Society of Georgia Archivists
Board of Directors’ Meeting
Mercer University Library
1 February 2008

PRESENT:
Morna Gerrard, Jamal Booker, Jill Severn, Reagan Grimsley, Renna Tuten, Abby Griner, Sara Saunders, Christine de Catanzaro, Nancy Davis Bray, Tamara Livingston, Elizabeth Russey, Teresa Burk, Marie Force

CALL TO ORDER:
President Morna Gerrard called the meeting to order at 10:27 a.m.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
The minutes had been distributed by email prior to the meeting. The Board approved the minutes unanimously.

OFFICERS' REPORTS

Treasurer:
Outgoing Treasurer Elizabeth Barr was not present but submitted a written report with a 2007 end-of-year budget, which was presented by Incoming Treasurer Jamal Booker. Total cash on hand was $31,921.07. Income from member dues in 2007 rose: actual $5,800, budget $5,000. Several one-time items increased administration expenses: SGA brochure, mechanical pencils, creation of two new scholarships. Workshop cost increasing: cost $4,172, income $3,260. Annual meeting cost increasing: cost $12,747, income $9,055. Two scholarship accounts were created (Banks Scholarship and Dees Scholarship) with balances of $1,772.20 in each. SGA’s total scholarship funds: $30,972.98.

Barr also submitted a 2008 proposed budget with estimated expenses $26,848 and estimated income $26,880. There were no questions from the Board.

Incoming Treasurer Jamal Booker thanked Elizabeth Barr for her help with the transition.

Jamal Booker motioned to list Morna Gerrard, president; Christine de Catanzaro, vice president/president elect and chair-education committee; and Jamal Booker, treasurer, as signers on all SGA accounts (listed below):

Accounts Ends In
Checking 837
Savings 199
Education 446
Gulley 181
Gracy 173
Weldon 438
Banks 999
Dees 981
Hart 475

Tamara Livingston seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

Jamal Booker motioned to adjust the SGA bank accounts (listed above) to show that SGA is now incorporated. The motion passed unanimously.

Jamal Booker also suggested that the Board consider offering an online payment system for renewing memberships for those who prefer to pay online vs. check. Abbie Griner suggested PayPal online payment system. Morna Gerrard asked Booker to investigate PayPal and then put a proposal to the Board by e-mail.

Archivist:
Archivist Muriel McDowell Jackson was not present but requested by e-mail that anyone with records give them to Laura Botts at Mercer University Library (a previous SGA archivist), who would hold them for Jackson until next week. She also requested that Board members include copies of any meeting handouts with their records.

Administrative Assistant:
Administrative Assistant Frances Overcash was not present but submitted a written report. Current membership for 2008 stands at 116 with 8 new members. Overall 2008 scholarship fund gifts total $687. Membership at the 2007 Annual Meeting was 226. Christine de Catanzaro asked if 116 memberships typical for this time of year, and Jill Severn said it was. Severn also reminded Board members to pay dues if still outstanding.

President:
Outgoing President Jill Severn submitted a written report summarizing her 2007 activities, and thanked everyone for their support last year. Severn reported very uneven response to her collaboration initiative. The Georgia Association of Museums and Galleries was very enthusiastic, but she had no response from Georgia Records Association. Tamara Livingston said that she is on the board of the Atlanta branch of ARMA, and offered to be the contact from that group for collaboration efforts continued by Morna Gerrard.

Incoming President Morna Gerrard submitted a written report, describing her goals for 2008: increase awareness and response to member needs and interests, expand collaboration, build relationships with future archivists, appoint a person to review the online publication Shelter from the Stormy Blast and consider possible recipients for the SGA President’s Award. Gerrard would like to invite a group of interested members to assist with the collaboration initiative as a subcommittee. Jill Severn agreed to participate in the group when it forms.

PUBLICATIONS REPORTS

Provenance:
Editor Reagan Grimsley submitted a written report. Quarterly activities included:

Four board members rotated off the Provenance Board of Editors, effective December 31, 2007: Donnelly Lancaster, Christine de Catanzaro, Constance Schulz and Herb Hartsook.

Susan Hoffius is serving as managing editor through the production of the 2007 issue of Provenance while a new managing editor is found. Grimsley is investigating the possibility of outsourcing the layout and design responsibilities now held by the managing editor.

American History and Life now indexes 1972-1993 and 1996-2006 issues of Provenance.

Grimsley said he will investigate why issues 1994-1995 indexes are missing.

Indexing and full text of Provenance will begin appearing in EBSCO databases in Spring 2008.

