[Chapters-l] What does it mean to be an ASIS&T chapterina electronicage?

Fri Jun 2 20:52:23 EDT 2006

Hi Everyone,

Amy's point about people being so pressed is a good one. However, there is
no substitute for getting together face to face to share ideas at least once
in awhile. Chapter meetings are chance to get to know your peers better than
by e-mail. Plus, it can be very enriching just to be able to have an event
where one of the members works. People are more inclined to block out the
time, I think, for an in-person event. Plus, chapters are a way for people
to get to know ASIST, and to be involved on a local level. Not everyone can
attend an annual meeting every year.

We all struggle to find leaders and to involve a variety of people in the
business of the chapter. That is an important issue whether the chapter is
virtual or not.

For each chapter there is probably an ideal mix of in-person and virtual
chapter activity. The main electronic meeting-places for my chapter are the
chapter website and impromptu e-mail rings that spring up when we are
planning an activity. One size doesn't fit all. It is best to take a
flexible approach to what the chapters should do. Even having just one or
two get-togethers a year can be a great benefit to members.

Just my two cents.

Penny O'Connor

-----Original Message-----
From: chapters-l-bounces at asis.org [mailto:chapters-l-bounces at asis.org] On
Behalf Of Wallace, Amy
Sent: Friday, June 02, 2006 7:25 PM
To: chapters-l at asis.org
Subject: [Chapters-l] What does it mean to be an ASIS&T chapterina
electronicage?

From: chapters-l-bounces at asis.org on behalf of Andrew Grove
Sent: Fri 6/2/2006 11:10 AM
To: beata_panagopoulos at harvard.edu; chapters-l at asis.org
Subject: RE: [Chapters-l] What does it mean to be an ASIS&T chapterinan
electronic age?

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

    beata_panagopoulos at harvard                                            
    .edu                                                                  
    Sent by:                                                            To
    chapters-l-bounces at asis.or                  chapters-l at asis.org       
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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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