23:2 (2008:06) Committee Annual Report: Newsletter

May 27, 2008 at 5:57 pm | Posted in Committee Annual Reports, Newsletter | Leave a comment

NEWSLETTER
Kathryn Wesley, Editor-in-chief

Newsletter Editorial Board: Kurt Blythe, columns editor (University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill), Susan Davis, profiles editor (University at Buffalo), Jennifer Duncan, blog editor (Utah State University), Lillian DeBlois, conference/calendar editor (Arizona Health Sciences Library), Sharon Heminger, PDF editor (JSTOR), Kathy Kobyljanec, copy editor (John Carroll University), Kathryn Wesley, editor-in-chief (Clemson University), Naomi Young, submissions editor (University of Florida).
Board liaison: Char Simser (Kansas State University)

May 5, 2008

COMPLETED ACTIVITIES
Production Schedule 2007/08
May 2007 issue (22:2)
Blog postings completed May 22. PDF published August 28. This issue included most of the committee annual reports for 2006/07.

September 2007 issue (22:3)
Blog postings began June 10, were completed September 9. PDF published November 20. This issue included conference reports, the remainder of committee annual reports, board and committee rosters and the results of the site selection survey.

December 2007 issue (22:4)
Blog postings began October 2, were completed December 2. PDF published February 4. This issue included our first guest editorial, an announcement of the tech plan implementation and the first list of donors.

March 2008 issue (23:1)
Blog postings completed March 14. This issue includes the new website preview and the article announcing organizational memberships.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

• New features implemented 2007/08
• Guest editorials by members, beginning with December 2007 issue
• Thanks to our donors, beginning with December 2007 issue
• New column of citations of member publications, beginning with June 2008 issue; thanks to Lisa Blackwell for this idea
• Liaison relationship established with ALCTS Newsletter Online via Virginia Taffurelli of the Continuing Education Committee to share information on upcoming events of mutual interest
• Editors of UKSG Serials e-News contacted to solicit guest editorials

PERSONNEL
Jennifer Duncan joined the Newsletter as blog editor. This was a newly established position. Kathy Kobyljanec will remain as copy editor.

CONTINUING ACTIVITIES
March 2008 issue (23:1)
The March PDF is in the final stages of editing. Publication will be delayed until after the public launch of the new website May 23 to enable linking to the permanent homes of the new strategic plan documents.

June 2008 issue (23:2)
Blog postings began April 9 and should wrap up before the conference starts. The June PDF will be published after the conference.

Presidents’ experience piece
An article on the experiences of recent NASIG presidents regarding the demands and requirements of the office is in the works. It will be published before the next round of nominations, either in the June issue or as an early summer posting for the September issue.

ACTIVITIES SUPPORTING THE STRATEGIC PLAN
As one of NASIG’s primary avenues of communication, the Newsletter supports strategic goal #2 (Stimulate conversation among the serials information community). Specific activities this year supported goal #1 (Attract and strengthen involvement in NASIG of all members of the serials information community). These included items on volunteering, organizational membership, and the petition process.

BUDGET
I requested $500 in the 2007/08 budget for the design of a new logo. A few weeks into the process of the design of the new website, I realized that it would be better to delay a new Newsletter logo until after the new website is functional. The $500 will not be spent this year, and I will request it again in the 2008/09 budget.

STATISTICS OF INTEREST
Total blog views as of May 5 are 36,439.

QUESTION FOR THE BOARD
Since Virginia Taffurelli will be moving from CEC to the board, where will the liaison relationship with ALCTS Newsletter Online reside?

OTHER
Thanks to all on the Newsletter Editorial Board and our liaison Char Simser.