2023-08-11 Business Meeting Minutes

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Minutes
WAML Business Meeting
Friday, August 11, 2023

2:45 pm – 4:00 pm PDT / 5:45 pm – 7:00 pm EDT

Call meeting to order: 3:04 pm PDT

Officers in attendance: Jessica Benner (President), Meg Miller (Vice President), Kat Strickland (Past President), Lena Denis (Secretary), Bruce Godfrey (Treasurer)

Approval of minutes from last year’s meeting:

Executive Summary (of Executive Board meetings since July)

  • Committee reviews
    • Web Communication Committee – reformed as Communications Committee (Jessica)
      • Reformed with appointed positions and a few others. Georgia Brown is chairing this year. 
      • Asked to meet a few times each year, probably 3 times around the IB issues, and then give a report to the E Board in February or March each year
      • Idea is that they’re involved in a lot of other business
    • Continuing Education (Kat)
      • Looking to reform to host workshops throughout the year
  • “Successfully ran the first hybrid WAML Conference (Kat).
    • Last fall we sent a survey to the membership about conferences in preparation for our first in-person conference since the Pandemic:
    • Majority wanted hybrid (20/27 responses) and are able to attend in-person conferences (21/27 responses). Fall is still the best time of year for the conference.
    • Here we are! – many thanks to Jessica Benner, Evan Thornberry, and Heather Ross for planning and executing our first hybrid conference.
  • Policies and Procedures (Jessica)
    • Currently reviewing and updating language and procedural changes 
    • Review period and update the website – In the Fall

Officer Reports

Bruce Godfrey (Treasurer)

We are a non-profit corporation incorporated in the state of California.  

To maintain our standing:

Every year we file information with:

  • California Franchise Tax Board
  • IRS 

On even numbered years we file information with: 

  • California Department of State

Income

  • Annual membership
  • Conference registration
  • Conference sponsorship

Expenses

  • Web Hosting
  • Honoraria for Appointed Positions
  • Scholarships
  • IB indexing
  • Conference hosting

Recent Calendar Year Start Balances

  • 1/1/2021 $26,159
  • 1/1/2022 $27,806 
  • 1/1/2023 $27,160

(VP/PE) – nothing to report, look forward to serving in the coming year

(Secretary) – nothing to report, look forward to serving in the coming year

(Past President) – successful elections, nothing else to report besides what’s on the agenda further down

(President) – now that conference has been a success, looking forward to planning an agenda of actions for the year

Appointed Position and Committee Chair Reports

(Archivist) – Andria Olson moved out of this role and Kim Durante has been serving in the interim.

Ilene Raynes (Book and Geospatial Resources Editor) – no report to share

Chrissy Klenke (Information Bulletin Editor) – report given in executive board meeting, resignation letter excerpted here:

In 2018, after I finished my 3-year stint on the WAML Exec Board as the secretary, I volunteered to take on the WAML IB editor position. Now, it has been 5 years and I have enjoyed the role very much. Through the years, it has deepened my connection with WAML and also fulfilled my promotion and tenure requirements for service. I am now promoted (Yay!) and would like to pass it on to anyone who is interested. This position comes with honoraria once a year and takes me between 30 and 50 hours a year (give or take).

I had no clue what I was getting myself when I took on the role but my predecessor, Tom Brittnacher from UCSB made sure I was set up and the transition was painless. He provided amazing documentation about the duties, responsibilities, and timelines that were so helpful when I first began. I will be passing along all the documentation along with my updates. 

The IB editor works with a team of other editors that proves reviews, features, and mapping. You also work with the WAML Secretary and the President for content as well. And you work with the authors who submit and possibly recruit authors as well. However, it is your responsibility to collect, organize and add all the content to the WordPress site. So experience with WordPress is preferred but not required if are willing to learn. I will help this person with the next issue and can be a backup if needed. I will take it on again in the future if needed because I have enjoyed it so much.

Here are some details of the positions taken from the Policies and Procedures page. (I am currently updating the formatting of this page as one of the duties.)

Chrissy’s edits and additional content in [ ]

WAML Policies and Procedures:

Appointed Positions

  • 2.1.c Information Bulletin Editor
    • 2.1.c.1 Responsible for publication of the Information Bulletin (IB), issued three times per year.
    • 2.1.c.2 Solicits submissions of feature articles, photo essays, association business, and selected news and notes [features, reviews, and new mapping] for publication in the Information Bulletin.
    • 2.1.c.3 Works with Information Bulletin editorial staff to coordinate timely receipt of respective sections for publication.
    • 2.1.c.4 Determines [and reviews] the content of each issue based on submitted items for publication.
    • 2.1.c.5 Responsible for assembling each issue’s content on the IB website.
    • 2.1.c.6 Ensures that all content has been successfully and accurately uploaded to the IB website [and sent to membership]
    • 2.1.c.7 Responsible for performing regular maintenance tasks on the IB website, including performing updates as necessary.

