SOCIAL MEDIA FORUM
ARCHIVES 360º: 75TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
SOCIETY OF AMERICAN ARCHIVISTS
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Hosted by SAA’s Communications Technology Working Group
WHY ARE WE HERE?

We want your input!

How can communications technology help SAA
communicate better with its members?

Which communication technologies should SAA
use?

How well is SAA currently using communications
technologies?
WHAT ARE WE DOING TODAY?


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Introductions (5 minutes)
Orientation (10 minutes)
Open discussion (1 hour)

Our goal is to conduct an informal SWOT analysis
WHO IS CTWG?


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Rebecca Goldman, Digital Archives Technician at Drexel
University; author of the web comic Derangement & Description
Brad Houston, University Records Officer at the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, home of the SAA Archives
Elizabeth Skene, Curator and Archivist at the Arab American
National Museum
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Eliot Wilczek, University Records Manager in the
Digital Collections and Archives Department at Tufts University
Elizabeth Yakel, Associate Professor in the
School of Information at the University of Michigan
Brian Doyle (Chair), SAA Director of Member & Technical Services
“WHAT IS YOUR QUEST?”
CTWG’s official charge is:
“To investigate, evaluate,
and recommend strategies
for the effective management
of online content created
and/or maintained by the
Society.”
WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY?
SAA’s Strategic Plan includes the following desired
outcome:
“SAA will make increasingly effective use of
current and emerging technology in order to
enhance communication with internal and
external audiences and stimulate collaboration
among its constituents.”
WHAT IS CTWG DOING ABOUT IT?

The SAA Council asked CTWG to conduct
an environmental scan of communication
technologies currently in use by the Society
and assess their effectiveness:

Create an index of existing technologies, projects, and
procedures in use by SAA, by official component groups,
and by ad hoc member groups;

Convene a public forum to present preliminary
findings and solicit input to identify what resources and
capabilities members need.

Compile and disseminate online the information
received.
WHAT IS CTWG GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
This coming fall, CTWG will use your input to:

Analyze functional gaps;

Identify priority areas; and

Submit recommendations to the Council for
consideration at its Winter 2012 meeting.
WHICH TECHNOLOGIES IS SAA ALREADY
USING?
HERE’S A PARTIAL LIST:
Drupal content management system
 Component group microsites
 SAA list server
 Archives & Archivists List
 Student Discussion List
 Component group discussion lists
 SAA Facebook page
 Twitter
 LinkedIn

WHAT’S A SWOT ANALYSIS?
SWOT analysis is a
strategic planning method
used to evaluate the
Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, and Threats
involved in a venture.
It involves:
• Specifying objectives
• Identifying internal and
external factors that are
favorable and unfavorable
to achieve those objectives.
Source: Wikipedia
FROM QUEST TO QUESTIONS…
Restatement of objectives:
1.
2.
Enhance communication with internal and external
audiences.
Stimulate collaboration among SAA constituents.
Discussion questions:

What STRENGTHS in SAA’s communications technologies
help foster a sense of community among constituents?

What WEAKNESSES impede fostering of community?

What OPPORTUNITIES can the Society leverage:
 To enhance communication between
internal and external audiences?
 To stimulate collaboration among constituents?

What THREATS may undermine or decrease the effective
use of communication technology now and in the future?
OPEN DISCUSSION
WHAT’S NEXT?
Continue the conversation online at:
www2.archivists.org/ctwg
 Invite your friends and colleagues to participate.
 CTWG members will analyze feedback, identify
priorities, and draft recommendations for the
SAA Council’s Winter 2012 meeting.
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