Special Interest Groups

Serve as a locus for discussion and informal exchange of information.

The Vice President/President-elect is the board liaison for all SIGs.

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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.

List of Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

The list of SIG coordinators may be found at the bottom of this page. The listservs require users to first subscribe and then engage via email with the listserv.

Archaeology & Classics

Listserv: archaeology_sig

Art Librarian Parents and Caregivers

Artist Files

Auction Catalogs

Listserv: ARLISNA_Auction_Catalogs_SIG@arlisna.org

Big Ten Academic Alliance Librarians

Book Art

Collection Development
Critical Librarianship

Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design

Group on ARLIS/NA Commons

Digital Humanities

Exhibitions

Fashion, Textile & Costume

Graphic Novels, Comics, and Zines

Intersectional Feminism & Art

LGBTQIA2S+

Management

Manuscript, Archive and Special Collections (MASC)

Materials

Neurodiversity & Invisible Disabilities (ND&ID)

Provenance

Listserv: Provenance-SIG

Photography Librarians

Resource Sharing

Public Librarians

Solo Art Information Professionals

Retirement

Stimulating Creativity in Practice

Space Planning

Listserv: space_planning_sig

Urban and Regional Planning Issues

[see Architecture and Planning Section]

Teaching

Web Archiving

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

How to Manage SIG Listserv Subscriptions

To subscribe, email with subscribe <insert SIG listserv name as listed in the table above> in the body of the email message (subject line should be left blank). For example, to subscribe to the Teaching SIG, enter subscribe teaching_sig in the body of the email. The balance of the email should be blank, being sure to remove your email signature.

Once subscribed, engage the SIG via email, email address will be <SIG listserv name>@arlisna.org. For example, email the Teaching SIG at teaching_sig@arlisna.org

To unsubscribe, email with unsubscribe <insert SIG listserv name as listed in the table above> in the body of the email message (subject line should be left blank). For example to unsubscribe to the Teaching SIG, enter subscribe teaching_sig in the body of the email. The balance of the email should be blank, being sure to remove your email signature.

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 and submits to the Vice-President/President-Elect the following in a formal request:

1. Statement of Purpose for the proposed Special Interest Group
2. Number of interested members
3. Name of coordinator
4. Name of submitter of proposal
5. Strategic directions and core values addressed
6. Any additional notes or comments


The Executive Board checks that the proposed SIG complies with the Bylaws. If it complies, then the Board approves 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 ARLIS/NA website (AWS) content editor informing the membership 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!

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!

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/President-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.

Art Librarian Parent and Caregivers SIG

Artist Files SIG

  • Bridget O'Keefe

    Assistant Librarian, Cataloging

    Coordinator

  • Amelia Nelson

    Amelia Nelson

    Director, Library & Archives

    Coordinator

Auction Catalogs SIG

  • Charlotte DonVito

    Charlotte DonVito

    Auction Catalog Librarian, National Gallery of Art

    Coordinator

  • Alix VanWinkle-Shaw

    Library Assistant

    Coordinator

Big Ten Academic Alliance Librarians SIG

  • Sarah C. Carter

    Sarah C. Carter

    MA, MLS

    Art, Architecture, and Design Librarian

    Coordinator

  • Jackie Fleming

    Visual Literacy and Resources Librarian

    Coordinator

Book Arts SIG

Critical Librarianship SIG

  • Bree A Midavaine

    MLIS, MS History of Art & Design

    Assistant Director of Library & Digital Strategies

    Coordinator

  • Ashley Peterson

    Research & Instruction Librarian

    Coordinator

  • Lane Goldszer

    Research & Instruction Librarian

    Coordinator

Digital Humanities SIG

Exhibitions SIG

  • Stephanie H Grimm

    Stephanie H Grimm

    Art and Art History Librarian and Fenwick Gallery Manager

    Coordinator

Fashion, Textile & Costume SIG

Graphic Novels, Comics, and Zines SIG

  • Tara S. Smith

    Tara S. Smith

    Open Licenses Librarian, College of Fine Arts & Communication Liaison Librarian

    Coordinator

  • Giana Ricci

    Giana Ricci

    Librarian for the Fine Arts

    Coordinator

Intersectional Feminism & Art SIG

LGBTQIA2S+ SIG

Management SIG

Manuscript, Archive and Special Collections SIG

  • Carol Ng-He

    Carol Ng-He

    Associate Director, Boxer Library

    Coordinator

  • Jamie Lausch Vander Broek

    Jamie Lausch Vander Broek

    Librarian for Art & Design

    Coordinator

  • Jennifer Martinez Wormser

    Jennifer Martinez Wormser

    MLS with a concentration in archival management

    Library Director

    Coordinator

Materials SIG

  • Lynn Kawaratani

    Lynn Kawaratani

    Liaision Librarian for Architecture

    Coordinator

Neurodiversity & Invisible Disabilities SIG

  • Anna Boutin-Cooper

    Anna Boutin-Cooper

    MLIS

    Research and Instruction Librarian

    View Profile

    (603)686-4815

    Coordinator

  • Ashley Chaney

    MLIS, Digital Archives Specialist Certificate

    Coordinator

Photography Librarians SIG

  • Zulay Chang

    Zulay Chang

    MLIS

    Specialist in the Photography Collection

    Coordinator

Provenance SIG

Public Librarians SIG

  • Heather Kerner

    Heather Kerner

    Librarian II & Artist in Residence Coordinator

    Coordinator

Retirement SIG

Space Planning SIG

  • Jacqueline L Protka

    Jacqueline L Protka

    Branch Librarian, Hirshhorn, Smithsonian

    Coordinator

Stimulating Creativity in Practice SIG

  • Devin Selby

    Devin Selby

    MLIS

    Assistant Librarian

    Coordinator

  • Fong Ku

    Reference and Learning Services Specialist

    Vice Coordinator

Teaching SIG

  • Michele Jennings

    Michele Jennings

    Special Collections Instruction Librarian & Assistant Professor

    Coordinator

  • Maria Rothenberg

    Maria Rothenberg

    Instructional Services & Assessment Librarian

    Coordinator