Newsletter Committee Minutes – 2020 September

Follow up to 2020 ALA Annual Meeting, virtual

Friday, September 18, 2020
11:30-12:30 P.M. EST
via Zoom


Attendees

  • Megan Bennett, Farmington Public Library, New Mexico, meganp.bennet@gmail.com (co-chair)
  • Masha Stepanova, Miami University, stepanm@miamioh.edu (co-chair)
  • Deb Raftus, University of Washington, draftus@uw.edu (webmaster)
  • Brian Vetruba, University of Minnesota, bvetruba@umn.edu (Communications and Publications chair)
  • Thomas Keenan, Princeton University, tkeenan@princeton.edu (ESS chair)
  • Marta Deyrup, Seton Hall University, martadeyrup@gmail.com (member)
  • Brendan Nieubuurt, University of Michigan, bnieubuu@umich.edu (member)
  • Anna Rakityanskaya, Harvard University, rakityan@g.harvard.edu (member)

Minutes

I. Welcome and introductions

II. Sections of the Newsletter (editors assigned to sections as follows):

  • Notes from the Chair (Thomas)
  • News (Masha and Brendan)
    • News from the profession
    • News from abroad
    • Awards
    • Acquisitions
    • Grants
    • News from vendors (solicit input from Vendor Relations)
  • Professional opportunities (Marta)
    • Workshops and webinars
    • Calls for submissions
    • Committee openings/service opportunities/how to get involved
  • Feature articles (Megan, Anna, and Brendan)
    • Material culture
    • Featured topics/areas
    • Digital collections
    • Collection highlights
    • Conference reflections
    • Diversity reflected in collections
  • Humor (tentatively assigned to Kathleen Smith and Dick Hacken was suggested, as well)
  • It was suggested that these sections and topics are guides for those who wish to submit content. Not every section will be used every time.

III. Timeline

  • Templates for sections can be worked on before submissions (Deb and her team with input from the committee)
  • First call for submissions will be made during Midwinter meeting
    • Reminders will be resent in February and beginning of March
  • Content due to section editors from public by April
  • Completed sections due to web team by May
  • Completed newsletter before Annual

IV. Web considerations from Deb

  • Create templates for the sections

V. Other considerations

  • The goal for the first year of the new merged newsletter is to produce one issue. Once all templates are in place and the process is established, the committee will review the timeline and will consider producing 2 issues in the following years.

Minutes submitted by Masha Stepanova