[Chapters-l] What does it mean to be an ASIS&T chapter inan electronic age?

Fri Jun 2 14:10:56 EDT 2006

I think the question might be usefully expanded to, "What does it mean to be an ASIS&T Chapter in the 21st Century?"

It's not only technology that has changed so drastically in recent years.  That's only the tip of the iceberg.  A much bigger change has been the pace of life and "workload" (for lack of a better term).  People are having to make hard choices and set priorities.  Perhaps it's time to ask fundamental questions, such as:
1.  What mission(s) do chapters exist to serve? e.g.: networking, current awareness of developments in Information Science and practice, meet ASIS&T and industry leaders, professional organization involvement at local levels.
2.  What goals and objectives can a local chapter realistically set itself or adopt that promote serving the mission?
3.  Who are the people and organizations within scope of a local chapter?
4.  What are the real values of having a "real", not "virtual" chapter?  I can think of several and not all of them can be accomplished with the latest and greatest technology, sometimes the telephone or a walk down the hallway is most suitable.
5.  What are real barriers to accomplishing the mission?

PNW is very dispersed, not only geographically but also technologically.  I doubt that a significant majority, if that, of members could participate in a virtual meeting.  Online doesn't suit all people: it's text-based, not everyone writes or reads quickly or well; writing and reading take more time than speaking person-to-person (how many of us type 135 wpm? more like 40); if 70-80% of communication is "non-verbal", online immediately slashes it by that much.

"What would be missed?" is a good question.  On the flip side, what valuable things are available in a "real" chapter that cannot be obtained any other way?

Regards to all,
Andrew Grove

-----Original Message-----
From: chapters-l-bounces at asis.org [mailto:chapters-l-bounces at asis.org] On Behalf Of beata_panagopoulos at harvard.edu
Sent: Friday, June 02, 2006 10:26 AM
To: chapters-l at asis.org
Subject: Re: [Chapters-l] What does it mean to be an ASIS&T chapter inan electronic age?

Posted to list for Kate McCain by bp
*****************************************

This is a particularly timely topic, since Gene Garfield and Dick Hill have been having discussions about converting the Delaware Valley Chapter into a virtual chapter represented by subscriptions to a listserv. It's hard to know what our members would "miss" since the chapter hasn't been active for more years than I like to think. When the chapter was active, they worked with the student chapter here at Drexel (which has its own ups and downs in terms of active interest) -- and one question I might put is how are the networking opportunities for new people to get involved in the field maintained in a truly virtual setting.

I can't participate in the teleconference because I'll be out of town. BTW
-- I've never been a chapter leader of the DVC but I am the permanent floating advisor to the student chapter and I sign the "permission slips"
for them to join ASIST.

Kate McCain

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    06/02/2006 12:29 PM                                            Subject 
                                                [Chapters-l] What does it  
                                                mean to be an ASIS&T       
                                                chapter in                 
                                                an        electronic age?  

Dear past and present chapter leaders,

In two weeks. the ASIS&T Executive Board will be having a retreat.  One of the possible topics for consideration is "What does it mean to be a chapter in an electronic age?"   Naturally, this will not be a very informed discussion if we don't first have YOUR ideas and feedback.

Amy Wallace has come up with a few more specific questions to get the ball rolling.  Please answer to the list, so we can get a discussion going.  If you have your own questions to add to the mix, that would be great.

We're going to follow up this discussion with a conference call.  The conference call will be limited to 6-8 Chapter Leaders and we still have room for 3 more people.  So, if you're interested in participating in the conference call Tuesday, June 13, 2:30-3:30 p.m. EST.

Here are some questions to consider-

1. What are some successful strategies, technology etc. that are helping bring together people from large geographic areas?

2. How has technology helped your chapter does business more effectively or effieciently?

3. What is the value of the chapter when someone can do online workshops, programs?

4. What is the added value of a chapter when we have online newsletters and publications?

5. What if all the chapters were dismantled?  What would your members miss?

Thanks very much for your valuable participation!

Beata

Beata Panagopoulos
ASIS&T Chapter Assembly Director

Head of Technical Services
Kennedy School of Government Library
Harvard University
79 JFK Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
tel. 617-496-1775
fax 617-495-1972
email: beata_panagopoulos at harvard.edu

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