Publications

  • 4.1 Information Bulletin
    • 4.1.a The Information Bulletin shall be issued three times a year, in November [Winter], March [Spring], and July [Summer].
    • 4.1.b The Information Bulletin Editor shall maintain a login username and password for the hosting software and can add users as they see fit.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact me. I have asked for an agenda item at the business meeting if anyone has any questions. The next issue is the Winter Issue (Nov/Dec).

Georgia Lee Brown (Features Editor) – no report to share. If you have any news, announcements, exhibits, etc. to be featured, you can send them to browngl@uwm.edu.

Nick Beyelia (Membership Manager) – 

Reporting for this meeting represents membership numbers up to August 2, 2023. These numbers are likely to change in the week before and weeks after the annual conference as there is typically a rush of renewals surrounding this event. An updated accounting of these statistics will be available in 2024 in the mid-year report.

As of August 2, 2023, WAML has a total of 73 members. This includes 61 paid annual memberships (52 renewals, 7 brand new memberships and 2 year-long memberships that were gifted to scholarship recipients).  Eleven members renewed following a lapse in membership last year.

We welcomed a brand new paid lifetime membership in addition to the existing paid lifetime memberships (currently a total of 5) and the honorary memberships (seven) to make a total of 12-lifetime memberships.

90% of members paid via Paypal while 10% paid by check.

Total Memberships Reported

Year           Tot #           Lifetime         New          Scholarship      

2015        73            7h/1pd

2016        93            7h/1pd                                       

2017        91            8h/2pd     11

2018        82            9h/3pd      8

2019        94            9h/4pd      9                   

2020        94            9h/4pd     13                                         

2021            109              8h/4pd         19           2

2022         78                7h/4pd             2             3     

2023           73                7h/5pd             7             2

Amy Work (Social Media Manager) – no report shared. Amy would like to step down and we’ll need a new social media manager. If anyone is interested in this position, talk to Kat.

Kevin Dyke (Web Administrator) – so far in 2023, almost 9,000 visitors to the website, totaling 21,000+ views. We’re on track to replicate and probably exceed our numbers from last year. Goal to work on clarity regarding the renewal process on the website, and to potentially implement an auto-renewal option on the website. (Will discuss with people first before doing this, if we go that way.)

Philip White (Scholarship Committee)

This year the WAML Scholarship Committee consisted of the three recipients from last year—Jo-Ann Wong, Wilsinia Ocasio, Méch Frazier—as  well as returning committee members Nick Beyelia, Susan Powell, and Phil White (chair). With the return to an in-person meeting, the committee decided to return to awarding two scholarships to attend in-person. This year’s scholarship recipients are Neah Ingram-Monteiro and Gabriella Evergreen. The committee received more applications this year than in recent years. As in past years, goal of the WAML Scholarship program is to advance WAML’s efforts toward being a more inclusive organization and to support the professional development of library-workers from diverse backgrounds. Toward this goal, applicants are prompted to respond to an impactful map or GIS project. The recipients then have the opportunity to present on their topic at the WAML meeting during a special scholarship session. Both recipients are attending in-person and we heard from them on Thursday August 10, 2023 during the 2:15 session. Phil is ready to step down as chair and make way for a new committee chair.

Liaison Reports

Kathy Rankin, American Library Association – Map and Geospatial Information Round Table (ALA/MAGIRT)

MAGIRT members toured the Newberry Library at ALA Annual in Chicago, in June 2023. MAGIRT did not host a program at ALA Annual. Nicole Kong was the MAGIRT Honors Award winner. She is Associate Dean for Research at Purdue Libraries, but her liaison duties are GIS, and her research and core work is in teaching GIS and geospatial data discovery and management. Nicole’s GIS and digital spatial data skills were instrumental in MAGIRT’s creation and launch of their Online Guide to US Map Collections. She has led MAGIRT’s GeoTech Committee.

MAGIRT is working on various methods to attract new members. MAGIRT’s officers for 2023-24 are: Tim Kiser, Chairperson; Erin Cheever, Vice-chairperson/chair-elect; Kevin Dyke, Past chairperson; Laura Kane McElfresh, Secretary; and Pete Reehling, Treasurer. ALA Annual is in San Diego next year.

Respectfully submitted,

Katherine Rankin, MAGIRT liaison

daniel Brendle-Moczuk, Association of Canadian Map Libraries and Archives (ACMLA)

CARTO_ACMLA_ACACC held its first in-person conference (since before COVID back in 2019) in conjunction with the Canadian Cartographic Association at the University of Calgary June 14-16, 2023. Attendance was high, schedule packed and the days were busy and full.

