collection Development
Christine Sala and Paula Gabbard, co-coordinators

Decorative Arts
Karyn Hinkle, Rebecca Friedman, co-coordinators

Interlibrary Loan
Jon Evans, coordinator

LGBTQ
Deborah Evans-Cantrell and Allison R. Schulte, co-coordinators

Management Issues / Web Site
Bella Karr Gerlich and Alfred Willis, co-coordinators

Photography Librarians
Laura Harris and Jon Evans, co-coordinators

Public Librarians
Alyssa Resnick, coordinator

Space Planners / Web Site
Natalia Lonchyna, coordinator

Urban and Regional Planning Issues
Rebecca Price, coordinator

Women and Art / Web Site
Sarah Falls, Melanie Emerson, co-coordinators

Note: Guidelines for Divisions, Sections and Special Interest Groups are recorded in the ARLIS/NA Policy Manual, Section E.