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Council Minutes
October 31 – November 3, 2006
Chicago, Illinois
President Elizabeth Adkins called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, October 31. Present: Vice President/President-Elect Mark Greene, Treasurer Ann Russell, Executive Committee member Peter Gottlieb, and Council members Mark Duffy, Aimee Felker, Rebecca Hankins, Leon Miller, Ben Primer, Carla Summers, Sheryl Williams, and Nancy Zimmelman. Also present were SAA Executive Director Nancy Beaumont, Publishing Director Teresa Brinati, Education Director Solveig DeSutter, and Member and Technical Services Director Brian Doyle. Paul Meyer, a consultant with Tecker and Associates, facilitated a portion of the meeting on Wednesday, November 1. Russell departed the meeting on Thursday, November 2, at 11:00 am.
I. COUNCIL BUSINESS
A. Adoption of the Agenda
Gottlieb presented proposed changes in the agenda, per an Executive Committee discussion earlier in the day. Gottlieb moved and Williams seconded adoption of the agenda as amended.
B. Approval of the August 2006 Minutes
Summers moved and Felker seconded approval of the August 2006 Council meeting minutes.
C. Review of the August 2006 “To-Do List”
Council members reviewed the items listed on the August 2006 “To-Do List” and provided updates on completed and incomplete items.
II. REPORTS
A. Report of the Executive Committee
Gottlieb reported on a number of items that the Executive Committee had discussed and approved on behalf of the Council since the August 2006 Council meeting:
- In mid-August, the group reviewed a draft charge to the Partnership for the American Record Joint Task Force provided by chair Kathleen Roe, and suggested revisions.
- Discussed an invitation to join the board of the National Electronic Commerce Coordinating Council. The Committee’s ultimate decision was to decline the invitation but to tell the organization that SAA is interested in working with the organization on plans for its 2007 conference.
- Reviewed a member’s request that SAA issue a statement condemning reported Israeli destruction several months ago of the Nablus archives. The Committee sought further information about the incident.
- Adopted a motion that SAA Section and Roundtable List announcements be retained for a period of one year, with deletion to take place every January.
- Adopted a description of the Intellectual Property Working Group for inclusion in the Council Handbook.
- Adopted a description of the Publications Board and the Editor, Print and Electronic Publications, for inclusion in the Council Handbook. The description is based on previous Council actions regarding the Editor’s position.
- Adopted a revision of the SAA Council Handbook, Section 7. Program Committee, IV. Duties and Responsibilities, that adds item M. (“The chair appoints a member of the Program Committee to serve as chair of the Student Program Subcommittee”) as well as a description of the Student Program Subcommittee.
- The draft agenda for the October 31 – November 3 Council meeting.
- Preparation of an SAA Statement on Access to Records. In response to a suggestion from past President Richard Pearce-Moses that SAA needs a general policy statement on access to records, the Committee discussed whether it would be appropriate and helpful for SAA to have such a statement, and agreed that Adkins would appoint a task force to draft a statement focusing just on public records, which Committee members agreed should be the priority. Subsequent to the Committee’s September 29 conference call, Adkins volunteered to draft the statement on access to public records and send it to the Government Records Section and Local Government Records Roundtable for feedback.
B. President’s Report
Adkins reported on a variety of items:
Appointments/Charges: Adkins noted that, since August, she had developed charges for and made appointments to task forces on American Archives Month, Archives and Archivists List Appraisal, Diversity Brochure, Dues Increase Communication Plan, Publications Editor Search, Technology Best Practices, and Trusted Archival Preservation Repository.
Joint Task Force on the Partnership for the American Historical Record: Adkins appointed Council Member Ben Primer and Past President Steve Hensen to this task force, which the Council of State Archivists is leading.
Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission Grant Application: SAA was notified on September 25 that it was awarded a grant from the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission in support of a Japanese/American conference in Tokyo in May 2007 that is intended to explore the philosophies of access to archival records in Japan and the U.S. in the contexts of national government, local governments, universities, and corporations/private institutions.
Atlantic Monthly Letter to the Editor: The presidents of SAA and the Association of Canadian Archivists submitted a letter to the editor of Atlantic Monthly in response to an August 2006 article by James Fallows regarding managing digital records over time. The letter was not published.
