Archives and Libraries Section Meeting

Archives and Libraries section meeting

October 15, 2010

In attendance:

Doug Boyd (University of Kentucky), John Cash (Independent), Maryna Chernyavska (University of Alberta), Sara Dockery (Western Kentucky University), Lani Herrmann (Independent), Jason Jackson (Indiana University), Terri Jordan (Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History), Rebecca Karr, visitor (University of Wisconsin, Madison)

Cathy Kerst (American Folklife Center, Library of Congress), Mary Koegel (Independent), Virginia Luehrsen (University of Texas, Austin), Alisha Martin (Kentucky Folklife Program), Nan McEntire (Indiana State University), Maurice Mengel (University of Cologne), Marcia Segal (American Folklife Center, Library of Congress)

Moira Smith (Indiana University), Michael Taft (American Folklife Center, Library of Congress), Kay Turner (Brooklyn Arts Council), Kristi Young (Brigham Young University), Cathy Kerst (American Folklife Center, Library of Congress), Randy Williams (Utah State University; section chair)

I.Review and approval of the 2009 section minutes

II.Financial report

$3677.00Balance, excluding the Louisville digitization workshop (2009-9-1)

+$ 840.00Revenue (Louisville workshop)

+$ 545.00FY10 revenue ($475 membership and $60 Boise workshops*)

-$ 500.00FY10 expenses (Grimshaw Prize)

$4562.00Ending balance, as of September 1, 2010

* Tim Lloyd is looking into the reason why this amount is so low.

III.Welcome (delayed until more people had joined the meeting).

At Randy’s invitation, people introduced themselves and gave a brief description

of their work.

IV.Committee reports

A.Prize committee

1.Randy thanked those members cycling off: Andy Kolovos, Michael Taft and herself. Michael announced that the recipient of the 2010

Brenda McCallum Prize is Brent Burgin, Archivist for the University of South

Carolina Lancaster Native American Studies Archive and Native American

Studies Program, for the development of their archive. Michael gave his

report; it appears here in full:

“The American Folklore Society’s Archives and Libraries Section is happy to announce that the 2010 Brenda McCallum Prize is awarded to Brent Burgin, Archivist for the University of South Carolina Lancaster Native American Studies Archive and Native American Studies Program, for the development of their archive. Mr. Bergin was instrumental in the creation of the archive’s finding aid, the digital gallery of Catawba Nation images and the development of the Georgia Harris online exhibit. Mr. Burgin was nominated by Professor Stephen Criswell, Director of Native American Studies at USC Lancaster.

“Working with noted Catawba scholar Thomas Blumer and local Native American communities, Mr. Burgin worked to acquire and build the archive. “The archive,” notes Burgin “is designed to promote a better understanding of local and state Native American history and culture and will support the new USCL Native American Studies program."

“The prize is given for exceptional work dealing with folklife archives or the collection, organization and management of ethnographic materials. The Prize committee feels that Mr. Burgin expertly created a finding aid and digital collection of important Native American ethnographic materials that supports academic teaching and community history and folk heritage.”

2.Election of members for new terms: Kelly volunteered (before meeting) to be chair for coming year, and she and Jodi Perkins will continue. One or two new members therefore were needed: Rebecca Karr volunteered to be on committee, and Mary Koegel also volunteered to serve on the committee; it was moved, seconded, and accepted that they (with Kelly and Jodi) would comprise the new prize committee

B.Web site

1.Randy reported on the new AFS web site. The site is now up and available. In a nutshell, we are not using Drupal, but instead yourmembership.com is the host site, with a simplified version of html and php. It looks like Facebook interface. Users can add profile information, and each member has chance to create and edit profiles. Randy recommended that members try it out. At present, permissions to change other information remains with Tim and Lorraine, but Randy thinks the sitting committee for the web site should have these permissions as well. [Since the meeting, Randy found out that all members can make changes, but hopes that only the section chair or prize committee members will do so; in an effort to keep things consistent. However, if any section member notes an error or would like to suggest a change, they should please do so to the section chair.)

2.Drupal: At the 2009 section meeting an Internet Architecture Group was formed to make a plan for the section’s web presence. Although, AFS has gone another route with the website, Rebecca Karr read the letter written by Janet Gilmore (not in attendance) who was chair of the group. The letter explains the groups work.Please note, much of the information in the letter is now out of date, as the website is fully functional and updated. Members of the Internet Architecture Group 2010 are Janet Gilmore, Nicki Saylor, Kristi Bell, Guha Shankar, and John Fenn. Cathy Kerst added comments (at the end of the letter). The text was not read in the meeting, but summarized, and appears below in full:

AFS has not moved forward as rapidly as hoped with the conversion of Section web pages to Drupal, the proposed new “do-it-yourself” content entry format.

