Responsibilities

The Committee is responsible for maintaining the ILA/ACRL website, monitoring the ILA/ACRL listserv, and updating social media avenues, which currently include: Facebook, Twitter/X (Retweet ILA (@IowaLA) tweets as appropriate), and LinkedIn. This involves adding new information to the website and pushing it out via social media as needed, updating existing information, deleting old information, improving the design of the Web pages, and general maintenance of the pages.

The ILA/ACRL Web site is found at https://www.iowaacrl.org/. ECC members have access to login information to make changes to the website. The ILA/ACRL president has access to this login information in the event ECC is unavailable to make any changes.

Website information to be regularly updated includes: the list of Officers and Committees, the Strategic Plan (if changed), the Bylaws (if changed), the Volunteer form, scholarship information, and information relating to the ILA/ACRL spring conference, and the ILA fall conference.

Beginning in the COVID-19 pandemic, ILA/ACRL began hosting virtual monthly Town Hall meetings with the membership, and they have continued. These are casual opportunities for members to check in, build community, and discuss any timely topics. 

Monthly Schedule of Activities

November

• Plan to attend the ILA/ACRL Executive Board Transition meeting. Other Executive Board meetings may be called during the year. Plan to attend them. It may be helpful to also attend the ILA annual planning meeting if you haven’t in the past, to understand the relationship between ILA and ILA ACRL. 
• After the Transition meeting, update the information on ILA/ACRL Officers and Committees on the website and update permissions for the Website and the Exec Board folder on Google Drive. Ensure all new Board members have a Google account and know how to participate in virtual meetings. 
• Publicize events/announcements/reminders as requested via the listserv, blog, and active social media accounts. 

December

• Communicate with the members of your Committee. This is done primarily via email. Acknowledge their appointments and outline the work that will be done and their expected contributions. 
• The chair or outgoing chair, composes the Annual Report of committee activities for the President. 
• Publicize events/announcements/reminders as requested via the listserv, blog, and active social media accounts. 

January/February

• Meet with ECC to set 3-4 Town Hall dates for the spring Semester. Usually February, March, April, and May. In the past, it has worked well to alternate days of the week (Wednesday, and Thursday), and times (10 am and 1 pm). After the dates are decided, have a committee volunteer create the Zoom meetings, invite committee members, and share the dates and links with the membership as the dates approach.
• In collaboration with the  Spring Conference Committee Chair, place the call for contributed papers for the ILA/ACRL Spring Conference on the website, listserv, and active social media accounts. 
• Publicize events/announcements/reminders as requested via the listserv, blog, and active social media accounts. 

February/March/April

• Place information regarding the ILA/ACRL Spring conference on the Web site as it becomes available. This information will come from the Chair of the Spring Conference Committee. This information will include a conference registration form, a preliminary program, and information about the host college/university and city.  
• Place information about scholarship opportunities for the ILA/ACRL Spring conference on the Web site (obtain information from the Awards Committee Chair).
• Update the ILA/ACRL Volunteer Form. 
• Host Town Hall meetings as scheduled. Send an email summary to the listserv afterward if possible.
• Publicize events/announcements/reminders as requested via the listserv, blog, and active social media accounts. 

April/May

• As needed, publicize any last-minute updates regarding the ILA/ACRL Spring conference.
• Following the spring conference, post a summary blog post including selected photos. This could also include posting conference photos to social media, also potentially information about the scholarship recipient. 
• Publicize events/announcements/reminders as requested via the listserv, blog, and active social media accounts.

June

• Host Town Hall meetings as scheduled. Send an email summary to the listserv afterward, if possible.
• Retain access to the Spring Conference Program for one year, then ensure it has been deposited by the Treasurer in the Chapter’s archives at the University of Iowa’s Special Collections Library (Iowa Digital Library currently here: https://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/islandora/object/ui:ilaacrl). 
• Publicize events/announcements/reminders as requested via the listserv, blog, and active social media accounts. 

July

• Meet with ECC to set 3-4 Town Hall dates for the fall Semester. Usually September, October, November, and December. In the past, it has worked well to alternate days of the week (Wednesday, and Thursday), and times (10 am and 1 pm). After the dates are decided, have a volunteer create the Zoom meetings, invite committee members, and share with the membership as the dates approach.
• Publicize events/announcements/reminders as requested via the listserv, blog, and active social media accounts. 

September

• Host Town Hall meetings as scheduled. Send an email summary to the listserv afterward, if possible.
• Before the fall conference, try to highlight any scheduled ILA/ACRL or academic library presentations, and seek volunteers to share conference photos. 
• After the fall conference, create a summary post related to ILA/ACRL specifics of the fall ILA Conference (presentations, scholarship, meet-up, photos, etc.). 
• Publicize events/announcements/reminders as requested via the listserv, blog, and active social media accounts. 

October

• • Host Town Hall meetings as scheduled. Send an email summary to the listserv afterward, if possible.
  • Publicize events/announcements/reminders as requested via the listserv, blog, and active social media accounts. 
  • Update the website as necessary. Delete outdated materials. Check for broken links. Make changes in design and layout, if desired. 
  • Write thank you letters to Committee members. 
  • Revise this information to keep the Organization Manual up to date.

History of the Committee

The Electronic Communications Committee began as the ILA/ACRL Ad Hoc Web Committee in 1996. This Committee established the Association’s Website. In 1997 the Association also created a mailing list, and the Committee’s name was changed to ILA/ACRL Ad Hoc Electronic Information Committee. In 1998 ILA/ACRL changed its bylaws and made this committee a standing one. Beginning in 1999, this new standing committee, named the Electronic Communications Committee, is responsible for the tasks formerly performed by the Ad Hoc Committee.

Social media use began in 2010 to get information out to our members. 

In 2013, the ILA/ACRL Executive Board began sharing documents such as agendas, meeting minutes, and financial reports on Google Drive. A Google account was created for this purpose (ecc@iowaacrl.org). Also in 2013, the ILA/ACRL Executive Board began meeting virtually via Google Hangouts, but has since transitioned to using Zoom for virtual meetings.

In 2014, the Directory Committee was disbanded and its responsibilities were transferred to the Electronic Communications Committee. The Committee is responsible for keeping the Directory and the Google Map up-to-date. Each entry in the Directory should include the institution name and address, contact information for the library, a link to the library website, and a link to the local staff directory. 

In 2015, the ILA/ACRL listserv went from being hosted through the University of Iowa, to being managed through the ILA management company.

In January 2016, the Electronic Communications Committee absorbed the members and responsibilities of the Newsletter Committee. In March 2016, the online Newsletter was replaced by a blog; rather than publishing news and announcements at regular intervals throughout the year, ECC began soliciting and posting news stories on the blog as they became available.

In 2022, the website switched from Drupal to WordPress, and the subdivision moved from the previously free ecc@iowaacrl.org Google account (and drive storage), to a free account iowalibraryassociationacrl@gmail.com and Drive Storage in an ILA subfolder. 

In 2023 a publicity form was created to help committee chairs, and elected positions communicate publicity needs with ECC.

Electronic Communications Committee Chair History:

2024 Ellen Neuhaus, University of Northern Iowa
2023 Jenny Parker, Clarke University
2022 Jenny Parker, Clarke University
2021 Maggie Halterman-Dess, University of Iowa
2020 Maggie Halterman-Dess, University of Iowa
2019 Wesley Teal, Iowa State University
2018 Wesley Teal, Iowa State University
2018 Kyle Winward, Central College
2017 Dan Coffey, Iowa State University
2016 Andrew Welch, Drake University
2015 Andrew Welch, Drake University
2014 Sara Scheib, University of Iowa
2013 Sara Scheib, University of Iowa
2012 Dan Chibnall, Grand View University
2011 Mara Egherman, Central College
2010 Sara Scheib, Kirkwood Community College
2009 Ryan Gjerde, Luther College
2008 Ryan Gjerde, Luther College
2007 Ryan Gjerde, Luther College
2006 Ryan Gjerde, Luther College
2005 Ryan Gjerde, Luther College
2004 Chris Neuhaus, University of Northern Iowa
2003 Chris Neuhaus, University of Northern Iowa
2002 Chris Neuhaus, University of Northern Iowa
2001 Chris Neuhaus, University of Northern Iowa
2000 Chris Neuhaus, University of Northern Iowa
2000 Megan Adams, University of Northern Iowa
1999 Megan Adams, University of Northern Iowa
1998 Barbara Allen, University of Northern Iowa
1997 Barbara Allen, University of Northern Iowa
1996 Barbara Allen, University of Northern Iowa

Update these instructions for next year’s committee.