[Chapters-l] ASIST Chapter Assembly Summer Update

[karen howell]

Dear ASIST Chapter Officers and Members,

I am sending this Summer Update to the asis-l as well as chapters-l listserv, to communicate with as many chapter officers and chapter members as possible.

ASIST Digital Library

The ASIST Thesaurus has now been updated and can be used to index materials to be included in an ASIST Digital Library.  The next step is to work with Wiley on their costs to develop a digital library and thesaurus for the ASIST publications.  Other issues are what content is available to be included in the ASIST Digital Library.

ASIST Web Site Redesign

The ASIST Web design team has completed an analysis of the current ASIST website and a proposal for redesigning the site to offer better navigation and services.  The team will present their report and projected cost estimates to the ASIST Board in late August.

Award Nominations Now Online

You can now submit award nominations electronically, using a modification of the same system (START from smartconf.com) that has worked well for submissions for the ASIST meetings and summits.  ASIST Headquarters has implemented this online system for all ASIST awards.  

Electronic award submissions has greatly eased the work of award nominators, eliminating the need to photocopy, collate, and mail multiple copies of award nomination packages.  Submitting an award nomination is now a matter of going to the electronic submission form and attaching a Word, Excel, Postscript, or PDF file, instead of making a mad dash from the photocopier to the UPS or FedEx office.

Award jurors can view the nominations by logging into a web site, rather than shuffling  through piles of paper.  

The Chapter of the Year Award nominations are due August 31, and you can check out the electronic submission system at http://www.asis.org/awards/chapyear.htm.  Also on that site is a Word template of the checklist/nomination form, which you download and modify as necessary as you create your nomination package.

New ASIST Chapter Membership System – An Update

Many chapter officers have been looking forward to a new online ASIST membership system.  According to Dick Hill, ASIST Executive Director, the new ASIS&T membership system is being tested this summer and they are ironing out problems with importing and converting data from the previous membership system.  

Later this year, chapter officers will be able to test and send feedback about the system to ASIS&T Headquarters. When the system is up and running, chapter officers will be able to get online reports about their membership, and chapter members will be able to enter/correct information online.  These improvements will be a great help in identifying new members and their interests as well as in planning programs.

Important:
Until the new membership system is in place, chapters that need updated chapter membership rosters should request them by by emailing Vanessa Foss at vhay at asis.org.  I suggest that you cc: Dick Hill at rhill at asis.org, Beata Panagopoulos at beata_Panagopoulos at harvard.edu, and Karen Howell at khowell at usc.edu so others are aware of the request and can follow up as needed.

Communication from ASIST Board and Chapter Assembly

Communication is very important to chapter officers and they want to know more about what is being planned or work on.  One good source of information is the ASIST President’s Column, which was inaugurated by the current ASIST President, Samantha Hastings. To read the columns, go to www.asis.org and look for the President’s Corner links listed in the Latest News section.

My goal is to send out quarterly updates.  This message is the Summer update.  The Spring update was sent to the chapters-l listserv, but we discovered that not all chapter officers received the update.

It appears that neither ASIST HQ nor the Chapter Assembly has a complete current list of chapter officers’ names and contact information.  Apparently there are separate sets of information which are not kept in sync, making it difficult to identify the current contact names and information.  The chapters-l listserv has not been coordinated with the chapter membership database or the chapters web page.  

Until the new ASIST membership system is in place, I have asked Beata Panagopoulos and the Chapter Advisors to help me verify current status and info so that we have one reliable way to contact chapter officers.  Once the new membership system is in place, all chapter member and officer information will be kept in one central repository.

In the meantime, I will send the Chapter Assembly quarterly updates to both asis-l and chapters-l.

ASIST Chapter Officers Web Pages – In the Works

I am in the early stages of gathering content for new web pages for ASIST Chapter Officers.  The current ASIST Chapters web page lists officers and contact information, and some of that information.  I expect this information to be updated shortly.  However, I believe there is a need to develop better “institutional memory” about ASIST services for chapter officers. There is uneven knowledge about what can be done and how to get it done.  Some possibilities for Web page content include information about applying for ASIST Chapter Development grant funds, sample grant proposals, using ASIST HQ to process online registrations for chapter programs, and setting up electronic mailing lists through ASIST.  Stay tuned as we will want your ideas and content development skills! 

New Session at ASIST Annual – Chapter Assembly Planning Breakfast

This year I have worked with Dick Hill to schedule more time for ASIST Chapter Assembly during the Annual Meeting, so chapter officers have opportunities to share common concerns and strategies.  In addition to the ASIST Chapter Assembly Business Meeting on Sunday, November 14, from 9-10:30 a.m., I have been able to schedule an all-new Chapter Assembly Planning Breakfast on Tuesday, November 16 from 7:00am to 8:30 am. 

So please do send us your ideas on what you’d like to discuss at the breakfast meeting.  I will be working with the Chapter Advisors and Beata Panagopoulos, the Deputy Director, to organize the planning breakfast and will send out more information as we get closer to the meeting. 

Save These Dates

It’s not too early to mark your calendar for the ASIST Annual Meeting in Providence, Rhode Island, on November 12-17, 2004.  

Sunday, November 14 - 9:00am – 10:30am
Chapter Assembly Business Meeting & Chapter Awards Presentation – Please send your Chapter Assembly Representative, Chapter Chair, and any other chapter members who are attending the Annual Meeting!

Sunday, November 14 - 5:00pm
Leadership Development Program – This program is always very helpful for ASIST leaders such as chapter officers.  I highly recommend attending for tips and great networking with other ASIST members.

Tuesday, November 16 – 7:00am – 8:30am – NEW
Chapter Assembly Planning Breakfast – This year Chapter Assembly is trying a new format, similar to the SIG Planning Sessions.  We are holding a planning session where chapter officers can share similar issues and strategies for recruiting volunteers, organizing programs, and sustaining a healthy chapter.  Officers can brainstorm solutions and learn from each other.  

Tuesday, November 16 – 12noon to 1:00pm
Awards Luncheon – ASIST Awards will be announced at this luncheon, including the ASIST Chapter of the Year Award.  

Tuesday, November 16 – 3:30pm – 5:30pm
ASIST Annual Business Meeting – Come hear the current ASIST President’s Report and the incoming President’s inaugural talk.

And of course, mark your calendar for the plenary session by Tim Berners-Lee, Monday, November 15, 10am to 12 noon.

Conference registration is online at http://www.asis.org/Conferences/AM04/registration.html.

Enjoy your summer, and hope to see you this fall at the ASIST Annual Meeting!

Best regards,

Karen Howell
ASIST Chapter Assembly Director






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Karen Howell
Vice-Chair for Strategic Planning
Committee on Information Services
and
Director, Center for Scholarly Technology
Information Services Division
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA  90089-2571
(213) 740-2033 voice
(213) 740-8460 FAX
khowell at usc.edu