Microfilming planned for this year. Grimsley thanked Jill Severn, Jody Tompson and Muriel Jackson who visited the Georgia Archives in Morrow with him to determine exactly what issues needed to be microfilmed.

The 2007 issue is in editing. Printing planned for March 2008.

Morna Gerrard motioned to nominate William Hardesty from Georgia State University as a new Provenance board member. Elizabeth Russey seconded the nomination, and it passed unanimously.

Discussion followed about the problem of acquiring good quality, scholarly submissions for publication in Provenance. Reagan Grimsley said they receive many articles, but turn down one for every one accepted. Also discussed was the continuing perception that Provenance is a Georgia-focused journal, when actually most Provenance content comes from outside the state. Suggestions for consideration:

Hold a SGA Annual Meeting session about how to get published in Provenance.

Promote Provenance at universities to students and faculty members who need to publish. Reagan Grimsley just accepted a position at Auburn teaching archives and is hoping to encourage students to write to publish.

Set up a “Best of Student Papers” contest for cash prize and publication in Provenance.

Advertise for articles in the SGA Newsletter.

Create a marketing campaign: Provenance is more than a Georgia journal.

Minimize the Society of Georgia origination on the cover of Provenance (although Reagan Grimsley noted that SGA only appears on the spine now, but is included in citations).

Discussion concluded that there was no need to set up a committee for promoting Provenance because that work falls under the duties of the Provenance Board of Editors. Morna Gerrard said the SGA Membership Committee is available to help as needed, and volunteered, with Christine de Catanzaro and Jill Severn, to assist in interim until Board of Editors vacancies filled.

Newsletter:
Renna Tuten submitted a written report, which included the following items:

Posted the current issue of the SGA Newsletter 39:4 (Winter 2008) to the SGA website in January.

Looking for someone to write a May Day/Disaster Preparedness article.

Sent letters of renewal to Metal Edge, University Products and Hollinger.

Sent letters of solicitation to ArcaSearch, Archival Methods, Archival Products, Century Archival Products, Conservation Resources, Gaylord, Scene Savers, Talas, the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, East Caroline University, the University of South Carolina, the University of Alabama and Valdosta State University. The deadline for corporations to respond is the end of February. The deadline for universities is March 15 (as letters to them were sent later).

Met with Abby Griner to discuss non-intrusive, yet more prominent placement of advertising in the newsletter. After testing, preferred thumbnail ads with links to advertisers running down one side of the SGA website page.

Renna Tuten agreed to send a link to a sample newsletter page with advertising by e-mail for the Board’s review of the ad placement.

Website:
Website Editor Abby Griner submitted a written report. Griner updated the SGA website to reflect the new year 2008, edited online information about scholarships and posted publication Shelter from the Stormy Blast under a new “Disaster Preparedness” section. There were 1,376 visitors to the website in January 2008. Griner also created a Flickr account for members only to view images of SGA events.

Discussion followed about the need to add more photos on the website to promote SGA as an active, enjoyable group and encourage membership. General agreement that the Flickr account should stay member-only accessible. Abby Griner will encourage SGA members to submit photos to Flickr. Griner will select photos from Flickr and obtain permission to post them on the website.

Listserv:
Listserv Manager Nora Galler was not present but submitted a written report. She made Board and General Listserv member updates as requested by Morna Gerrard and Frances Overcash. Galler requested any committee updates to the Provenance list and/or the Disaster Preparedness Committee to be passed on to her. There were no questions.

Subscriptions Manager:
Subscriptions Manager Jody Thompson was not present but submitted a written report. There were 62 subscribers in 2007, and 50 subscribers to date for 2008, with renewals coming in weekly. Thompson received one claim related to Provenance in January, and 13 renewals. She e-mailed the SGA Newsletter Winter 2008 (39:4) issue to institutional subscribers and subscription vendors, and submitted volume 39, no.1-4 of the SGA Newsletter to the Georgia Tech Dark Archives. There were no questions.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Archives Month Liaison: Georgia Archives Month Co-Chair Sara Saunders was present and submitted a final written report on 2007 Georgia Archives Month (GAM) Committee activities. Thirteen cities participated in various Archives Month activities in October 2007, representing eleven Georgia counties. There were 31 events listed on the activities website, which was viewed 295 times during the month of October.

A total of $4,254 was pledged by The Coca-Cola Company, Digital Library of Georgia, The Georgia Archives, Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board, Georgia Library Association, Georgia Records Association, Metal Edge Inc. Company, Spacesaver/Walter Hopkins Company and SGA. A total of $3,604 was spent, so GLA, GRA and DLG were not asked for their contributions. Leftover $239 and stamps will be held for the 2008 committee.