ARMA Meeting: Adkins summarized her perspectives upon attending the ARMA International meeting, October 21-24. Among many other activities, she and ARMA President Susan McKinney met with the ARMA/SAA Joint Committee to discuss the committee’s role and projects. In addition, she reported that McKinney expressed an interest in increasing ARMA’s participation with SAA in MayDay, an initiative designed to stimulate archivists and records managers to develop emergency plans for their repositories.
ICA CITRA Meeting: Adkins will represent SAA at the International Council on Archives CITRA meeting in Curacao in late November.
C. Vice President’s Report
Greene reported that he had appointed Thomas Connors (National Public Broadcasting Archives, University of Maryland) to chair the 2008 Appointments Committee, with Jane Nokes (Scotiabank Group Archives), Robert Spindler (Arizona State University), and Diane Vogt-O’Connor (Library of Congress) serving as committee members. The November/December issue of Archival Outlook will include an article that describes volunteer participation in SAA and encourages self-nominations; the SAA website will include the same information beginning in late October.
D. Treasurer’s Report
Russell presented a financial review for July 1, 2006, to September 30, 2006, noting that SAA’s workshop and publishing operations continue to provide significant benefit to registrants and purchasers and that membership continues to grow modestly, resulting in a generally positive financial situation for the Society. DC 2006 revenues did not meet budget projections, however, and she and the staff will be vigilant for the remainder of the year to ensure that overall budget projections are met.
The auditor’s report for Fiscal Year 2006 was distributed to Council members later in the meeting. The auditors had no management points, and there was no discussion of the report.
E. Staff Reports
Executive Director: Beaumont’s written report provided updates on member communication, advocacy efforts, governance matters, headquarters operations, and the status of three grants that SAA is administering. In addition, she noted progress on activities related to addressing SAA’s strategic priorities:
Technology: She updated the group on conversations with Reagan Moore of the San Diego Supercomputer Center regarding providing a “summer camp” experience for archivists to learn more about the technologies that can and will have an impact on their work in archives.
Diversity: She summarized the development and offering of a workshop entitled “The Lessons of Pilgrim Baptist Church: Preventing the Loss of Your Heritage” on October 9-10 at the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago. Instructors Thomas Battle, Meredith Evans, Margery Sly, and Jac Treanor provided to members of the Chicago community of churches both context for the importance of preserving records and the practical information to help attendees identify, organize, and manage their church records in a way that would mitigate the effects of a disaster. She indicated that the staff hopes to refine the program for a second offering, perhaps just prior to Chicago 2007, and ultimately to take a program for churches nationwide.
Public Awareness: SAA’s first-ever American Archives Month Public Relations Kit was mailed on September 15 to all North American members of SAA and to all members of the Council of State Archivists. The kit also was available via a PDF on the SAA website, which included links to information about members’ participation in American Archives Month in the categories of “Web Pages,” “Official Recognition,” “Special Events,” “Media Coverage,” and “Other.” She looks forward to working with the American Archives Month Task Force to improve upon this first effort.
Membership: Doyle’s written report provided an update on membership statistics, including growth rates by dues category. SAA’s total membership grew by 9.68% from September 2005 to September 2006.
Education: De Sutter’s written report provided an update on the status of 2006-2007 education programs, noting that nine new program topics were introduced between July and December 2006; 16 programs have drawn 425 attendees year to date; 21 additional programs are scheduled for fall 2006 and spring 2007; and 10 new program co-sponsors have been secured. Development of a web seminar on an aspect of “Basic Electronic Records Management” will begin in late fall. Education staff assisted three institutions in preparing applications for a National Historical Publications and Records Commission grant for an Archives Leadership Institute.
Publications: Brinati’s written report provided an update on the status of 2006-2007 publishing projects, including the availability of four new books (Photographs: Archival Care and Management, Architectural Records: Managing Design and Construction Records, Archives and the Public Interest: Selected Essays by Ernst Posner, and Understanding Archives and Manuscripts) at DC 2006, at which Bookstore sales totaled nearly $34,000, and the likelihood of three new titles being available during the third quarter of FY07 (Archives and Justice: A South African Perspective, Planning New and Remodeled Archival Facilities, and Film Preservation: Competing Definitions of Value, Use, and Practice). She noted that the strength of current publications sales is based in part on the pent-up demand for the “Fundamentals” series books, which are required reading in many academic programs and serve the basic needs of working archivists.
