April 28, 1996
Judy Connorton moderated the section's business meeting. Steering Committee members, Jeanne Brown and Kitty Chibnik were introduced. Outgoing Update column editor Maya Chylinski was unable to attend. Following a brief introductory talk from Roger Lawson, newly elected vice-president of ARLIS/NA, an election was held for the position of moderator-elect. Ann Lally of the University of Arizona, Tucson, was elected. Christine Sala of Columbia University's Avery Library will serve as the new Update editor for the section.
Jeanne Brown announced that an analysis of the replies to the "Survey of Architecture School Libraries"; co-conducted with Judy Connorton will appear in the next issue of Art Documentation.
Discussion of a project that could involve ARLIS members' participation in the editorial cleanup of several thousand architectural records to update the NUI database followed. Members interested in this possible project gave their names to Tom Jacoby of the University of Connecticut who was the 'point person' present.
Members discussed ideas for programs at the San Antonio ARLIS conference in 1997. Several began to take shape: the status of COPAR and local efforts in architectural records preservation; architecture of the Southwest and Mexico; accreditation guidelines for architecture school libraries; and appraisals of architectural drawings and other objects. Volunteers agreed to pursue these in preparation for the May 31 submissions deadline.
Following a brief discussion of the section's role in the ARLIS/NA Strategic Plan 1996-1999, Kitty Chibnik said that she would distribute portions of that plan pertinent to the section on ARLIS-L and in Update to obtain additional feedback. Chibnik will distribute via ARLIS-L and ARLIS/NA Update a list of those portions of the Strategic Plan which pertain to Architecture Ssection members for the purpose of generating feedback from the membership. Jeanne Brown, University of Nevada announced the Electronic Clearinghouse for Art/ Architecture Reference Guides, Joint Sub-committee with Academic Division/ Reference and Informational Services Section/Architecture Section has disbanded. Ann Lally, University of Arizona, was elected vice-moderator for 1997 and Christine Sala, Columbia University, is the Architecture Section Update editor.
Ann Lally, University of Arizona
April 28, 1996
The moderator, Maria Oldal, opened the meeting by welcoming the attendees and thanking the conference organizers for the convenient scheduling of the business meeting, and Kay Teel for her work as editor of the section's column for ARLIS/NA Update, and reminded members of the conference programs sponsored by the section. Daniel Starr reported on his communications with the Library of Congress about clarifying the AACR2 rule for establishing headings for recurring exhibitions.
The chair gave a brief sketch of the activities of the Catalogers' Discussion Group sponsored by ARLIS/New York. A discussion of how best to disseminate reports on the group's meetings ensued. It was agreed that the discussion group should continue to post summaries of its meetings to ARLIS-L. The logistics for creating and maintaining a World Wide Web home page for the section were discussed. The material on the section's home page need not be approved by the board, but would be linked to the ARLIS/NA home page. Types of information found on the Web, how members use the Web, and standards for Internet documents were briefly discussed. It was agreed that it was worthwhile to pursue creating a homepage for the section. Teel volunteered to coordinate the planning. Madelyn Cook volunteered to look into having her institution (the University of Arizona) host the section's home page.
Next, session ideas for the next conference were discussed. Among the ideas mentioned were: Internet resources for cataloging, AACR2 in the 21st century, and cost- cutting measures being tried out in cataloging departments. All ideas were met with enthusiasm, and several members volunteered to work on session proposals. Roger Lawson, the section's liaison to the Executive Board, introduced himself to the meeting as the vice-president/president-elect of the Society. He briefly explained the Society's directions and plans, and urged members to keep the lines of communication open between the section and the board. The Society's Strategic Plan was discussed. Cataloging goals in the plan include: improved access to the invisible collection-level and minimal-level cataloging standards; intellectual access to electronic resources; and open system structure. These are all charged to the Cataloging Advisory Committee (CAC); some might be more appropriately placed under the aegis of the Cataloging Section.
Starr, the chair of the CAC, clarified the distinction between the charge of the CAC and the charge of the Cataloging Section. The CAC formulates official policies on cataloging issues which are then presented to ALA's Committee on Cataloging: Description and Access (CC:DA), which in turn makes suggestions to the Joint Steering Committee of AACR2. The Cataloging Section exists as a forum for airing member concerns, as a means of education, and as a group which plans programs for conferences. Elizabeth O'Keefe suggested the section might also take more of an advocacy role in responding to issues of concern to catalogers such as outsourcing and core level records. Kay Teel was elected vice moderator of the section for 1996/1997.