Discussion followed about Sara Saunders’ recommendation that Georgia Archives Month become a part of SGA. This change will allow SGA to serve as a repository for GAM funds and take financial liability off individual GAM members. General agreement that taking on GAM is not a problem for SGA, because GAM does not plan to compete with SGA for contributions, costs can be cut down in many ways if needed and GAM activities can be a good promotion for SGA.

Christine de Catanzaro motioned that Georgia Archives Month become an entity of SGA. Marie Force seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

Sara Saunders plans to serve as 2008 Georgia Archives Month Chair. She will send an updated Georgia Archives Month Committee job description and manual to President Morna Gerrard for review and posting to the SGA website. Saunders will also coordinate with Treasurer Jamal Booker for accounting matters.

*******Lunch Break*************

Education Committee:
Outgoing Education Committee Chair Christine de Catanzaro submitted a written report summarizing 2007 activities. The Education Committee spent about $500 more than brought in, but that was expected, and the 2008 budget will continue this increase in spending based on the Board’s decision to expand education efforts. She thanked the 2007 Education Committee for their work and Nancy Davis Bray for being 2008 Chair.

Incoming Education Committee Chair Nancy Davis Bray submitted a written report. SGA’s first mini-workshop on January 17, 2008, went well. The Solinet virtual workshop was on “Disaster Preparedness” with Solinet Preservation Services Librarian Kara McClurken instructing 12 registered participates. Tamara Livingston said it was an excellent workshop and the online format was very convenient.

The Education Committee is currently planning the Spring Workshop and Fall Pre-Conference Workshop. Davis presented the results of the workshop handout survey, and asked for Board input and volunteers for workshop hosts.

Discussion followed about 2008 workshops:

Davis reported that an introduction to Archivists’ Toolkit was the first choice according to survey results. Christine de Catanzaro and her Georgia Tech colleagues could host a mini-workshop in the summer based on their experience implementing Archivists’ Toolkit with free location and services.

Davis and Catanzaro will talk further about the possibility of expanding the Georgia Tech workshop into a longer session and cost of doing so.

Another interest was in EAD and MARC records, a workshop topic already being covered by SAA. General agreement to invite SAA to Georgia, and co-sponsor the workshop.

Davis also reported interest in an oral history/audio visual preservation workshop. General agreement from the Board that University of Georgia staff and location were suitable for this topic, and agreed this workshop would be the Pre-Conference Fall 2008 workshop. Jill Severn said UGA workshop location and services would be free.

Elizabeth Russey asked if money set aside for pre-conference workshop could go toward funding the annual meeting speaker. Davis is open to the possibility of transferring funds to the annual meeting budget, but will need to determine the exact amount.

Membership:
Outgoing Membership Committee Chair Morna Gerrard submitted a written report summarizing activities in 2007. The committee spent $823.11 on an updated SGA brochure and give-away mechanical pencils.

Incoming Membership Committee Chair Christine de Catanzaro submitted a written report. She also discussed some ideas for 2008 activities, but reminded the Board that the Membership Committee had not met yet (meeting scheduled for February 8th). Ideas included coordinating happy hour/lunch after ground workshops. A couple committee members from Savannah are interested in hosting local events. De Catanzaro would also like to coordinate with the Education Committee and host a poster session at SGA Annual Meeting.

Some of these activities will require funds, but the Membership Committee currently does not have a budget line. De Catanzaro will coordinate with Treasurer Jamal Booker as needed, and bring any expenses before the Board for approval.

Scholarship:
Scholarship Committee Chair Luciana Spracher was not present but submitted a written report presenting a plan for integrating the Annual Scholarship Auction into the work of the Scholarship Committee. Purpose is to foster communication with the Local Arrangements Committee earlier in the year and spread the work of the auction among multiple members. The plan/proposal was prepared in consultation with Gilbert Head, auctioneer. It outlined roles/tasks to be shared, on-site needed for a successful auction and included a rough timeline.

Elizabeth Russey asked if the scholarship budget should be taken out of the general budget when presented to the Board, saying it was misleading when you look at the bottom line. Sara Saunders agreed and suggested maybe having a bottom line for the general budget, and then placing the scholarship budget underneath it. Morna Gerrard asked Jamal Booker to discuss with Elizabeth Barr.

Nominating:
Outgoing Nominating Committee Chair Valerie Frey was not present. Incoming Nominating Committee Chair Jill Severn presented a written report. Severn drafted a nominations and ballot timetable, an article for the SGA Newsletter alerting members of ways to nominate themselves or others for vacant positions on the Board, and online survey questions where members may submit nominations for Board positions. Severn provided the above items to the Nominating Committee for review. Severn stated that her main goal is to make the SGA elections as inclusive and transparent as possible.