Annual Meeting: Beaumont’s written report provided a summary of the financial aspects of DC 2006: The Joint Annual Meeting of the National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators, the Council of State Archivists, and SAA. Despite the many successes of the meeting – including a record-setting paid attendance of 1,965, a record-setting 75-booth exhibit hall, and significant cost containment – the budgeted net gain was not met due to overly optimistic estimates of paid attendance. Attendees’ written evaluations of the quality of the meeting for education and networking were overwhelmingly positive.
Content Management System: Doyle’s written report responded to a Council charge to investigate strategies for selection and deployment of a new content management system in order to improve the SAA Web site. He noted that, notwithstanding frequent complimentary remarks, some feedback suggests that there are a number of ways in which the current site could be improved, including enhancing the site as a destination for external (i.e., nonmember) audiences, developing additional content, improving site navigation, and ensuring more frequent updating of content and deletion of obsolete material. He outlined a process, similar to that used for needs assessment and selection of the association management software system, that will be followed for selection of a content management system.
F. SSA-SAA Emergency Disaster Assistance Fund
Summers (SAA’s representative on the SSA-SAA EDA Grant Committee) reported that a second promotion to repositories in the regions affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita had led to several new requests for assistance, and two additional awards had been made in September 2006. Contributions to date total $49,870; awards to date total $30,550.
She also noted that in early October, the SAA office received the following “Resolution of Commendation” from the Greater New Orleans Archivists, signed by President Leon C. Miller and Secretary Lester Sullivan::
Resolution of Commendation
WHEREAS, the Society of American Archivists moved quickly in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to support archivists throughout the affected areas in many ways, including generously offering a one-year dues waiver to members in the devastated areas; and
WHEREAS, SAA staff diligently attempted to contact all SAA members in or evacuated from the devastated areas by phone, email, or mail to notify them personally of the dues waiver, to inquire about their individual safety and circumstances, and to offer SAA’s help and support, thereby relieving the sense of isolation and dramatically increasing the morale of many victims; and
WHEREAS, the Society of American Archivists went further and partnered with the Society of Southwest Archivists to create the SSA-SAA Emergency Disaster Assistance Grant Fund; and
WHEREAS, the SSA-SAA Emergency Disaster Assistance Grant Fund not only provided much-needed financial support for the preservation of the affected area’s documentary heritage but also brought hope and comfort to archivists throughout the affected areas;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That on this twentieth day of September, 2006, the members of the Greater New Orleans Archivists do hereby highly comment and offer their deepest appreciation to The Society of American Archivists, whose actions in the wakes of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita demonstrated a caring and concern for their colleagues and a commitment to their profession, thereby portraying archivists in the highest possible light and bringing increased respect to the archival profession as a whole.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution of Commendation be entered into the permanent minutes of the Greater New Orleans Archivists; and
That a copy of this Resolution of Commendation be forwarded to the Executive Director of the Society of American Archivists.
Passed and adopted by acclamation this twentieth day of September, 2006.
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The commendation will be posted on the SAA website.
G. Diversity Committee
Diversity Committee Liaison Lee Miller noted that Committee members have been asked to provide input regarding what sort of demographic information should be collected in the new membership database.
H. 2006 Host Committee
Council members reviewed the written report prepared by DC 2006 Host Committee Co-chairs Jennifer Davis-McDaid and John LeGloahec, which pointed to the need for improved communication between the Host Committee and the staff, a clearer definition of respective roles, and a more formal relationship between the Host Committee and the Program Committee. Beaumont was asked to institute a formal connection between the two committees for future annual meetings.
I. American Archivist Editor
Editor Mary Jo Pugh provided a written report detailing the status of articles accepted for publication in the Fall/Winter 2006 issue and accepted pending revision for the Spring/Summer 2007 issue of The American Archivist. In addition, she reported on discussions of the Editorial Board at its August meeting, with an emphasis on development of a business plan for a “digital edition” of the journal. She proposed that the journal editor become an ex officio member of the Program Committee in order to gain an understanding of work being done and to stimulate speakers to consider publication as they prepare for the annual meeting.
MOTION 1
THAT the Editor of The American Archivist serve as an ex officio, non-voting member of the 2007 and 2008 Program Committees; and
THAT the merit of this approach to journal development be evaluated by the Council at its spring/summer 2009 meeting in conjunction with adoption of the FY09 budget.
