GPLNE
Meeting minutes of October 29, 2004 (amended 12/17/04)
Amherst College
Attending:
Connie Reik Tufts University
Gail Fithian Boston Public
Leonard Adams UMass Amherst
Susan Edwards Amherst College
Jim Walsh Readex/NewsBank
Betty Febo Wellesley College
Melinda McIntosh UMass Amherst
Steve Batt (recording) UConn
Dorothy Barr UMass Medical School
Elaine Pinkos Elms College
Bobbie Brooke UMass Medical Schoo
Beverly Presley Clark University
Debbie Wilcox SNHU
Bette L. Siegel State Library of Massachusetts
Kathy Berry Boston College
GPLNE Mission Statement
Pam Hays, Leonard Adams and Betty Febo drafted the mission statement as a first step toward defining the direction of GPLNE in the future. During the discussion it was suggested that the mission statement explicitly address that GPLNE is an advocate for federal, state, and local government documents in all forms; after discussion, it was agreed that the mission statement draft be accepted as is, as the fourth bullet makes reference to government documents in all forms. Although many GPLNE members voted to accept the mission before the meeting, the intent was to propose the mission statement and generate discussion at the meeting. Following the meeting, Betty F. will post the mission statement again, and ask for votes. A majority of GPLNE members needs to vote, and 2/3 of those voting need to vote Yes, to pass the mission statement. The point was brought up that defining a mission statement is one of many requirements for establishing an organization as a non-profit entity with the IRS.
Discussion topics:
Web Site: John Fobert will be updating the web page when their sever is operable again
Impressions of the FDLP conference: The October FDLP conference had the largest attendance ever. Bruce James' mediated talk on Sunday was discussed, along with the plans for a National Bibliography, and breakout meetings in which some were given the impression that it may be necessary for depository libraries to 'purchase' core documents with a $500 allotted account. It was proposed that a letter be drafted to Bruce James, Judy Russell, and the Council regarding concerns about the what seemed to be an overly programmed agenda, lack of spontaneous discussion of important issues, and the fact that no recommendations were drafted or offered by Council at the end of the meeting. It was agreed that the overall quality of presentations throughout the conference was good.
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Speakers: Alanna Rudzik and Jeffrey Beemer from UMass Amherst discussed their research on the "Grammars of Death" study.
This project had its origins in the 1980s with the CT River Valley Project and anthropological studies of 19th century New England, and the study of morbidity and mortality in particular. Massachusetts is the birthplace of mortality statistics. At the start of their 3-year project, the researchers are beginning to collect and input data, focusing on two Mass. towns: Northampton and Holyoke.
The time period the researchers are focusing on is 1850-1912; during this period Northampton's population went from 5,000 to 20,000 and developed a thriving market and industrial base. Much of the population increase was not the result of immigration. Holyoke, on the other hand was a planned industrial community (the prominent industry was textile mills) that saw a population increase from 3,000 to 58,000 in the same period. By 1910, it had the highest population density in the United States. Compared to Northampton, Holyoke had a very large immigrant population, of Irish, French-Canadian, and Polish immigrants. The city's lack of economic diversity made it vulnerable to economic forces and market downturns.
This project will create a database of tax, census, and death records, along with property (livestock, land, and buildings) data, and will track mortality statistics for the two years following each decennial census in the time period, to get a better understanding of the historical context of morbidity and mortality, and how doctors and the public classified disease. The researchers have searched catalogs and collections in libraries in Western Massachusetts and beyond. Core documents of study include a landmark 1850 report of the Sanitary Commission of Massachusetts on epidemiology, which proposed the standardization of nomenclature for the causes of death and the collection of mortality data. The researchers recounted the work of EA 'Doc' Hitchcock, a prominent physician in Amherst in the late 19th century who proposed a theory of diseases, originating and carried by foul air or poisonous vapor. The researchers are gaining an understanding of how the diseases of the period were perceived and classified, and general contextual information on health and sanitation in the region. Ms. Rudzik and Mr. Beemer plan on the project resulting in a book and research articles, and their bibliographic database of references being used in their research is growing.
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Remainder of the meeting: other topics of discussion:
Proposal for Depository Library Consultant: the paperwork remains with Larry Blevins at the GPO for the depository library field consultant position. The interview process will take place on the phone; memorandums of understanding have been sent to the University of Michigan and UMass Worcester libraries.
Treasurers statement: Donna is on leave from Harvard and wasn't present to give the Treasurer's report.
Meeting minutes: the meeting minutes were approved from the May meeting.
ALA midwinter conference, and GODORT reception: ALA GODORT will be sponsoring Rare and Endangered Documents Publication Committee meeting at 5:00 on Sunday January 16th at the Boston Public Library when the ALA Midwinter conference takes place in January in Boston.
Future meetings for GPLNE 2004-2005 (see web site for locations and programs). Jim Walsh mentioned that the READEX facility in Chester VT is available as a future meeting space.