The A&L Internet Architecture Group was organized at AFS 2009 to become informed about the upcoming Drupal format. Because of the AFS slowdown, instead Janet and Nicki tried to set up a review of the existing Section website content and format. Nicki set up a participatory Google Docs site to review the currentsection web page content and make adjustments or comments for submission to the Section for further review. We did not make headway due to numerous scheduling and communication issues among members this year, but did map out the Section website organization and needs for updates. See list below, also synopsis of Cathy Kerst’s suggestions for additional content.

Meanwhile, project assistant Carrie Roy learned to work with Drupal over Spring-Summer 2010 while redesigning the UW-Madison Folklore Program website. She set up the site and afforded variable types of access, so individuals can update personal information, but only a designated few can update the Program’s content. We found that Drupal does not back up information we put up on the site, so we need to maintain a repository of updated files or we can lose them (as we did early on, and had to reconstruct all updates). While the formatting commands are pretty standard, they are more limited, and sometimes the website techie needs to make adjustments in what individuals post. But basically it is much easier for individuals (in our case, Section members) to update content themselves, and with regularity.

Pending AFS activation of the A&L Section website, a few designated hitters could begin updating existing content to be ready to post. Some of these are probably the likeliest—officers and heads of committees—while it would be helpful to designate a website coordinator to make sure that updates get made, and saved elsewhere, with regularity. Others could work on considering (new) types of features/units to be represented (like Cathy Kerst).

TIM LLOYD’S 2009 UPDATE: Re: AFS Section website conversions, paraphrased: AFS web specialists will first move existing section pages into the new Drupal format, making decisions about design and functionality. The second step will be some kind of user-education so that section members can learn how to manipulate content on the section pages.

Our (A&L Section’s) first concerns seem to me (JCG) to be: 1.) manipulating the content that's already on the site; 2.) deciding on what CONTENT and what FEATURES we'd like to retain, modify, or add; and 3.) presenting options to our membership about who will have login access to update and modify content--and there could be several access levels depending on the feature--membership directories and profiles, for example, could be self-serve, whereas content like what's already on the web pages might have only a couple of annually changing updaters, etc.

Here are the present A&L Section website page breakdowns with last content updates and authors indicated:

Section Main Page

Statement of Goals (updated 1/1/2001, web page updated 4/6/2001)

Listserv sign up info (has a different title: A & L Internet Discussion Group) (updated 4/6/2001)

Prizes: McCallum & Grimshaw (updated as of 2007 McCallum Prize, c. Spring 2008)

Meeting Minutes & Reports (updated 3/16/2006, but there are links to minutes only for 1999, 2000, and 2005)

Contact Info (these include M Taft as convener and M Segal as McCallum Prize contact)

Links (interesting; could no doubt be updated)

and then returns to AFS Sections Main Page and AFS Home Page

Updates are needed for many of these categories. Updates for some will need section subcommittees to deliberate over. Seems like the side bar could be streamlined. What do we add to accommodate some of the suggestions such as pdfs of syllabi; links to current events; a directory of member profiles; a blog?

CATHY KERST’S WEBSITE ADDITION SUGGESTIONS:

--syllabi having to with ethnographic and ethnomusicological archival work

--small list of conferences pertaining to archival work. such as IASA-- International Association of Sound and Audio-Visual Archives--which brings together a wide swath of folks working in archives, from big radio archives (Deutsche Welle, BBC, etc.), to big national archives (Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, British Library, etc.) to small and large ethnographic archives (Vienna Phonogrammarkiv, ILAM in S. Africa, plus very small ethnographic research archives from many places in Asia and Africa). This group usually meets in exotic places (Barcelona, Athens, Sidney); IASA will be coming to Philadelphia from Nov. 1-6 in 2010.

--Letting our folklore archival colleagues know about such conferences plus maybe even proposing a session--could be done through the Section [website].

[end report]

Randy summarized by saying that Drupal doesn’t automatically update anything. AFS has not moved forward as rapidly as hoped.

Update: the new web site is live. As of now, prize information is updated to the present committee, and will include Michael Taft’s citation on the prize. We have a nice web interface, and now we need to do our web profiles. Let’s have the Drupal committee have the rights to access that. Members have the right to access the commons area.

Rebecca asked if the site has screen caps; Randy did not know. Jason said he would take the question to Tim Lloyd and the board. It might take a year [to do what?] Every new member will need to learn how to use the site. Randy reminded those present that the site has an element of Facebook to it, with levels of security. Lorraine says that if you open it to everybody, you will get notified (but Moira says you can turn that off). Lorraine added that previous plans for a site would neither be easy nor straightforward. Randy said the next thing to come out on listserv will be the minutes. The present members of the committee are not present in the meeting today People should learn to navigate the site to learn about the information of central interest and concern to all.

