Academic Division Moderator Lorelei Tanji called the annual business meeting to order April 6, 1997, at 9:45 am. Co-Moderator Ray Anne Lockard and Column Editor Susan Beelick, were introduced. New Division members stood and introduced themselves. Lorelei reviewed the agenda and asked for volunteers to serve as Division officers. Lynn Underwood (new member from Yale University) will serve as Co-Moderator and Liz Ginno (CSU, Hayward) will be Update Column Editor.
Ray Anne led the discussion on program proposals for the 1998 conference. The theme of the conference, "Visions of the City: Philadelphia in Four Centuries" was addressed by conference program co-chair Iris Snyder.
Lynn Underwood suggested a session on oral histories of artists and how to do them.
Tom Jacoby suggested co-sponsorship of a session on architectural records because of the resources available in Philadelphia, e.g. architectural archives at the University of Pennsylvania and the Athenaeum and access to the Committee on the Preservation of Architectural Records (COPAR) in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
The possibility of co-sponsorship with the Diversity Committee of a pre-conference workshop on cross-cultural communication at service desks and among staff, perhaps with ARL Diversity Officer, Dieta Jones, was suggested. Mimi Hernandez and Janine Henri expressed interest. Another thought arising from the Diversity Committee was the issue of cultural and linguistic biases related to the scope of reference works, catalogs, etc.
Barbara Prior was asked to reintroduce her 1996 suggestion of a workshop on basic reference sources for art. The workshop could be held in a library showing standard sources, B. J. Irvine leading, and could discuss the balance between print and electronic sources. RISS might want to co-sponsor. Peter Blank followed up suggesting an emphasis on text sources.
Mary Graham, ARLIS/NA Vice-President, President-Elect and the Division liaison to the board stopped in and reminded everyone of the May 31 proposal deadline. Special funding requests are also needed then. Any membership handbook changes are due to Headquarters June 10. The database of members at Headquarters may provide special lists if we request. Mary is also liaison to Webmaster Ed Teague.
Proposal discussion continued with a suggestion by Linda Kruger and Jean Hines, Co-Moderators of the Decorative Arts Roundtable, that the Division might want to co-sponsor an Ask Arlis or Session on appraising and appraisals, auction catalogs, reference tools supporting research on the value of a person's objects, how appraisers are vetted, etc. It was also suggested that speakers from the Athenaeum would be good for a session on interior design.
B. J. Irvine believes co-sponsorship of a session on art library facilities for the 21st century -- facilities planning -- would be valuable.
Peter Blank introduced the idea of a session on urban visual culture--planning, studies, artists, graffitti.
Susan Craig expressed an "issue for discussion somewhere." She spoke of the demise of the subject specialists and new hires not having a subject focus. Ann Shankland, Ray Reese and Linda Kruger echoed concerns citing combination of branch units requiring specialists to learn new disciplines and indicating that liaison with subject departments could be helpful. Peter Blank emphasized that such a discussion should concern the strategies for helping to alleviate the problem and how to make cases. Mimi Hernandez suggested data from a questionnaire in this regard. Amy Ciccone asserted that even branch heads positions were being merged.
Discussion on the process of proposing and co-sponsorship of the various very fine proposals ensued.
Lorelei moved the agenda to discussion of Strategic Plan issues (appended to the agenda) affecting the Division. She urged the group to identify a focus for this year. Susan Beelick asked for clarification regarding item 44. Ed Teague explained that this is where ARLIS needs to influence the various accrediting bodies regarding their requirements. It was noted that we are already doing item 38, having created our own web page. Regarding item 43, it was questioned whether the Division needed to appoint an individual to meet the requirement stated there. We were advised to direct our concerns to our liaison, Mary Graham. Amy Ciccone stated that the document is meant to be fluid, things will drop off, things will be added. She indicated her concern that the document must be moderated.
Lorelei queried the group about having a Division listserv. The group favors using ARLIS-L.
Ray Anne is ARLIS/NA liaison to CAA. She solicited proposals due early June. Proposers must be CAA members. Regular sessions are 2.5 hours, special sessions 1.5 hours.
Susan Jurist and Ray Anne Lockard will work with Mary Graham regarding the time-lines discussion on ARLIS-L.
The meeting concluded with encouragement to support our Division-sponsored sessions and to communicate proposal ideas on ARLIS-L.
Susan Beelick
California State University, Sacramento Library