Executive continues on as below:

Co_Presidents: Francine Berish, Geospatial Data Librarian, Queen’s University Library and Rene Duplain, GIS Librarian, University of Ottawa Library

with the most recent Past_President being:

Martin Chandler, Data & GIS Services Librarian, Cape Breton University (CBU)

CARTO_ACMLA_ACACC plans to have the next face to face in person and hybrid conference in June2024 in Halifax NS in partnership with IASSIST.

Respectfully submitted,

daniel Brendle-Moczuk, CARTO_ACMLA_ACACC

Geospatial Librarian, University of Victoria, BC, Canada

Chrissy Klenke, GeoScience Information Society (GSIS) – 

GSIS – Geoscience Information Society: https://www.geoinfo.org/

Founded in 1966. GSIS is a member society of American Geoscience Institute (AGI) and an associated society of Geological Society of America (GSA).

“The Geoscience Information Society (GSIS) facilitates the exchange of information in the geosciences through cooperation among scientists, librarians, editors, cartographers, educators, and information professionals”

2023 Annual Meeting

GSIS meets each year in conjunction with the Geological Society of America (GSA) Annual Meeting. The 2023 annual meeting “Connections” is in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania October 15 – 18. Deadline to submit abstracts were July 25th. Conference Website

Typically, there was a track for GSIS member presentations, however, this year presenters are encouraged to present in a track that interests them. The two that members have mentioned are:

  1. T 54 – Great Books in Geology!
  2. T 69 – Disabled and Neurodivergent Perception, Community, and Identity in Geoscience
  3. Other Technical – Topical sessions list HERE

Geoscience Librarianship 101

“Geoscience Librarianship 101” – a full-day introduction to earth science information resources and their organization – will be presented by the Geoscience Information Society (GSIS) [2023 Date TBD, some time in November]. Registration is free and open to all information professionals as well as students in library and information studies.

Webinars

  • GSIS has been busy with lots of webinars Lots of webinars!
  • Future webinars will be posted on the GSIS Webinar page    

Newsletters

Published quarterly

Other News

Let Chrissy know if anyone is interested in attending GSIS/GSA events in the future. She’s unable to attend these.

Vacant, National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC) – Ryan Mattke has just been appointed to NGAC, might be interested in reporting on this to WAML in the future. Laura adds that he already does this information sharing for BTAA members.

Vacant, Special Libraries Association – Geography and Map Section (SLA/G&M)

Is there a potential for a NACIS liaison? Has there been one in the past? – could be that NACIS tends to conflict timing-wise with WAML

Old Business

  • Mike Smith is the New Mapping Editor with Ken’s support. (Kat)
  • Co-hosted a workshop with MAGIRT from Angie’s suggestion at last year’s Business Meeting. (Kat)
    • Joint MAGIRT & WAML workshop – Image analysis in the cloud: Introducing ArcGIS Image
    • Thanks to Kim Plassche (MAGIRT)
  • WAML Physical address. (Jessica)
    • We have been in conversation about getting a physical address for WAML for tax purposes and non-profit status for some time and unfortunately we are still working on it. We need an address in California because that is where the organization is incorporated. We have had some conversations with a potential candidate but we are open to other opportunities. If you are at a University in California that is able to make a commitment to holding a mailbox for WAML between 5-10 years, please let the Board know. 
  • Listserv migration (Evan/Meg)
    • The WAML listserv is currently hosted by Matt Parsons at the University of Washington. It has to be updated manually. 
    • We have a plan to migrate to Google Groups
    • Exploring ways to archive existing list 

New Business

  • Emerging Vacancies (Jessica and Kat)
    • Chrissy Klenke will be stepping down as Information Bulletin Editor 
    • Amy Work will be stepping down as Social Media Manager 
    • The Archivist position is currently vacant
      • Zoe Dilles volunteers! Traditionally has been someone in Branner Library and she will take this on as a new staff member there
    • Scholarship Committee chair
    • If anyone is interested in being on the Communications Committee, tell Georgia
    • If anyone is interested in being on the Continuing Education Committee, tell Kat
    • If anyone is interested in being on the Scholarship Committee, tell Phil
    • If anyone is interested in being the GSIS Liaison, talk to Chrissy
  • Virtual Workshops this year. Do you want to host a workshop this year? Do you want to suggest a workshop topic or presenter? (Jessica)
    • Weeding (Chris and Janet) could be virtual
    • Wikipedia/Wikimedia Commons/Wikidata for maps (Lena)
    • Meg can promote the ones she’s working on with ACMLA, and we can think about doing joint ACMLA-WAML workshops and invite them to ours
    • Python workshop (Phil)
    • OpenIndexMaps one from Tom and Stephen could be virtual
  • Thank you to our host Evan Thornberry at UBC! WAML 2024 will be held at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, Hosted by Cheyenne Stradinger and presided by VP/PE Meg Miller. (Jessica)

Meeting adjourned: 3:50 pm PDT

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