RSS Board Meeting I
Saturday, June 26
10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Mayflower Renaissance-Pennsylvania
Present:
Marjorie Schreiber Lear (Secretary, Services to Spanish Speaking), Daniel Hickey (Education &
Professional Development in Reference), Liane Taylor (Incoming Vice Chair, Research &
Statistics, Representative to RUSA Membership), Alica White (Cooperative Reference
Services), Joseph Thompson (Incoming Chair), Barb Mann (Chair), Sarah J. Hammill (Memberat-large), Cindy Levine (RSS Review Editor), Kornelia Tancheva (Evaluation of Reference and
User Services), Pat Randle (Services to Adults), Susan Ware (Liaison to RUSA Standards &
Guidelines), Danielle Colbert-Lewis (Ethical & Legal Issues DG), Nancy Bunker (Ethical & Legal
Issues DG), Kate Silton (PR & Marketing, Scheduler), Irmin Allner (Filling in for Steven Vest,
RUSA-RSS User Education & Information Literacy), Emilie Smart (Outgoing Management of
Reference), Ed Garcia (Incoming Marketing & PR), William Weare (Incoming Management of
Reference), Virginia Cole (Web Advisory), Qiana Johnson (Research & Statistics), Judy Solberg
(Past Chair), Steve Ostrem (Catalog Use), Don Boozer (Virtual Reference)
Introductions
New Chair Orientation - Joe Thompson, RSS Vice Chair
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See separate document, RSS_Chair_Orientation_June_2010.pdf for complete
information shared on chairing an RSS committee (posted on ALA Connect)
All committee chairs should attend the second RSS board meeting, to be held virtually
this year on July 8 - More information will be sent via listserv
Joe proposes holding bi-monthly web meetings throughout the year
Please post committee meeting minutes to ALA Connect, and make them public
(Meeting Highlights Form was used in the past to share committee updates, but is no
longer available - If this form returns to use, information will be announced on the
listserv)
Announcement/Updates
● State of the section / ALA attendance and the economy
○ RSS continues to succeed as a section, and has actually grown
○ RSS is RUSA’s largest section as of May 2010
● Committee action items/updates
○ ERUS still waiting to hear whether program has been approved (Kornelia
Tancheva)
RSS E-Participation (Barb Mann)
Barb provided information about virtual participation in RSS, including:
● RUSA E-Participation Task Force Final Report (http://connect.ala.org/node/101938)
● Overview of results from RSS E-Participation Survey
(http://connect.ala.org/node/102828)
● An increased number of section members can't afford to come to Midwinter, evidenced
by the survey and by the presence of fewer people at committee meetings, due to
furloughs, limited travel budgets and the need to make choices about which professional
development opportunities to attend
Discussion of shifting to a virtual Midwinter followed, with the following points made:
● Status of other sections: BRASS successfully held Midwinter virtually, but CODES &
History sections express an ongoing need to meet in person
● RSS board meeting will be held online using Wimba Classroom - All participants need is
microphone & headphones or a telephone; everything will be recorded
● Open meeting policy: We need to advertise that we are holding an online meeting at
least ten days prior to meeting (post note in ALA Connect, and also send message to
RSS-L and RUSA-L)
● Considerations for “hybrid” participation: If committees are meeting face-to-face and
some members want to attend virtually, wireless connectivity and other technology
support becomes more important at actual meetings - Discussion followed on whether
we can use committees’ budgeted money for wifi, if meetings held outside convention
center
● Technology needs for virtual participation? FREE options (Skype up to seven
participants)
● Benefits of face-to-face meetings: Attention focused on ALA when attending a
conference, virtual meetings can be difficult for folks who don't have offices
● Important that section not schedule virtual meetings for the same time as actual
meetings at conference, as some people are involved in other divisions and would need
to make a choice between virtual RSS meeting and being in person at the SAME
conference
● How does our discussion relate to what's happening with ALA as a whole? Joe
Thompson: Midwinter generates a lot of revenue for ALA, and there is some
nervousness about going completely virtual
● We will still meet face-to-face once a year at ALA Annual
● Case study of successful virtual participation shared by Liane Taylor: Research and
Statistics committee met over the phone and completed most work through email; RUSA
Membership conducted almost all business virtually and cancelled both meetings at
annual because they had gotten all of their work done already
Straw vote held on how to proceed with Midwinter 2011 (Sarah called to vote, Marjorie
seconded)
● Keep things as is (require attendance) - approve 0, oppose 22, abstain 1
● Fully virtual participation (members not expected to attend - not applicable to Discussion
Groups, just committees) - approve 20, oppose 0, abstain 4
● Section needs to establish best practices quickly, in order to succeed with decision
● Task Force could be established to establish guidelines and support for committees,
including determine how to proceed with a potential hybrid approach (dealing with
technology needs, registration fee considerations for those not in-person, documentation
of meeting work, etc.)
Executive Committee voted on whether to recommend piloting Midwinter 2011 as an online
conference for the section (approve 4, abstain 1) - RUSA will make a final decision
Strategic Planning
To be discussed at July 8 meeting, with the following document as a guide:
● Section Review (http://connect.ala.org/node/102924)
Meeting adjourned at 12:00pm
Minutes respectfully submitted by Marjorie Schreiber Lear, RSS Secretary