Elizabeth O'Keefe, Pierpont Morgan Library; Kay Teel , New York University
April 28, 1996
At the business meeting in Miami, members discussed the future role of the Computer Section in ARLIS. Major issues covered included communications problems for those members not connected to the Internet, methods for determining computer expertise within ARLIS, a special Art Doc issue dedicated to technological issues, the creation of a technology advisory column for Update, and program proposals for San Antonio.
If ARLIS depends upon electronic communication via the Internet, many non- connected members miss out and feel disenfranchised. There are many reasons members cannot get online, including infrastructure and political issues at their institutions. Thoughts were exchanged how to determine who is not online, and it was decided that this would be done on a chapter level.
Suggestions for determining computer expertise within ARLIS included continuing the survey Peggy Keeran distributed this past year or finding out what technology projects members have worked on in the past year and what they will work on over the next year. It was decided that the latter suggestion would provide members with more relevant material, but it was not determined how this would be accomplished. It was also suggested that we find out what members are doing with computers and art, and to find out about applications out there that might not seem art-related but have potential.
Keeran, Judy Dyki, Joan Stahl, Henry Pisciotta, and Floyd Sweeting were asked to explore the possibilities of a special issue of Art Doc on technological issues. If this is possible, the deadline would be December 15. It was suggested that the articles address issues of technology and management.
A technology tips column was suggested for Update, which would cover frequently asked questions. It was decided that, if this is instituted, we will answer each question as though asked from a beginner and an experienced computer user. Sample questions proposed included: "What are the minimum requirements for getting connected?"; "Which Web browsers are most effective and why?"; "Why do I need e-mail?"; and "What arguments can I make to convince my administration I need to have access to the Internet?"
It was suggested we need to compile and publish a list of quality electronic resources for art librarians.
Program proposals for next year include a panel discussion on multimedia and a hands- on workshop on HTML.
Keeran will continue to be moderator for the section this year.
Peggy Keeran, University of Denver
Reference and Information Services Section
April 28, 1996
Anne Shankland, Bowdoin College, moderated the 1996 Annual Conference Business meeting of RISS. The meeting was characterized by spirited discussions of several timely issues which generated two specific activities.
The major concern of the RISS membership centered on the librarians' needs for means and methods of dealing with the changes in reference and library/bibliographic instruction brought on by technology and new customer expectations, i.e., electronic reference services and electronic resources, effective library/ bibliographic instruction presentations, mechanisms of evaluating presentations and reference services, etc.
A task force was created to write a program proposal on bibliographic/library instruction presentations for the 1997 annual conference. It is chaired by Sara J. MacDonald, University of the Arts and Laurie Whitehill, Rhode Island School of Design. The other members are Mimi Hernandez-University of Arizona, Maureen Lasko, Art Institute of Chicago, Barbara Prior, Cornell University, and Ophelia Georgiev Roop, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. The task force met after the RISS business meeting to discuss focus and content of the program. MacDonald and Whitehill were elected to write the program proposal.
The writing of a program proposal dealing with the changing nature of reference was delegated to Roop. MacDonald and Whitehill prepared and submitted a proposal for an all-day workshop, "Presentation Skills for Bibliographic Instruction Librarians "; Roop and Joan Stahl, National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, wrote and submitted a proposal for a four-session panel discussion program, "The Changing Face of Reference." Both program proposals were submitted on time. Thus, if approved by the ARLIS board, RISS would be sponsoring two conference programs in 1997.
During the business meeting discussions, Ross Day noted that issues addressed by the RISS membership should correspond to the major issues outlined in the ARLIS Strategic Plan for this section. After a cursory look at the Strategic Plan, it appeared that the RISS issues were on target. He also suggested planning programs with a wider market in mind. If programs designed for ARLIS presentations have general applications they could be "taken on the road" and presented to other library associations, libraries, and institutions.
Pat Lynagh, National Museum of American Art, was the recorder Shankland is the 1997 recorder. Roop is the 1997 moderator and Kara Stavig Esau, University of Oregon, is the moderator-elect.
Ophelia Georgiev Roop, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis