It is ACRL volunteer season! In the coming weeks you may be thinking about how you can help out and where to put your valuable time. To aid in your considerations, the ANSS Membership Committee reached out to folks to learn more about what it is like to serve on an ANSS supporting committee.
Today I am happy to share some information (in Question & Answer format) about the ANSS Resource Review and Bibliography Committee.
Q. What do you like best about this volunteer opportunity? What do you find most rewarding?
A: I get to meet and work with librarians from various universities, and our work (i.e. reviewing databases and online resources/tools available to librarians and researchers in the disciplines of anthropology, sociology, and criminal justice) assists in educating the greater ANSS community.
Q. What type of work is involved in serving on this committee?
A: The work of the RRBC is comprised of writing reviews of databases and online resources/tools in the disciplines of anthropology, sociology, and criminal justice. All submissions are peer reviewed by RRBC members whereby feedback and suggested edits are presented to the authors of reviews to aid them in the revision process. After revision of reviews have been completed, the RRBC Chair submits final versions to the editor of the ANSS Currents for online publication.
Q. How much time do you typically spend on committee work?
A: If one is writing a database review, the time spent on writing it varies by author. The peer review process, which typically takes place in the months of March and August, lasts between 2-3 weeks, and is accomplished via Email and Google Docs. Depending on the schedule set, RRBC members have between 8-9 days to provide feedback on review submissions. Authors of reviews are given between 5-9 days to revise, complete, and submit their review to the RRBC Chair, who then submits final versions of reviews to the editor of ANSS Currents. Additionally, the RRBC meets virtually at least twice-yearly and at least once-a-year at Annual.
Q. Is there anything else you would like to share about this committee with future volunteers?
A: For more information about the RRBC, one can visit the RRBC's LibGuide.
If there is more you would like to know about serving on the Resource Review and Bibliography Committee, please contact the committee chair, Carolyn McCallum at mccallcj@wfu.edu.
Please remember to fill out the ACRL volunteer form by February 28th!
Thank you,
Elizabeth Young, ANSS Membership Committee Chair