2007 Annual Meeting:
2007 Second Year Director Tamara Livingston submitted a written report. There were 81 attendees at the 2007 Annual Meeting, raising $7,055. Meeting vendors/sponsors were Walter Hopkins, Metal Edge, Hollinger Corporation, Columbus State University Libraries and the Chattahoochee Valley Regional Library System, accounting for sponsorship of $2,750.

Recommendations:
Be sure to have sufficient amount budgeted for printing, signage and publicity (2007 costs: $1,036.97).

Create brochure/mailing templates to ensure continuity and to make sure important details are not omitted.

Hire someone to develop an SGA logo that can be scaled up for posters, used consistently on all SGA mailings

Tamara Livingston also suggested cultivating expanded vendor relations to meet the costs of increased expenses for the annual meetings and workshops. Jill Seven suggested sending a survey by SurveyMonkey to ask members how much they spend on archival supplies and which vendors they use—data collected can be used in soliciting vendors. Livingston said we need a vendor package created to show vendors the value they get in supporting archivists. Discussion concluded that this vendor package could also be beneficial for soliciting advertising for the SGA Newsletter.

Tamara Livingston thanked First Year Director Elizabeth Russey and Local Arrangements Committee Member Reagan Grimsley for their outstanding work on the 2007 Annual Meeting. The Board agreed that it was an excellent meeting.

2007 First Year Director Elizabeth Russey submitted a written report. Total program costs: $12,746.92. Total income: $9.055. The annual meeting cost $3,691 more than the income it received. Large costs include catering and meeting space. The deficit was largely paid by various other sources of the budget, such as membership fees, because the annual meeting is SGA’s biggest educational event and benefit to its members.

Member feedback from the annual meeting was overwhelmingly positive: 53% rated the conference as “a great value,” 46.9% rated the meeting as reasonably priced, 74.2% rated the conference headquarters as excellent. The high quality of the speakers and programming was frequently mentioned as a draw.

Russey gave special thanks to Reagan Grimsley for all his hard work with local arrangements and to the Program and Local Arrangements Committees.

2008 Annual Meeting:
2008 Second Year Director Elizabeth Russey submitted a written report on the 2008 Annual Meeting in Athens. Total budget for space, catering, reception: $9,700. The Classic Center meeting space rental will cost $2,357.10, which will leave $7,342.90 remaining.

Hotels in Athens are a problem for November 6th. Elizabeth Russey is exploring options with hotels and the Classic Center for other meeting dates in October and November, and will e-mail the Board with meeting date possibilities.

2008 First Year Director Teresa Burk submitted a written report. Continuing the trend of bringing in “big name,” out-of-state speakers—especially with SAA’s meeting in San Francisco, there may be lower attendance to SAA from Southeast region. Would also like to continue participation/attendance from neighboring states (Alabama, South Caroline, Tennessee). Planning to have the SGA meeting program set in time to promote at the SAA meeting.

Director duties are realigned for 2008: First Year Director Teresa Burk chairs planning program, Second Year Director Elizabeth Russey chairs planning local arrangements. Burk and Russey suggested making this shift in responsibilities a permanent change. Local arrangements will be the responsibility of the Second Year Director, so earlier planning of local arrangements can happen in year one for board approval of meeting location and earlier/wider distribution of details of the annual meeting.

Russey and Burk will formalize their First and Second Year Directors duties proposal before Russey goes out as director. They plan to present the proposal at the first 2009 Board meeting.


OLD BUSINESS

Online Directory Move from a Database to HTML:
Morna Gerrard reported that the subcommittee is continuing this work.

Collaborative Efforts with Other Archival Organizations / Historical Societies:
Morna Gerrard asked Board members interested in being on this new subcommittee to let her know.

Provenance Back Issues:
Reagan Grimsley stated the problem is replacing loaned back issues to donors. Jill Severn said print-on-demand will only be an option if we have camera-ready artwork or PDF format. Grimsley is going ahead with a ten year run of microfilming: have copies of issues needed to microfilm—in better shape than we thought.

Provenance Managing Editor Vacancy:
Reagan Grimsley reported that one person was interested in the position, but changed their mind. He is now investigating the possibility of outsourcing the layout and design responsibilities (currently held by the managing editor) to the same company that will print the issues. Jill Severn, Reagan Grimsely and Muriel McDowell Jackson are obtaining quotes from at least three printers. Severn asked Board members to let her know if we have a printer to recommend. Grimsely will update the Board on the bid results.