VI.Section-sponsored events

A.Nashville

1.Kristi Young reported that students have been participating in a project for three semesters. They have short presentations tomorrow night at 8 p.m., and will spend the rest of time answering questions. Kristi said that it was a great opportunity for students to get real-life experience. Randy noted that Kristi got funding for the students to come here to Nashville.

2.Marcia Segal and Doug Boyd reported on the digital preservation workshop given on Wednesday. For the last few years we’ve been teaching people to use the equipment, what to buy etc., but now there is a buy-in. Digital preservation as an issue has now exploded. In some ways the digital preservation workshop could reflect this interest, especially in digital video, which could be a day-long workshop. Woman to my left – at the graduate student session it was apparent that most of those who attended don’t have an archives or libraries background, and when preservation was mentioned, they were very interested regarding hands-on practice, although it doesn’t appear in the curriculum. There is a call for going that route. People are intimidated by the digital component. A workshop could simplify that. Mary mentioned there are a lot of ideas to compile on these matters. When she was a graduate student in folklore she didn’t realize these resources were out there. She stressed the importance of collaboration with other organizations, and also that we think about what’s on the new web site. Kristi mentioned that if we could partner in some way with SAA to come up with continuing education with it would make a difference. Doug suggested we introduce a component of portability to the workshops; he has been working with Andy Kolovos, John Fenn, and Marcia on the recording workshop. We won’t have the budget to take it on the road, and he doesn’t like a canned workshop online; a live scenario would be better. We could do a webcast a couple of times a year, with an interactive component, and at some point spread it out. Perhaps it would be possible to have a live webcast, doing one on video, one on audio, etc., so they aren’t crammed in. Woman next to Mary and Rebecca – if there is a portable video cast that would be great, and it would help to let people know that AFS is there for them. Person next to randy[?] has been hosting AAM webinars, where people can send in questions via chat. Doug – Theresa Hollingsworth did a virtual FITS [Folklorists in the South] conference. He did a two-hour webcast presentation on preservation of folklife materials. Kristi mentioned that she attended that but it would have been nice to have two sessions. Doug agreed that breaking it up would help. Woman two down from Doug said that if there were short-term consultancies these would be useful. A lot of folklorists in New York state have a roundtable meeting annually. There are people at different levels; some people feel a little anxious, and where the anxious are the market exists. She builds archiving consultancy into all her grants because she cannot take it on. This particular project on which she’s working is so big she’d rather hire a sympathetic folklorist. Randy summed up by saying we need to further the discussion, and then open it to discussion on the listserv, where we can work on coming up with a plan.

B.Bloomington meeting (2011)

Randy discussed the possibility of sponsoring sessions; Andy had volunteered to

participate in workshops; she asked if anybody had any ideas. Mary spoke about yesterday’s panel sponsored by this section; there had been a really good reaction to what turned out as a forum—good idea to continue something along those lines—people of all backgrounds had stories about their backgrounds. Jason said that next year’s meeting theme is being circulated earlier than usual. Informal emphases are woven in, and there is a presumption that there will be a lot of history of the panels. There could be a lineup of a history of the field programs, and this section could do something as part of it. There is a higher than usual expectation that there will be work done on history of field.

Randy – the January issue of JAF [Journal of American Folklore] will highlight and appraise the history of folklore history since 1888. John McDowell will edit the issue. Sections should consider a contribution to it (according to an email from Tim that Randy read in part). Moira suggested that plenty of people here could do something on how to do archival research, and the location of research on the history of folkloristics. Jason stated that, on behalf of host committee in Indiana, the university will be a rich place to work with materials at hand. Moira would be good contact person. Person to Randy’s left suggested that neutrality and the lack thereof in archives might be interesting. Randy said that at this point we need to use the listserv for section-sponsored event ideas. Mary Koegel could be the champion for this idea, and Doug and Marcia will take workshop development to the listserv. Doug said that the IMLS grant will coalesce about them, and about folklife opportunities in the digital age. It might be nice way to do section-sponsored presentation.

VII.Section forms/information on the web

Randy: we have discussed in the past about materials that we have generated as members that could go on the wiki. [More notes seem to be missing here.]

VIII.Archive projects

A.Open Folklore Project update - Moira Smith reported that the site went live two days ago. We need to consider what’s next. Projects aren’t expensive but not free either. They are archiving selected web resources in folklore.Three sites are up for tests. While it has to be selective on some grounds, members can help to decide what sites to do next. There are methods and criteria for selection. Randy asked how people should provide feedback. Jason described the process, and suggested people check out news items on archiveology.The process for sharing a comment is shown on that site. There is a tension between ease and content.There is a “contact us” list, plus Facebook and Twitter presences.People can contact Jason or Moira.He shares Moira’s hope this group can provide more guidance and take care of endangered resources.The community arts network site was captured just before the site went down and it was preserveduntil they can get the site back up. Moira concluded by saying that the current crawl has yet to be determined.