Support Statement: The Editor believes that review of program proposals will give her a first-hand view of the range of interests and activities in the profession. Observing the discussion and priority setting of the Program Committee will provide a view of how a group of thoughtful and diverse archivists anticipate the interests of meeting participants. From this vantage point, she will be able to stimulate speakers to think about publication as they prepare for the annual meeting, rather than after it.
Moved by Gottlieb, seconded by Zimmelman. PASSED.
J. SAA Statement on Access to Public Records
Adkins asked that the Council discuss the value of developing an official SAA policy statement on access to public records, an issue that Immediate Past President Richard Pearce-Moses had raised in his August 2006 President’s Report. Based on the discussion, Adkins will appoint a task force to draft a statement on access to public records, solicit feedback on the draft from the Government Records Section and the Local Government Records Roundtable, and present for Council consideration in January 2007.
The Council meeting was adjourned for the evening at 9:00 pm.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1
III. SESSION ON BOARD GOVERNANCE, ROLES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Council meeting was re-convened at 9:00 am on Wednesday, November 1. From that time until 3:00 pm, Paul Meyer, a consultant with the Tecker Group, facilitated a session at which Council members and staff discussed association leadership, roles and responsibilities of elected leaders and staff, and strategic thinking.
IV. STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION
From 3:00 to 5:00 pm, Council members reviewed SAA’s strategic priorities, discussed refinements in them, suggested the need for tracking expenditures associated with them, and volunteered to serve on strategic initiative working groups as follows:
- Technology: Zimmelman (chair), Greene, Felker, Russell (Staff: Doyle)
- Diversity: Miller (chair), Hankins, Adkins, Duffy (Staff: Brinati)
- Public Awareness: Gottlieb (chair), Summers, Williams, Primer (Staff: DeSutter)
The Council meeting was adjourned for the day at 5:00 pm.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2
The Council meeting was re-convened at 8:30 am. Russell departed at 11:00 am.
V. ACTION ITEMS
A. Task Force on Sections / Roundtables
Duffy provided an overview of the report prepared by the Task Force on Sections and Roundtables (Appendix) and provided context for the draft recommendations in the report. Duffy then chaired the extensive and detailed discussion that followed in order that Adkins might participate.
MOTION 2
THAT the SAA Council postpone definitely further consideration of Recommendation 1 in the Task Force on Sections and Roundtables report of October 31 – November 3 (“That the specific recommendations of the Task Force on Sections and Roundtables be adopted as amended to take effect at the close of the 2007 Annual Meeting”) until the time of the January 2007 Council conference call.
Support Statement: Given the complex nature of the changes that are recommended by the Task Force, it is important that all points of discussion and agreement are captured in a modified document that Council members may consider in toto in January 2007.
Moved by Greene, seconded by Williams. PASSED.
B. ACE Guidelines
MOTION 3
THAT the SAA Council adopt the Archival Continuing Education (ACE) Guidelines as drafted by the Committee on Education and revised following broad distribution for member comment.
Support Statement: The 2006 Committee on Education developed guidelines for archival continuing education that it believes are appropriate for the entire profession. The guidelines encourage opportunities for lifelong learning within the archival community, and will serve as a general toolkit for providers and users of archival continuing education.
Society of American Archivists
Guidelines for Archival Continuing Education
Introduction
Archival continuing education (ACE) assists individuals in meeting personal and professional goals by providing knowledge that is relevant to the archival profession beyond the formal structure of education institutions. In addition, ACE must connect with individual archivists in all phases of their careers by providing basic to advanced programs in all areas of archival knowledge.
The purpose of these guidelines is to encourage the creation of opportunities for lifelong learning within the archival community.
These guidelines were developed for individuals and organizations that provide or sponsor archival continuing education. They may also be useful to others, such as individual archivists, employers, archival educators, accrediting agencies, and any others who fund, oversee, support, work with, or use archives or who participate in archival continuing education.
Archival Knowledge Areas
Archival continuing education programs should address the standard areas of archival knowledge, adapted from the Society of American Archivists Guidelines for a Graduate Program in Archival Studies (GPAS) and the Academy of Certified Archivists (ACA) domains:
- General Archival Knowledge: The theory and history of archives and the archival profession; social and cultural history; the life cycle of records and papers; relationships to allied professions; familiarity with professional standards and best practices; and use of appropriate research methodologies and technological solutions.
- Selection, Appraisal, and Acquisition: The theory, policies, and procedures that archivists use to identify, evaluate, acquire, and authenticate records and papers of enduring value in all media and formats.