Photo Production and Archiving:
Abby Griner asked whether photos should be sent to Muriel McDowell Jackson for the Georgia Archives or to the Georgia Tech Dark Archives where electronic issues of the SGA Newsletter are stored.

Christine de Catanzaro, Jody Thompson and Abby Griner will investigate and discuss by e-mail: Georgia Tech Dark Archives as the repository for SGA photos. Jill Severn requested that the group also investigate storage of SGA e-mail records at Georgia Tech. Elizabeth Russey requested the group also look at archiving of SGA annual meeting electronic records (speeches, etc.). Morna Gerrard will add this item to the new business for the next Board meeting.

Georgia Archives Month as part of SGA:
This business discussed earlier and a motion passed in favor. See earlier Archives Month Liaison section.

Ex-Member Survey:
Morna Gerrard reporting continuing to work with Membership Committee to re-send a survey to ex-SGA members. Will report once statistics have been compiled.

Annual Meeting Location and Dates:
This business discussed earlier. See the 2008 Annual Meeting section.

Publication Shelter from the Stormy Blast:
Abby Griner reported that an e-mail was sent to the SGA listserv announcing that the publication Shelter from the Stormy Blast: A Guide to Disaster Recovery Resources for Georgia and the Southeast was updated and available in PDF format on the SGA website.

After discussion, the Board agreed that SGA should not take on the work of turning the publication into HTML format. Morna Gerrard will discuss with Valerie Frey. Jill Severn suggested asking SGA members to send disaster “before and after” photos for posting on the SGA website.

Approval of New Officers and Committee Chairs:
Education Committee Chair Nancy Davis Bray was approved by earlier e-mail.


NEW BUSINESS

Approval of Committee/Board Members:
The Board unanimously approved the appointments of the following committee members: Education Committee: Nancy Davis Bray, Amanda Brown, Laura Carroll, Diane Fulkerson, Marvin Goss, Muriel Jackson, Luciana Spracher and Nancy Watkins;

Membership Committee: Bill Hardesty, Caroline Hopkinson, Bridget Lerette, Amanda Mros, Ryan Speer, Lynette Stoudt, Annie Tilden and Renna Tuten;

Scholarship Committee: Chuck Barber, Laura Carter, Gilbert Head, Keith Hebert, Muriel Jackson, Michael Nagy and Luciana Spracher;

Program Committee: Anna Appleman, Paul Crater, Traci Drummond, Nora Lewis, Susan McDonald, Tina Seetoo, Christine Wiseman and Teresa M. Burk;

Replacement Newsletter Editor:
Renna Tuten will advertise in the Spring 2008 issue for someone to fill the position of assistant newsletter editor.

Replacement Administrative Assistant:
Morna Gerrard announced that this is Frances Overcash’s last year as SGA Administrative Assistant. If someone is hired this year, Overcash can train the new assistant. Various Board members noted that moving membership directory to HTML format and using PayPal for registration payment should help make the administrative assistant position easier.

Appointment of Person to Update Shelter from a Stormy Blast:
Morna Gerrard will appoint someone to this position.

Outsourcing Printing and Design of Provenance:
This business discussed earlier. See Provenance under Publications Reports.

Appointment of New Chair for Georgia Archives Month:
Sara Saunders plans to serve as 2008 Georgia Archives Month Chair. She is in discussions with a possible co-chair.

Use of Graphic Designer to Develop SGA Logo/Letterhead and 2008 Annual Meeting Booklet:
Elizabeth Russey and Teresa Burk requested a new budget item of $750 for a graphic designer to design a logo and letterhead for SGA and do the layouts for the 2008 Annual Meeting program (to come out of the general budget). They also requested $1,000 for printing the annual meeting program (to come out of the annual budget). The $1,000 estimate was for printing 300 brochures.

The Board decided to request more bids. Morna Gerrard and Jamal Booker will e-mail Elizabeth Russey with the names of two graphic artists. Russey will request quotes from them and e-mail the Board with bids results and request a quick response from the Board.

Jill Severn suggested getting printer quotes for 500 brochures (to have extras for giving out at SAA Annual Meeting and other venues), as well as quotes for 2-color versus 4-color brochures. Russey will e-mail the Board with results and request quick response from the Board.


ANNOUNCEMENTS
Morna Gerrard is on the Board of the Georgia Archives Institute. They will be adding SGA mechanical pens to attendee goody bags and promoting Provenance at this year’s Georgia Archives Institute.

The next SGA Board meeting will be April 25, 2008.


ADJOURNMENT
There being no other business the meeting was adjourned at 1:36 p.m.




Respectfully submitted on February 12, 2008,
Marie Force
SGA Secretary