Operating Practices

Section Leaders

Section Newsletters

Preservation Websites

Selected Readings

SAA Home Page

Introduction
This document reflects the operating practices of the Preservation Section. It includes an explanation of the Section structure and discusses the charges and responsibilities of the Section committees. It is not intended to serve as Section bylaws and may be revised from time to time, as practices and priorities change.

Section Structure
The Section has two elected officers, the Chair and Vice Chair/Chair Elect. In addition, there are five standing committees: Education, Nominating (the chair of which is the immediate Past Section Chair), Outreach, Program, and Publications. The elected officers, committee chairs and two elected members-at-large comprise the Steering Committee. If there is an SAA Preservation Officer at headquarters, (s)he serves as an ex-officio member of the Steering Committee.

Election and Responsibilities of Section Officers

Chair
The Vice-Chair/Chair Elect assumes the position of chair after serving one year in the Vice Chair/Chair Elect position. The Chair's term is one year. The responsibilities of the Chair are as follows:

• Appoint committee chairs, and appoint committee members in consultation with the committee chair, with the exception of the Nominating Committee. Members of the Nominating Committee are elected by the Section membership.
• Monitor the work of the Section's committees.
• Provide material for the newsletter, including regular columns and progress reports.
• Ensure that the Section's three-year plan is updated, as required by SAA, and monitor ongoing progress toward meeting the Section's goals and objectives.
• Convene the Steering Committee annually and consult with the Steering Committee at other times, as needed.
• Preside over the Section Business meeting at the SAA annual meeting.
• Provide final written approval for new Section projects and the dissemination of project-related publications, reports, and other products, after these are reviewed and approved by the Steering Committee.

Vice Chair
The Vice Chair is elected as the Vice Chair/Chair Elect by the membership through a mail ballot and holds the position for one year. The responsibilities of the Vice Chair are as follows:

• Assist the Chair in carrying out the work of the Section.
• Preside over the Section business meeting at the SAA annual meeting in the absence of the Chair.
• Prepare minutes of the Section business meeting and Steering Committee meetings, and submit these to the newsletter editor after review by the Chair.
• Assist newsletter editor in soliciting material for Infinity.

Immediate Past Chair
The immediate past Chair serves on the Steering Committee for a one year term. The responsibilities of the immediate past Chair are as follows:

• Serve as Chair of the Nominating Committee.
• Assist the Section Chair, as requested.

Members-at Large
The two members-at-large serve staggered two-year terms and are elected by the Section membership through a mail ballot. The responsibilities of the members-at-large are as follows:

• Provide additional perspective to the Steering Committee.
• Represent the membership.
• Undertake special tasks as needs arise.
• Provide links to other communities.

Committee Chairs
Committee chairs are appointed by the Section Chair for two-year terms, in a letter of appointment, and may be reappointed for a second term. The responsibilities of the Committee chairs are as follows:

• Recommend to the Chair a minimum of 3 to maximum of 7 Section members to serve as core committee members.
• Seek broad participation of the Section membership in committee activities, both through the use of project-oriented working groups and by eliciting ideas and feedback from the Section membership.
• Maintain liaison and coordination with other Section committees.
• Appoint sub-committees to move forward the work of the overall committee.
• Serve as final decision-maker in the event of a voting tie.
• Submit to the Section Chair bi-annual reports on committee progress and accomplishments, and submit these to the newsletter after review by the Section Chair.
• Hold one formal committee meeting during the SAA annual meeting, and communicate with committee members throughout the year, as needed, in order to maintain progress toward goals.

Steering Committee
The Section Chair, Vice Chair/Chair Elect, Past Chair, Committee Chairs, and members-at-Large serve as members of the Steering Committee. When such a position exists at SAA headquarters, the SAA Preservation Officer serves as an ex-officio Steering Committee member. The responsibilities of the Steering Committee are as follows:

• Provide overall direction to the Section.
• Work with the Section Chair to revise the three-year plan each year.
• Ensure coordination among Section committees and between the Section and SAA as a whole.
• Review the status of Section projects according to established schedule, and review and approve completed work prior to its distribution to Section members.
• Meet at least once annually.

Membership and Practices of Section Committees

Education Committee
Chair: Appointed by the Preservation Section Chair; may be reappointed for a second term.
Members: Up to seven plus chair(s). Appointed annually by the Section Chair on the recommendation of the Committee chair; may be reappointed for a second term.

Charge: Develop educational initiatives (such as workshops) to meet the needs of SAA members, especially those of the Preservation Section membership.

Practices:

• Maintain ongoing awareness of members educational needs, including the use (when warranted) of formal assessment tools.
• Solicit ideas and involvement of other Section members.
• Communicate educational needs to SAA staff.
• Recommend workshops and preconferences for SAA sponsorship, including those not held at the annual meeting.
• Maintain Liaison and coordination with the Section's Program Committee.
• Participate, as appropriate, in the development and teaching or writing of educational programs and publications.
• Maintain liaison with Publications Committee.
• Publicize and hold at least one meeting that is open to Section members at the SAA annual meeting.
• Submit bi-annual progress reports to the Section Chair, for the record and for publication in the newsletter (after review by Section Chair).
• Produce the Publications Fair at the SAA annual meeting, as appropriate.

