NEA Constituencies Task Force

NEA Constituencies Task Force 2015 Announcement

The New England Archivists (NEA) seeks to create a Constituencies Task Force (CTF) to identify the various constituent groups among the membership (current and lapsed) and to investigate their needs for professional development and exchange of ideas.

The bulk of NEA membership consists of college and university archivists and the board is committed to continue to provide a space for this group of professionals to share ideas and learn from one another.

We embark on this effort to identify and gather contact information on all relevant constituency groups in the region with a primary focus on groups outside of the college and university setting, such as historical societies and public libraries, in order to define their needs and provide a space for them to share ideas and learn from each other etc.

In consultation with the Communications Committee, the CTF will ascertain which communication channels this audience uses to receive information on upcoming local and regional archival, library and museum related meetings and professional development.

The findings of the CTF will also be used to develop and expand potential partnerships with these groups. NEA and the CTF will recognize work that has already been compiled and will seek to integrate this information into one resource. NEA’s committees and board will use this information to ensure that the larger archival community knows of the organization’s presence and offerings.

NEA will continue to support and provide a space for archivists and librarians in academic institutions.

MAKEUP OF THE TASK FORCE (CTF)

A minimum of one representative from each New England state would sit on the CTF. The CTF would be led by a chair and co-chair.

An At Large Member from the Communication and Education Committees would also participate. Each representative would report their findings to the Chair/Co-Chair with the final reports written by the Chair/Co-Chair.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The CTF chair and co-chair would be responsible for seeking representatives to sit on the CTF. Each representative will investigate their individual state’s cultural resource listings of historical societies, public libraries, and museums, etc. to determine what the organizations are and what channels are used to communicate with these groups regarding conferences and professional development. The use of a survey tool such as Survey Monkey may be used to gather this information. The data derived from the survey would then be populated into an agreed upon format such as a spreadsheet that could be posted to NEA’s webpage as well as shared with NEA’s Board and committees.

Meetings would be held virtually via email and PB Works could be used as a central organizing tool. Each representative would report their findings to the Chair/Co-Chair with the final reports written by the Chair/Co-Chair and presented to NEA’s Board.

TIME FRAME

The CTF would need a minimum of 3-6 months to complete its task to determine not only who NEA's constituents are but also which communication channels they use. This information would then be written up in a report to the NEA Board and utilized by the Communications, Education and Membership, Newsletter and Web Committees for future planning and outreach.

Co-Chairs

• Tom Doyle
  
• Erik Bauer