ACQNET v4n054 (November 1, 1994) URL = http://www.infomotions.com/serials/acqnet/acqnet-v4n054 ISSN: 1057-5308 *************** ACQNET, Vol. 4, No. 54, November 1, 1994 ======================================== (1) FROM: Your Editor SUBJECT: New ideas for ACQNET (95 lines) (1)---------------------------------------------------------------- FROM YOUR EDITOR: SOME NEW IDEAS FOR ACQNET It's been six months since I started editing ACQNET. I purposely have adhered to the existing format during this time to ease the transition. Over the summer I polled the Editorial Board about a number of ideas for change. I am ready to share these ideas with the entire membership. 1). Editorial Board We feel the editorial board is about the right size. However, I have suggested term appointments and have asked present members to review whether or not they want to remain. Rosann Bazirjian will step down as of December 31, 1994. In her place I am appointing Joyce Ogburn, Chief Acquisitions Librarian, Yale University, who will serve beginning January 1, 1995. All editorial board members beginning in 1995 will serve one-year terms, with an option to renew for three years. After that, I would like to suggest that editorial board members seriously review their participation in order to give newer members of the profession a chance to serve. Editorial board memberships seem to run for life, which limits the number of new people who have a chance to participate. Consistency balanced with fresh perspective is the goal. How to subscribers feel about this? 2) ACQ FLASHES versus ACQNET issues I propose the idea of issuing single postings for time- sensitive items as "ACQ Flashes." In other words, I would not wait to compose an entire issue of ACQNET in order to post certain types of information. Such items as: job postings, meeting/call for papers announcements, and award/grant applications could be posted as they come in and not held for a formal issue. These news items are NOT indexed now, so they could be easily deleted. They would, however, be sequentially numbered for archiving purposes. NOTE: Such postings would NOT affect your ACQNET subscription in any way: you would simply receive discreet postings labelled "ACQ Flash" a little more often; ACQNET issues would come about as frequently as they do now - or perhaps more frequently as I would be freed from the labor of including those other items. You would simply receive time-sensitive postings faster. How do subscribers feel about this idea? 3) Appointing an ACQNET Technical Board I propose that I recruit volunteers to serve on a technical board for ACQNET. The Editorial Board responded positively to this idea. The reason I am interested in doing this is because 1) I cannot do everything that needs to be done to support this online newsletter and 2) this is an excellent opportunity for fellow "techies" (which I really cannot claim myself to be) to assist with the running of this endeavor. I am considering the following positions: Indexer: presently filled by Marylou Hale. The indexer would serve on both the technical and editorial board. (I expect Marylou to remain in this position for the time being; so it's not really vacant!) Directory Assistant: There used to be a directory, but it was discontinued in the spring of 1994. I would very much like to resurrect it but I must look to a volunteer to keep it up-to-date. With the help of our local Postmaster, Terry Combs, I am cleaning up the subscriber list and am ready to offer an up-to-date version that includes name and e-mail address only. After much consideration, I find it impossibly time-consuming for to keep up the full directory. Also, I must emphasize, this directory is NOT for sale or to be used for commercial purposes. (I occasionally get such requests.) Archivist: Fortunately, our mail administrator and listserve guru here at ASU has been kind enough to keep this up for me, at least in an overall fashion. Thanks, Terry. Associate Editor: I would like to train someone to be a back- up editor, somewhat like Christian did with Scott Wicks and Richard Jasper. I gotta be able to take a vacation now and then! I hope people will respond to these proposals - if you are attending the Charleston Conference this week, PLEASE LOOK FOR ME and let me know if you like these ideas and if not, suggest alternatives. Katina says I can set up an ACQNET table, so I might just do that, in case people want to check to see if their addresses are up-to-date, ask me questions, etc. After I get back from Charleston, I will send out some more issues (I have enough for one right now), plus I will send out a special issue that repeats the "welcome" message for those who have forgotten about it or deleted it. It includes useful information about subscription options and accessing the archives. This information is now also residing in "INFO" which was empty until recently. The last six months have been interesting and educational for me. I am gratified by the support I get from the readers of ACQNET. The subscription list keeps growing - we have more than 1200 now! I feel fortunate that I haven't had any mail bombs or endless loops, though that message to "Bill" that went out to everyone recently was pretty embarrassing! Also, I recently posted a question from a reader that had already been answered on SERIALST. Oh well, that just goes to show I need to post ACQNETs more often. I look forward to hearing from people on these questions. ****** END OF FILE ****** ACQNET, Vol. 4, No. 54 ****** END OF FILE ******