I am sure that many members of the Society will be impressed by
significant improvements in the new site whose appearance is imminent.
It may be worth pointing out that the Society has spent quite a few
thousand pounds and many months of preparation in getting to this
point. Simon Wilson's new day job makes
it impracticable for him to continue on day-to-day editorial work but
we
are very pleased that he will be continuing in a voluntary technical
advisory role in the new year. The Web Advisory Group is working to
find
a small team of editors to spread the load a little more lightly.
There are important opportunities for the web site to contribute to
the
more efficient management of the Society's affairs in the near future.
We are looking at content management systems to enable more officers
and
members to contribute in a more self-service way, and at the
possibility of a Society list server to divert society-only traffic
from archives-nra.
Unfortunately, Rosemary Boyns is right in surmising that we do not
have a
lot of spare money to spend in this or any other direction. Desirable
web
site improvements will stand or fall on the basis of the business case
that can be made for them, in competition with demands from elsewhere.
Nevertheless, there are real opportunities for some worthwhile new
developments
in the coming year. We hope that a number of volunteers will come
forward
to help make the improvements happen - and, in the process, gain
valuable
experience.
Adam Green
Treasurer, Society of Archivists
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