MLA Southeast Chapter (SEMLA) Annual Report 2021

submitted by Jacob Schaub

Current Roster

  • Jacob Schaub, Chair (2022)
  • Sara Fay, Past-Chair (2020)
  • Laura Williams, Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect, (2024)
  • Secretary/Treasurer: Lina Sheahan, Secretary/Treasurer (2021)
  • Monica Figueroa, Member-at-Large (2020)
  • Patricia Puckett Sasser, Member-at-Large (2021)
  • Nurhak Tuncer (2022)

Other SEMLA associates:

  • Grover Baker, Breve Notes Co-Editor
  • Shelley Rogers, Breve Notes Co-Editor
  • John Baga, Archivist

List of Previous Goals and Progress Made

  • Transition planned for in-person SEMLA 2020 Annual Meeting to a virtual environment
    • The SEMLA 2020 Annual Meeting was originally planned to take place in person from 14-16 Oct 2020 at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this was no longer an option and other measures were taken instead.
    • Vanderbilt University agreed to host the Zoom to facilitate this meeting in a virtual environment. All aspects of chapter activities involved (elections, referenda, program planning, coffee breaks, etc.) were adapted to the new environment.
    • The meeting was held largely problem-free.
  • Transition planned for in-person SEMLA 2021 Semi-Annual Business Meeting to a virtual environment
    • The SEMLA 2021 Semi-Annual Business Meeting was originally planned to take place in person under the auspices of the MLA Annual Meeting in February 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this too had to be adapted to a virtual environment supported by SEMLA.
    • Vanderbilt University again agreed to host the Zoom for this meeting.
  • Transition the SEMLA webpage to a Wordpress environment
    • The SEMLA webpage lacks an SSL security certificate.
    • MLA Web Managers were approached in late 2019 about the transitioning the current SEMLA website to a WordPress site in the manner of most of the other webpages of the MLA regional chapters.
    • The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic is likely why this has not yet occurred.

List of Future Goals

All Strategic Plan references are from the 2019-2020 MLA Strategic Plan.

  • Continue SEMLA Oral Histories project
    • Strategic Plan: Expand Membership Opportunities at All Levels of the Association
    • SEMLA has for some years been involved in gathering oral histories of past SEMLA Chairs to be presented both in Breve Notes and posted on the SEMLA website. However, we are currently two behind schedule, and wish to rectify this. Instilling a sense of institutional history is desirable in defining an identity for a community, and this project is one small way of pursuing that goal.
  • Continue planning the SEMLA 2021 Annual Meeting for 14-15 October 2021
    • Strategic Plan: Expand Membership Opportunities at All Levels of the Association
    • We had negotiated and deferred this in-person meeting one year ago, again to take place at Emory University. As the year has progressed and the Delta variant has gained prominence, it again appears this would be an impossibility.
    • SEMLA has opted to host a virtual meeting once more. Despite the lack of in-person interaction, virtual meetings have the ability to expand attendance well beyond those with the necessary means, and include those from beyond the borders of our membership proper.
  • Continue to pursue virtual means for maintaining a sense of community among the membership
    • Strategic Plan: Expand Membership Opportunities at All Levels of the Association
    • Since our membership cannot meet in person during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, individual members of SEMLA have opted to host virtual meetings for anyone who wishes to attend and interact.
    • This goal is in the interest of maintaining some sense of community in a medical and social environment that may not foster it otherwise.
  • Transition the SEMLA webpage to a Wordpress environment
    • Strategic Plan: Expand Membership Opportunities at All Levels of the Association
    • The SEMLA webpage still lacks an SSL security certificate.
    • This goal entails cooperation with the MLA Webmaster in creating a base Wordpress environment that the SEMLA Webmaster can then flesh out as well as otherwise reorganizing the site.
    • Having a secure, useful, and professional-looking web presence is essential in today’s day and age. A good one can attract new members, and a bad one may deter them.
  • Investigate revamping the “Music Collections of the Southeast” listings on the SEMLA website
    • Strategic Plan: Expand Membership Opportunities at All Levels of the Association
    • This listing of collections is severely out-of-date. We know that others outside the music library community have been referencing it, and bringing it into line is a priority.
    • Accomplishing this goal effectively, however, is dependent upon the larger migration of the SEMLA website to WordPress, for which we require the assistance of MLA.