- Arrangement and Description: The intellectual and physical organization or verification of archival records and papers in all media and formats, and the development of descriptive tools and systems that provide both control of and access to collections.
- Reference Services and Access: The development and implementation of policies, procedures, and practices designed to serve the information needs of the various user groups, both onsite and virtually.
- Preservation and Protection: The integration and implementation of administration activities to ensure the physical protection and authentication of records and papers in all media and formats and to assure their continued accessibility to researchers.
- Outreach, Advocacy, and Promotion: The theories, practices, and technologies that archivists use to create and market programs that promote increased use, resources, visibility, and support for their institutions and collections among a broad range of audiences, both onsite and virtually.
- Managing Archival Programs: The principles and practices that archivists use to facilitate all aspects of archival work through careful planning and administration of the repository and its institutional resources.
- Ethical and Legal Responsibilities: The laws, regulations, institutional policies, and ethical standards that are applicable to the archival community.
Also appropriate are programs addressing specialized topics such as formats, media, or repository type. All programs should address the latest developments and technologies, as appropriate, and incorporate best practices in the knowledge areas.
Delivery and Assessment
Instructors should be experts in the topic taught and should have the capacity to teach effectively and appropriately for the intended venue, format, and audience. Program developers should consider diversity and accessibility in their choice of topics, venues, and delivery formats.
Different options for program formats and venues are available. The goal should be to match them to the needs of participants and topics being taught. Programs may include, but are not limited to, workshops, seminars, institutes, in-house training programs, professional association meetings, and distance learning.
Curricular material must be appropriate to the subject, duration, delivery mechanism, and audience that it is intended to address. Program developers will create curricula based on identified needs. This information can be gathered from such feedback mechanisms as evaluations and surveys.
Program developers and instructors should evaluate both specific continuing education programs and the total range of programs offered over time, using recognized assessment methods and formal evaluation instruments.
Evolution of the ACE Guidelines
A field as complex and rapidly changing as the archival profession requires effective continuing education and training. In 1997, SAA adopted “Guidelines for the Development of Post-Appointment and Continuing Education and Training Programs” (PACE) which had as its basis the Guidelines for a Graduate Program in Archival Studies (GPAS) guidelines. The ACE Guidelines resulted from a scheduled review and revision of PACE in 2005 – 2006. The ACE Guidelines incorporate information from SAA’s 2002 GPAS guidelines and the Academy of Certified Archivists’ 2003 Role Delineation Statement Revision.
Appended to these guidelines are materials intended to serve as a general “toolkit” to aid continuing education providers and users in developing and preparing to attend continuing education offerings:
Appendix 1: Continuing Education “Wants” and Needs Based on A*CENSUS and ACRL Surveys.
Appendix 2: Recommended Instructor Qualifications
Appendix 3: List of Effective Delivery Formats
Appendix 4: Guidelines for Evaluating Continuing Education Programs
- Sample Evaluation Form for Individual Program
- Sample Evaluation Form for an Instructor
- Sample Reviewer Evaluation Form
Appendix 5: Curriculum Development (Objectives, Work Application, Measurable Outcomes)
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Moved by Zimmelman, seconded by Williams. PASSED.
C. Online Balloting
MOTION 4
THAT the SAA Bylaws be revised to read as follows: “Ballots shall be mailed distributed to all individual members according to a method and schedule approved by council.” [Strike through = deletion; underline = addition]
Support Statement: In order to ensure that members are able to receive ballots in a timely manner and to reduce costs of elections, the SAA Council wishes to have the flexibility to conduct elections online as appropriate. Elections will be conducted online only if a) the process is secure and reliable and b) members who do not wish to vote online are able to vote using a paper ballot. Member input on this Bylaws change was sought in advance of and during the 2006 Annual Business Meeting; no objections were raised.
Moved by Summers, seconded by Hankins. PASSED.
MOTION 5
THAT a Council task force be charged with developing policies and procedures and selecting software to ensure a secure, reliable online election, with a goal of conducting an online ballot for all SAA offices in 2007.
Support Statement: To ensure the integrity of SAA’s elections, it is critical that members be involved in selecting balloting software that meets the obligations of providing security, reliability, and accountability. The task force should include at least one staff liaison.
Moved by Greene, seconded by Williams. PASSED.
D. U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield
MOTION 6
THAT the SAA Council recognize the establishment of the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield; and
THAT the SAA president nominate an SAA member to serve on the USCBS board.
