05/17/2005
SWAG Minutes
SWAG (Southeastern Wisconsin Archivists Group)
Meeting
May 17,
2005
Johnson
Controls
Present: Michael Doylen, Stephanie Williams,
Dennis Larsen, Sr. Carol Marie Haag, Judy Simonson, Ken Wirth, Tim
Cary, Ann McIntyre, Nick Weber, Fr. Wayne Jenkins, Judy Turner, Ellen
Engseth, Dave Herrewig (recorder).
Michael Doylen called the meeting to order. The meeting was devoted to the items on the
Spring Meeting Agenda.
For the initial questions, Ellen asked
about the SWAG mission statement; it is on the website. In
response to Ann’s question, Michael said he’d informed the Library
Council that the LCOMM Archives committee is on hiatus.
Announcement:
Michael announced that on Tuesday, June 7 the SAA is offering a web
seminar at UWM; the topic is Reading Room Security.
Action Items:
Nick said that the website is now up at http://uwp.edu/~webern/swag/swag.htm.
Nick asked for those who were interested in maintaining a newsletter
and several options were discussed. After considerable discussion it was agreed
that he will set up a Yahoo account for our group, which will allow
for postings and be our informal newsletter.
NOTE: Comments on the website should be sent to Nick at webern@uwp.edu. Nick asked that members check their affiliation
listed on the group website. In
addition, Nick and Judy will work to update the membership list and
to ensure that all people listed actually wish to be part of SWAG.
Activities:
Nick asked about activities, now a blank page on the SWAG website.
Michael posed the question whether the group wants to pursue
a directory. There was one
from LCOMM, but it could be out of date now. The group agreed not to pursue one.
The relationship of archivists and records
managers was raised by Nick. Judy
Turner pointed out that the Special Libraries group, which includes
several corporate librarians, is active.
One SWAG member in attendance today, Dennis Larsen, is program
chair for ARMA.
Nick
also suggested that the group could visit each others’ organizations. Michael added that the host could present what
they do, their users and perhaps their top three issues.
Recruiting:
There was discussion
about recruiting new members. Since
the organization does not charge dues, the primary motive is to attract
new people to the organization and expose them to SWAG.
Suggestions were made that each member contact five persons,
and to invite area members of SAA and MAC.
Inviting local students was another suggestion.
Fall
Meeting:
Fr. Wayne Jenkins
volunteered to host the fall meeting at the Priests of the Sacred
Heart, near Highway 100 and Rawson Avenue. The date of Tuesday, November 1
at 1:00 p.m. was
agreed upon. Fr. Wayne will
be speaking to members of his order in India this July about records management and will
inform the group about his experiences.
Dennis Larsen mentioned that the Milwaukee County Records Dept.
is being privatized this summer and he might speak about that topic. Michael suggested that we begin meetings with
each member providing an update on their current archival issues.
UWSAC
Report:
Michael and Nick
reported on two new websites which represent major state initiatives: The University of Wisconsin Digital Collections
is now up at http://uwdc.library.wisc.edu/. The Wisconsin Heritage Online (WHO) Digitization
Program is at http://www.wils.wisc.edu/widigital.
The
NHPRC (National Historical Publications and Records Commission) is
facing extinction as the Bush Administration has zeroed out the entire
program for the next fiscal year.
Wisconsin has received $11 million in NHPRC grants since
1978. SWAG will send a letter
urging continuance of the program, and urges individual members to
do the same.
The
theme for Archives Week (October 16-22) is Wisconsin Women. Information can be accessed at http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/archivesweek.
The
meeting was adjourned, and some members took the opportunity to join
Ken Wirth and visit the Johnson Controls archives.
