Task Force on Electronic Publishing Established

The Council of the Society of American Archivists is convening a Task Force on Electronic Publishing, which will devise a plan for phased electronic publication of periodicals and monographs produced by SAA. The 15 members of the task force will meet in Chicago in late winter or early spring.

The task force will address the following issues: How can SAA use electronic publishing to further its strategic goals? Given SAA’s mission, what are the needs of its members with respect to electronic products? How can electronic publishing be used to decrease the cost of creating and/or delivering content? How does SAA view electronic publishing? e.g., as a service to its members? publishing profit center? an information tool? marketing/communication vehicle? All of the above? How can we determine what effect electronic publishing will have on the bottom line? When do we need to protect SAA content and rights? What copyright issues might be involved in converting past issues of SAA publications?

The president of SAA has appointed the following individuals to the task force:

Nancy Bartlett, Bentley Historical Library
Robin Chandler, California Digital Library
Philip Eppard, University of Albany, State University of New York (American Archivist Editor)
Edward Galloway, University of Pittsburgh
David Haury, Kansas State Historical Society (Council Liaison)
Cal Lee, University of Michigan graduate student
Dennis Meissner, Minnesota Historical Society (SAA Publications Board Rep)
Johanne Pelletier, McGill University
Scott Schwartz, Smithsonian Institution-National Museum of American History
Robert Spindler, Arizona State UNiversity Libraries
Susan Fox, SAA Executive Director
Patty O'Hara & Solveig DeSutter, SAA Education Directors
Brian Doyle, SAA Webmaster
Teresa Brinati, SAA Director of Publishing