Support Statement: The U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield supports values that are consistent with those of the Society of American Archivists: to protect the world's cultural heritage by coordinating preparations to meet and respond to emergency situations. Disaster preparedness and response is on SAA's "radar screen" of strategic priorities.
Moved by Primer, seconded by Williams. PASSED.
E. DACS Review Cycle
MOTION 7
THAT the SAA Council establish a DACS Working Group of the Standards Committee to initiate a Web-based mechanism for gathering comments and a process for reviewing and publicizing them on an ongoing basis between cyclical full reviews of DACS, the first of which would occur in 2009, five years from its initial approval by the SAA Council.
Support Statement: This would be in line with the recommendation at the time of Council approval of DACS that it be reviewed in two years, and it would allow time for the development of a formal process for review and revision of DACS, as well as for Standards Committee consideration of the broader guidelines for standards review and maintenance contained in the SAA Handbook. This group would be established under the SAA Standards Committee. Those participating on the current DACS Working Group Advisory Panel are willing to be the group.
Moved by Gottlieb, seconded by Miller. PASSED.
MOTION 8
THAT the DACS Working Group be charged to prepare for review and comment by the Standards Committee at its August 2007 meeting a report that includes recommendations for a formal process for review of DACS; a draft timeline for a first formal review (and editorial work, if necessary) to be undertaken in 2009; and recommendations for appointing a small editorial group to revise DACS if this step is warranted based on the outcome of the review. The report should also:
- Assess initial efforts to promulgate the standard.
- Describe consultations with SAA members, subgroups, and interested organizations outside of SAA to discuss proposed review of standard.
- Report on establishment of an SAA-hosted DACS information page, with a web-based e-mail form for comments submission by the community, and on the process for analysis and public posting of received comments.
- Summarize comments received before the 2007 annual meeting.
- Develop a plan to identify relevant DACS user groups and establish good two-way communications with them.
- As part of the TSDS meeting agenda, the DACS Work Group will have the opportunity annually to report on its work. As part of the proposed 5-year review cycle, the DACS Work Group should be given time at annual meeting to hold comment/open forum type sessions.
- Make recommendations with regard to the SAA standards review process.
Support Statement: The SAA Council approves officially setting DACS on a 5-year review cycle, and approves the establishment by the Standards Committee of a DACS Working Group with the charge to implement the two recommendations described in this report.
Moved by Gottlieb, seconded by Miller. PASSED.
F. Encoded Archival Context Working Group
MOTION 9
THAT a Working Group on Encoded Archival Context within the Technical Subcommittee on Descriptive Standards of the Standards Committee be formed; and
THAT the Working Group be authorized to seek external funding for support of two meetings of the Working Group to facilitate development of an Encoded Archival Context standard which, if awarded, will be administered by SAA staff; and
THAT the Working Group be established according to the following description:
Working Group on Encoded Archival Context
Purpose
The Working Group on Encoded Archival Context (EACWG) has long-term responsibility for the oversight of the continued intellectual and technical development of Encoded Archival Context (EAC). EAC is a prototype standard based on Extensible Markup Language (XML) for name control and description of record creators: individuals, families, and corporate bodies. EAC is intended as a complementary standard to Encoded Archival Description (EAD). It will allow for a more effective and discrete method to record, exchange, and aggregate information relating to the corporate bodies, families, or individuals who have created archival records and manuscript collections.
The Proposed EAC standard will be based on International Archival Authority Control (ISAAR), Second edition (International Council of Archives, 2004). The prototype standard includes a schema expressed in a Document Type Definition (DTD) Relax NG (RNG), and XML Schema Definition Language (XSD) and a Tag Library. The current Beta version of EAC was developed by an ad hoc international team of archivists with funding from the Digital Library Federation (Yale University) and the Delmas Foundation (RLG). EAC is intended to facilitate the digital representation and communication of archival contextual information in a platform-independent form. The immediate responsibility of the EACWG will be the revision of the Beta version and its publication as a “full” version.
The Working Group will report to the chair of the Technical Subcommittee on Descriptive Standards of the Standards Committee.
To fulfill its mission as described above, the Working Group is specifically charged with:
- Developing and reviewing the data model based on ISAAR
- Evaluating and selecting the appropriate XML schema representation or representations
- Testing and evaluating the schema in consultation with the international archival community
- Developing the Tag Library and related documentation
- Developing funding proposals to provide support for design and development meetings
Membership
The Working Group members will include SAA members and representatives from other archival organization and institutions. The members will be internationally representative.
