Minutes of a Conference Call of the Society of Rocky Mountain Archivists’ Voting Board Members Regarding the Journal of Western Archives
Held Tuesday, December 15, 2009, 1:00 p.m.
Welcome
President Linda Meyer called to order the conference call at 1:07 p.m. Voting board members attending included Lesley Drayton, Annette Gray, Shaun Hayes, Cliff Hight, Kay Lowell, and Ms. Meyer. Karen Jones and Jay Trask were absent.
Journal of Western Archives Board Position
Ms. Meyer began by outlining proposed board terms that have been discussed among the groups involved in this upcoming journal. As noted in SRMA’s 2008 business meeting, SRMA’s $1,000 annual support for at least three years gives SRMA a position on the editorial board. The organizers of the journal were seeking a three-year initial commitment, but Ms. Meyer asked if two years would work. The organizers were fine with two years, so as Ms. Meyer talks with board candidates she will confirm what length of term will work for them.
Candidates included Jeanne Abrams, Steve Fisher, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Hight, Ann Hunter, and D.C. Thompson. The board agreed that no current SRMA board members or SRMA members currently serving on other editorial boards should be selected as the initial editorial board member. After much discussion of the impressive qualifications of the candidates, Ms. Thompson was selected. Ms. Lowell moved that Ms. Meyer should contact the candidate to determine her ability to make a two- or three-year commitment to the position. Ms. Gray seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Journal of Western Archives Peer Reviewers
Ms. Meyer then directed the board’s attention to the potential peer reviewers. Journal organizers were seeking five candidates from SRMA, and the list included Ms. Abrams, Jessica Colati, Mr. Fisher, Matt Francis, Jody Georgeson, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Hight, Ms. Hunter, Ms. Lowell, Patty Rettig, Mary Elizabeth Ruwell, and Ms. Thompson. Ms. Meyer suggested rotating the list of candidates annually to involve more members. Additionally, Ms. Meyer suggested combining Ms. Colati—who is interested in reviewing articles on digital topics and initiatives—and Ms. Ruwell—who would like to review articles on preservation, management, outreach, and archival education—in one peer reviewer position.
After discussing how to rotate reviewers, Mr. Hight motioned that peer reviewers in the first year include Ms. Abrams, Ms. Colati, Ms. Georgeson, Ms. Hunter, Ms. Rettig, and Ms. Ruwell, that peer reviewers in the second year include Mr. Fisher, Mr. Francis, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Hight, and Ms. Lowell, and that Ms. Meyer would contact the candidates once the journal organizers approved SRMA’s offering. Ms. Gray seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.
Other Board Items
Ms. Meyer then led a short discussion about placing links on SRMA’s website to institutions where SRMA members work. The board concurred it would be appropriate and that Ms. Meyer should pursue this idea further with Cecily North-Carnahan.
Ms. Meyer then asked about how to best use the board forum on SRMA’s website. After a short discussion, it was clear that when a board member posts a new topic to the forum, he or she should email the board about the post.
Finally, Ms. Meyer directed the board’s attention to the recent board forum post by Karen Jones, who stated that a Connecting to Collections (C2C) workshop on the topic of preservation will be held in southern Colorado in the spring, and there is interest in combining this meeting with SRMA’s Spring 2010 meeting. Ms. Drayton and M. Hayes agreed and will begin planning for it.
With no further business, Ms. Meyer adjourned the meeting at 1:51 p.m.
Subsequent email discussions by the board led to a decision to balance the number of male and female reviewers, as well as the number of reviewers from one institution each year, which means the list of reviewers will be rearranged slightly.
Respectfully submitted by Cliff Hight, Secretary.