Society of American Archivists - UT Student Chapter

Society of American Archivists
University of Texas at Austin Student Chapter

29 OCTOBER 2001 MEETING MINUTES

Next meeting 29 November 2001, 6:30 SZB 556

Present: Carol Mead, Charles Hargrove, Becky Romanchuk, Amy Braitsch, Jennifer Hecker, Heather Arnold, Dr. David B. Gracy II, Eleanor Lisney, Molly Wheeler

I. Meeting called to order by Carol Mead, president, at 5:00pm

II. Archives Week

A. Comments on what worked and did not work
Carol thanked everyone for their Archives Week efforts, and we returned the thanks. Carol asked us for our perceptions of what preparations and events worked and what did not work. Everyone agreed that Charles' and Dr. Gracy's appearances on KXAN's morning show the day of the public archives clinic were instrumental in getting people to attend. Several attendees said that our spots that morning on television were what informed them of our event. We scheduled a smaller meeting room this year because the larger one was already booked, but next year's clinic would benefit from the larger space if this level of attendance is maintained or increased, as Jennifer pointed out. Carol asked Dr. Gracy how many years our chapter has done the archives clinic, and he said this is the third year of the clinic.

Charles asked Carol how much it cost to update the banner's lettering this year. Carol said the date change cost between twenty and twenty-five dollars. The URL on the banner is the old one from last year, but this year we put a redirect on that address to route visitors to our Archives Week web page. Next year the URL should be changed on the banner. The banner itself originally cost $235.
Committee reports
Carol will write an overall summary of this year's Archives Week, and she reminded everyone to begin thinking about writing committee reports while information is still fresh in the mind. Details such as phone numbers, URL's, email addresses, and the time it took to perform tasks are very important for next year's board. These reports must be completed by May 2002.

Dr. Gracy strongly suggested that a fact sheet be created to be given to all interviewers and writers from the media as well as to be available to anyone attending our events. Our press release should be edited for any misinformation or left-out information. GSLIS was not mentioned as the academic entity to which we belong, as Dr. Immroth said to one of us. Our affiliations and all pertinent facts about our events, as well as our mission in holding the events, should be clearly written so that we know that the media and the public are not getting piece-meal information with unfortunate gaps. The archives clinic brochure Amy amended from the one Maribeth Kobza-Betton created last year was the only SAA-UT literature at the clinic. We need to have at least the fact sheet, and perhaps other GSLIS information, on the tables next year.

Amy said that between forty-five and fifty people attended the clinic and that more volunteers were needed.
Reimbursement for meals
Dr. Gracy had paid the restaurant bills for the dinners given to our speakers which some of us also attended. We decided unanimously that our chapter funds should cover this expense. Dr. Gracy pointed out that this is a small reward, for those who went to the dinners, for the work and care put into making Archives Week so successful. He estimates the amount to be $300. Carol will have Joel reimburse Dr. Gracy.

III. Mugs

How many left?
Out of the original 144 ordered, Dr. Gracy has twelve left, and Charles has eleven. Jennifer and Heather will buy some for themselves.
Make more?
Because they sold so well, we will order more mugs in the near future, sometime around December. We will try to find a printer who can do a better job of printing our photograph. Target markets will include the Downtown Sculpture Committee (who are advocating installation of a statue of Mrs. Eberly; Dr. Gracy will approach them and relay information to Charles), the Austin History Center Association, attendees at SSA, and the upcoming local archivists' mixer. If mugs are advertised for sale through the Archives & Archivists listserv, we will need to investigate sales tax requirements first.

IV. Thank you notes, article of SAA-UT Archives Week, Proclamation

Amy is in the process of writing thank you notes to AHC staff and others (including Roy Flukinger and Karen Pavelka) who helped us with the clinic. She asked what points should especially be made, and Jennifer said the outstanding success of the event should be emphasized in order to let people know how important their contribution was. Amy will handwrite letters to those people she personally knows, and will type the others. Dr. Gracy believes it is important to thank Brenda Branch, Director of APL, for the superb service shown to us and the public by AHC. Amy will undertake writing that letter. Charles is writing to Trish Fraga of APL, and to KXAN. Dr. Gracy said KXAN's letter should emphasize that their publicity for us was also a service to the public. Public programming is a requirement of every licensed station, and our clinic was an opportunity for them to help fulfill that requirement.

Amy said that Brenda Gunn of the CAH recommended that we publish our Archives Week experiences as an article in the SSA newsletter. The deadline for the article would be in January. We will organize the writing of it as a group effort. Dr. Gracy suggested that the SAA newsletter would also be an appropriate place to publish our Archives Week activities. Carol believes both SSA and SAA newsletters should be tried for. Through the SAA Student Chapter listserv she has heard from many in other chapters who are astounded at the range of events we plan and execute, and a published article would not only inspire and inform those people, but advertise our own success and promote the visibility of our chapter.

Carol showed the Proclamation document that we received from the City of Austin. It mentions in particular Sue Kriegsman and Debbie Carter as visitors to Austin for Archives Week. A copy of the proclamation will be made and sent to each of them. Dr. Gracy noted that a copy should be given to Don Davis, acting Dean of GSLIS, for the GSLIS history file.

V. Next semester

Tours and speakers
Amy proposed that the EAD training Kris Kiesling did for us last year be done again next semester. All agreed this is an important chance for students to get experience with EAD, and Dr. Gracy said he would need to coordinate with Kris since his introductory archives class has more EAD content than before. He suggests contacting Kris as soon as possible to schedule.

Dr. Gracy would like to bring Lee Miller, archivist at Tulane, to present to us on interviewing for archivist positions. Dr. Zamora would also be available to speak to us about Archives on the Border, concerning collections of U.S. and Mexican shared history.

Charles said that Debbie Bush welcomes us to tour the Bush Presidential Library.
Money--how should we use it?
Carol announced that our current balance is $1100 ($800 after reimbursing Dr. Gracy.) With further fundraising in the form of buying more mugs to sell on the horizon, we need to consider how best to use our money to promote our goals and objectives. Molly asked if funding to go to SAA could be considered. Board members have discussed this idea before outside of meetings, and we agree that this would be a good way to promote student involvement in SAA and would help defray the cost of attending the event. The amount to award and how to award it are still being debated. Sponsorship to SSA is also being considered.

VI. Next meeting date

The next meeting will be held 29 November 2001 at 6:30 in SZB 556.

VII. Meeting adjourned at 6:00pm

Minutes submitted by Becky Romanchuk on November 7, 2001.

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2001 Minutes

Society of American Archivists - University of Texas at Austin Student Chapter
E-mail: saa@ischool.utexas.edu