Length of Charge
The Working Group will serve three years (terminating in 2009), but may be renewed. If renewed, a new chair will be appointed from the current membership of the Working Group.
Communication
The Working Group will carry out its charge primarily via electronic mail, regular mail, and conference calls. It will meet at the Annual Conference, and, with extramural funding, will meet as necessary. |
Support Statement: EAC is a prototype standard based on Extensible Markup Language (XML) for name control and description of record creators: individuals, families, and corporate bodies. EAC is intended as a complementary standard to Encoded Archival Description (EAD). It will allow for a more effective and discrete method to record, exchange, and aggregate information relating to the corporate bodies, families, or individuals who have created archival records and manuscript collections. Creation and support of a working group will ensure that this project is brought to completion in a timely and effective manner.
Moved by Gottlieb, seconded by Williams. PASSED
G. Archival Facilities Guideline
MOTION 10
THAT the SAA Council authorize Tom Wilsted and Michele Pacifico to seek external funding for support of development of a guideline/standard on building archival facilities which, if awarded, will be administered by the SAA staff; and
THAT a report on the results of their effort be presented to the Council by March 31, 2007.
Support Statement: Although there are various standards resources that records professionals can consult with regard to fire protection, air conditioning, and construction, for example, there is no single resource that can be consulted with regard to archival storage. Standards for archival facilities exist in other countries, but such does not exist in the United States. The proposed guideline fills a gap in the professional literature.
Moved by Gottlieb, seconded by Williams. PASSED (with Hankins abstaining).
H. Council Handbook Updates
MOTION 11
THAT the SAA President appoint a task force of Council representatives and at least one SAA staff representative to review the Council Handbook in its entirety to identify sections that should be added or revised, and that the SAA executive director hire a professional editor to work with the task force. The editor will make revisions to the text based on input from the task force, and will review the handbook for inconsistencies in content or opportunities to improve clarity and style. The task force will review and approve the final edit, and the revised text will be presented to the Council upon completion. The work should be completed by the fall 2007/winter 2008 meeting, with the option of sections being presented to the Council as they are completed. The Council will vote on only those sections on which the task force requests direction, and the document will be adopted as a whole.
Support Statement: A comprehensive revision of the Council Handbook is needed to assist in transparent governance, consistent application of processes, clarity in making appointments to SAA groups, and orientation for new Council members. By assigning a subgroup of the Council to work with an editor to conduct the review, we can combine subject matter expertise with editing expertise in a way that will expedite the process.
Moved by Greene, seconded by Zimmelman. PASSED.
MOTION 12
THAT the three third-year members of the Council be charged with an annual review and editorial update of the Council Handbook, to be completed by January each year. The updates will be limited to edits that reflect changes in practice or that reflect Council votes during the previous year. The Council will be informed of the changes but will not vote on them, although the group may elect to request input from the entire Council on certain changes.
Support Statement: An annual update process is needed to ensure that the Council Handbook stays up to date. The Executive Committee is qualified to handle the review and edit process on a routine basis. By managing future changes this way, Council meetings can remain focused on providing strategic direction to SAA instead of managing the administrative work of the Society.
Moved by Greene, seconded by Miller. PASSED.
The Council meeting was adjourned for the day at 5:00 pm.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3
The Council meeting was re-convened at 8:30 am on Friday, November 3.
VI. DISCUSSION ITEMS
A. Task Force on Dues
(This item was taken out of order and discussed on Thursday, November 2, in order that Russell could lead the discussion.)
MOTION 13
THAT the SAA Council rescind resolutions 3 and 4 of the vote taken on August 1, 2006, related to a proposed dues increase, and
THAT the Task Force on Dues be required to report back to the Council with a draft communication plan in January 2007; and
THAT the SAA Council evaluate the dues levels every year as part of the budget process to ensure adequate funding of the Society’s strategic priorities and operational functions.
Moved by Duffy, seconded by Felker. PASSED (with Primer opposing).
B. Rationale for Delay of Online Public Release of Archival Outlook
Brinati presented the current rationale for embargoing (from nonmembers) online release of Archival Outlook for a short period to ensure its continued value as a member benefit. There was no further discussion.