Nominating Committee
Chair: Immediate Past Chair of Section.
Members: Two members elected by the Section membership through a mail ballot to serve staggered two-year terms.

Charge: Present candidates for Section office, when required.

Practices:

• Solicit nominations at the SAA annual meeting and through the fall newsletter.
• Whenever possible, present two nominees for each vacant position.
• Provide biographical information about each candidate to membership.
• Hold elections by mail ballot (via Infinity when possible), at least one month prior to the SAA annual meeting.
• Announce election results at the Section's annual meeting and in the fall newsletter.
• Regularly brief the Section Chair on the committee's activities.

Outreach Committee
Chair: Appointed by the Preservation Section Chair; may be reappointed for a second term.
Members: Up to seven plus chair(s). Appointed annually by the Section Chair on the recommendation of the Committee chair(s); may be reappointed for a second term.

Charge: Communicate Preservation Section concerns within SAA and with allied professions.

Practices:

• Maintain liaison and coordination with other sections and appropriate groups within SAA to develop and carry out cooperative projects on preservation within SAA.
• Appoint and monitor a liaison network to exchange information of mutual interest with allied organizations, such as AIC, ALA NAGARA, and NIC.
• Compile liaison reports that outline major activities and accomplishments activities and accomplishments of allied organizations and submit these for publication in the summer issue of the newsletter.
• Monitor and bring to the attention of the Steering Committee major concerns and issues on which SAA or Preservation Section action is needed.
• Maintain liaison and coordination with the Education and Program Committees.
• Provide SAA headquarters office with preservation information assistance.
• Publicize and hold at least one meeting that is open to Section members at the SAA annual meeting.
• Submit bi-annual progress reports to the Section Chair, for the record and for publication in the newsletter (after review by Section Chair).

Web Editor
Editor: Appointed by the Preservation Section Chair; Member of the Outreach Committee

Charge: Responsible for editing and updating the SAA Preservation Section website.

The web editor shall be appointed by the Steering Committee for a negotiated term. Terms are encouraged to range from not less than two years to not more than three years. The web editor serves as an ex officio member of the Steering Committee, unless the editor also holds elected membership. In the latter case, the editor shall have all decision privileges of committee members. The editor should not serve concurrently as chair of the section.

Practices:

• Update web to include current steering committee members and appropriate information, issues of Infinity and Selected Readings in Preservation, and any other information deemed important by the Outreach Committee or Steering Committee.
• Negotiates all web matters with the SAA office as appropriate.

Program Committee
Chair: Appointed by the Preservation Section Chair; may be reappointed for a second term.
Members: Up to seven plus chair(s). Appointed annually by the Section Chair on the recommendation of the Committee chair(s); may be reappointed for a second term.

Charge: Develop and submit high quality program proposals for the SAA annual meeting.

Practices:

• Submit, by the SAA annual proposal from each committee member.
• Solicit ideas from and involvement of Section members and members of other SAA units.
• Develop sessions in co-sponsorship with other SAA sections, roundtables, and committees, when feasible.
• Publicize and hold at least one meeting that is open to Section members at the SAA annual meeting.
• Submit bi-annual progress reports to the Section Chair, for the record and for publication in the newsletter (after review by Section Chair).

Publications Committee
Chair: Appointed by the Preservation Section Chair; may be reappointed for a second term.
Members: Up to seven plus chair(s). Appointed annually by the Section Chair on the recommendation of the Committee chair(s); may be reappointed for a second term.

Charge: To develop and produce high quality preservation publications for the membership.

Practices:

• Produce Infinity 2-3 times per year.
• Produce Selected Readings in Preservation annually.
• Produce Preservation Papers as appropriate.
• Maintain coordination with the Education Committee.
• Publicize and hold at least one meeting that is open to Section members at the SAA annual meeting.
• Submit bi-annual progress reports to the Section Chair, for the record and for publication in the newsletter (after review by Section Chair).

Newsletter Editor
Editor: Appointed by the Preservation Section Chair Member of the Publications Committee
Charge: Responsible for editing, publishing, and distributing two/three newsletters per year.

The newsletter editor shall be appointed by the Steering Committee for a negotiated term. Terms are encouraged to range from not less than two years to not more than three years. The newsletter editor serves as an ex officio member of the Steering Committee, unless the editor also holds elected membership. In the latter case, the editor shall have all decision privileges of committee members. The editor should not serve concurrently as chair of the roundtable.

Practices:

• Produce Infinity 2-3 times per year.
• Provide newsletter in electronic format to the web editor to be included on the Section website.
• Negotiates all newsletter matters with the SAA office as appropriate.