GODORT (Government Documents Round Table)

Hi all,

For the past few weeks--and especially in the last few days--the issue of Presidential Records has been front and center. Like, the most shared stories on wapo & nytimes, for example.

This is the perfect opportunity for us. GODORT & GODORT members could: issue statements, explainers, post something on library and archive blogs; arrange & do interviews (for social media, then press release); offer ourselves as experts for stories; write letters to the editor giving credit to the Gov Info librarians and how important we are, or something adding an interesting point (in the eyes of the general public).

Educate  GODORT members and Gov info librarians (and journalists? other librarians?) with a mini crs bullet points, with different perspectives.

As we should do with all Gov Info Issues, our Social Media/ blog should link/post/summarize/share anything about this Gov Info librarians, our advocates, and even mainstream items that miss-the-mark [and why they do].  Let's take a advantage & showcase all the work librarians have done already.  Comments should be short, informal, interesting. Plus, always have an easy way to solicit and respond to questions , and for librarians to share their work (it's a big deal if it's shared by GODORT, after all.)

How about the site saves a list of these items, with special emphasis on a timeline of  process of revising the Presidential Records Acts --"Insiders'" views and analysis beyond the NARA site. 

What's most important, and not GODORT's strong suit, is to make this interesting and accessible to regular librarians, ALA and the general public.

If there's interest, I have some recommendations/ideas that could get this moving asap. Do-able committee tasks that wouldn't need bylaws' tweaking. (We don't have time to debate that.) What the committees' do and create is up to them.

The American people need us,  and need to know that they need us.

Love,
Rachel Dobkin

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Rachel Dobkin
Coordinator
Government Information Reference Specialist
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Rachel,
I've had a similar thought as I've read the related articles in my news feed.

Maybe this could be a discussion point for the Getting to Know GODORT session at Annual. This offers a real-world example of gov info, the impact on folks' lives, and the opportunity to get engaged in advocating for stronger policy.  I know June feels a long way away but I think we'll continue to hear things on this topic for the coming weeks and months... thoughts?

In the meantime, I'll also look for someone that might be willing to offer information for a Friday chat. If anyone has ideas of presidential act speakers, let me know.

thank you for posting to help get a conversation going.
-robbie

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Robbie Sittel
Librarian
University of North Texas Libraries
She/Her/Hers
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Original Message:
Sent: Feb 08, 2022 05:13 PM
From: Rachel Dobkin
Subject: ASAP- Take advantage of Pres. Records Act in the news

Hi all,

For the past few weeks--and especially in the last few days--the issue of Presidential Records has been front and center. Like, the most shared stories on wapo & nytimes, for example.

This is the perfect opportunity for us. GODORT & GODORT members could: issue statements, explainers, post something on library and archive blogs; arrange & do interviews (for social media, then press release); offer ourselves as experts for stories; write letters to the editor giving credit to the Gov Info librarians and how important we are, or something adding an interesting point (in the eyes of the general public).

Educate  GODORT members and Gov info librarians (and journalists? other librarians?) with a mini crs bullet points, with different perspectives.

As we should do with all Gov Info Issues, our Social Media/ blog should link/post/summarize/share anything about this Gov Info librarians, our advocates, and even mainstream items that miss-the-mark [and why they do].  Let's take a advantage & showcase all the work librarians have done already.  Comments should be short, informal, interesting. Plus, always have an easy way to solicit and respond to questions , and for librarians to share their work (it's a big deal if it's shared by GODORT, after all.)

How about the site saves a list of these items, with special emphasis on a timeline of  process of revising the Presidential Records Acts --"Insiders'" views and analysis beyond the NARA site.

What's most important, and not GODORT's strong suit, is to make this interesting and accessible to regular librarians, ALA and the general public.

If there's interest, I have some recommendations/ideas that could get this moving asap. Do-able committee tasks that wouldn't need bylaws' tweaking. (We don't have time to debate that.) What the committees' do and create is up to them.

The American people need us,  and need to know that they need us.

Love,
Rachel Dobkin

------------------------------
Rachel Dobkin
Coordinator
Government Information Reference Specialist
------------------------------