C. Action Plan for National History Day
Council members reviewed a staff-proposed action plan for SAA’s endorsement of National History Day and agreed that it is complete and achievable.
D. Role of Standards Committee in Standards-Setting Process
At Adkins’s request, Council members briefly discussed SAA’s role (and that of its Standards Committee) in developing standards, guidelines, and best practices. Given the importance of standards to any profession, the group agreed that it would include a more extensive discussion of standards setting in relation to strategic priorities on its next Strategic Planning Agenda.
E. Destruction of Palestinian Archives
SAA member Andrew Hempe had forwarded to Beaumont in September several links to news articles about destruction of the Nablus archives by the Israeli military. Council members discussed Hempe’s request that the Society issue a statement condemning the destruction of the archives. Adkins described the research that she had done to determine the veracity of the news reports, including contacts with SAA member Trudy Peterson, with Corine Wegener of the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield, and with International Council on Archives Executive Director Joan van Albada, who provided information about a July 21 statement on the matter by the International Committee of the Blue Shield.
MOTION 14
THAT the SAA Council adopt, and link to, the July 21 statement by the International Committee of the Blue Shield with no specific reference to the Nablus incident; and
THAT the website link be framed in the context of SAA’s recent endorsement of the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield.
AS AMENDED
THAT SAA forward the ICBS statement to the Israeli Embassy in the United States and to the Palestinian authority, with a letter requesting that they investigate the veracity of stories indicating the destruction of the Nablus archives and expressing SAA’s opposition to the destruction of cultural property, and that a similar letter expressing SAA’s position be sent to the government of Lebanon.
Amendment moved by Duffy, seconded by Hankins. PASSED (with Zimmelman abstaining).
Main Motion moved by Greene, seconded by Williams. PASSED (with Zimmelman abstaining).
F. Award Nominations
Beaumont encouraged Council members to take the lead in stimulating submission of award nominations, as the SAA awards program is one way in which to recognize members’ contributions to the association and to the profession. Council members discussed the additional need for the Awards Committee to be proactive in stimulating nominations. Gottlieb will draft a revised charge for the Awards Committee for consideration by the Executive Committee.
G. Conversation with Beaumont (Executive Session)
VII. COUNCIL BUSINESS
- Review of November 2006 “To-Do” List
- Adjournment
Gottlieb moved and Zimmelman seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. With unanimous consent, the meeting was adjourned at 11:33 am.
MEETING OF THE SAA FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
A meeting of the SAA Special Funds/Foundation Board of Directors was convened on Wednesday, November 1, at 8:30 am in order to hear reports from the President and the Executive Director about the status of Foundation development.
Adkins reported that she had drafted a charge for and made appointments to the SAA Foundation Fundraising Committee, which will be chaired by Carla Summers. Committee members are James Fogerty (Minnesota Historical Society), Robert Bullock (Director, New York State Archives Partnership Trust), Adkins, Beaumont, and one additional member to be named. The committee will establish and implement a framework for raising funds for the SAA Foundation, including key audiences, key messages, and tactics and strategies for fundraising efforts. Summers, Fogerty, and Bullock bring significant fundraising experience to the group.
The work of the Committee will be limited until completion of the legal paperwork establishing the Foundation, which should be by June 2007. The Committee will recommend a communication plan that identifies and ranks potential donors, messages, tactics, and strategies. The Committee will focus its efforts in 2006-2007 on ideas for making the best possible use of the annual fundraising letter that traditionally has been sent from the SAA President at year's end. The group will then consider opportunities to solicit funds during the SAA annual meeting and at other times throughout the year, identify audiences outside of the SAA membership who are prospective donors, and create strategies for soliciting donations from them beginning in 2007-2008. The committee will also consider how to identify and involve fundraising experts in SAA Foundation governance and development. Although the Committee will eventually consider ways in which to develop and implement a planned giving campaign (beginning in 2008-2009), its initial efforts will be limited to solicitation of donations.
Adkins then solicited Board members’ feedback on a series of annual appeal letters that she had drafted. She noted that she and her husband had agreed to donate as much as $5,100 to create a matching fund for all contributions made by SAA Fellows. Board members then discussed and agreed to create a Foundation Board matching fund for all contributions made by other members (ie, non-Fellows).
Beaumont provided an update on the status of the legal paperwork that will complete the transition of the SAA Special Funds to the Society of American Archivists Foundation.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 am.
Approved by the SAA Council and SAA Foundation on January 16, 2007.
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