1999 Annual Meeting Minutes
Archives and Libraries Section

Minutes of the Archive and Libraries Section
October 23, 1999
Memphis, Tennessee

1. Introductions of those present:

Cathy Kerst, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Peggy Yocum, George Mason University
Jeanne Ball
Ellen McHale, New York Folklore Society
Karen Taussig-Lux, New York Folklore Publications
Jim Nelson
Amy Davis, Southern Folklife Collection, University of North Carolina
Randy Williams, Fife Folklore Archives, Utah State University
Lucy Allen, Hiddenite Center, Hiddenite, NC
Kristi Bell, BYU Folklore Archives
Stephanie Hall, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Moira Smith, Indiana University
Donnell Corelle, Sundance Group
Christina Barr, Vermont Folklife Center
John Cash, Indiana University

2. Stephanie Smith and Stephanie Hall will compile material on Archive Section for AFS website. Send them any ideas you have for the website. Stephanie Hall will serve as webmaster. Since website and listserv have replaced newsletter, dues were reduced to $5.00 in 1998.

3. Archive _ Web page_ addresses will be on the Folklife Center Library links list. Check to see if your archive is listed also. To add your archive to the American Folklife Center Links page at http://lcweb.loc.gov/folklife/other.html, e-mail Stephanie Hall at shal@loc.gov. You may also send this information to Stephanie Smith at the Smithsonian Institution at steph@folkways.si.edu.

4. The Brenda McCallum Prize is awarded to Folklore in Archives: A Guide to Describing Folklore and Folklife Materials by James Corsaro and Karen Taussig-Lux. Prize committee currently consists of Lani Herrmann, Michael Taft, and Kristi Bell. Stephanie Smith will check to see if Michael and Lani can serve the last year of the committee's three year term.

5. Discussed feasibility of compiling an archiving thesaurus. Moira Smith moved that the Archive section donate $1000 for a planning session. The motion was seconded by Lucy Allen. Indiana University and American Folklore Society are possible sources for matching funds. The meeting will be held in Washington D.C. Those invited to attend will include folklorists, archivists, ethnomusicologists, and specialists in thesaurus construction.

6. Should the section sponsor workshop or session at AFS in 2000? Possibilities include pre-conference workshop on archiving dealing with topics like encoded archival inscription. It might be possible to co-sponsor an event with the computer section. The graduate student section and the public sector sections might also be interested in co-sponsoring an event. Lucy Allen suggested a workshop on preparing materials for sending to archives. Stephanie Hall has a presentation on fieldwork which might be incorporated.

7. Kristi Bell volunteered to be section secretary. Minutes will be sent to Stephanie Hall and forwarded to Peggy Yocum to post on her listserv.

(Updated 04/06/2001)