"How to make more valuable use of AAUW materials in the Historian's File."

At the August 2007 AAUW of Utah Board Meeting, I handed out a list of national AAUW materials in the state historian's file, which I labeled as the "AAUW of Utah State Library Collection." Among the materials are 23 national AAUW research reports, and 18 Issue Briefs with dates from 1985 to 1994. I encouraged branch presidents to make use of them in their branch programs, however I have not received any requests for their use.

At the August 2009 board meeting, I suggested that these national AAUW research reports and Issue Briefs in the historian's "library" files be donated to a library rather than sitting unused in my garage. With the approval of the AAUW of Utah Board at that meeting, I approached the University of Utah's Marriott Library about donating the reports to them. While the library already holds one or two of these reports, the library turned down the donation for a couple of reasons: 1) The library is short on staff and money, and 2) it no longer uses its resources to process gifts into their collection if the material is available on the InterNet. All of these research reports are currently available on the AAUW Web Site.

Knowing that these paper reports have value and should be in use, I then approached Gerda Saunders at the Women's Studies Program on the University's campus. While their program does not have a formal departmental library, it does have an open, informal "book room" in its area that contains materials for student's use on the honor system. Dr. Saunders said they are willing to accept these AAUW reports and make them readily available to their students in the reading room, if the AAUW of Utah Board chooses to go this route.

1ST ACTION REQUEST:
If there are no other suggestions for consideration, I recommend that the board vote to donate these AAUW research reports and Issue Briefs to the University of Utah Women's Study Program for students' use in the program's reading room.

2ND ACTION REQUEST:
The historian's library files also include TOOL KITS on Branch & State Finance (2000), Change Management (2001), Diversity (1999), Legal Advocacy Fund (2000), Membership (1999) the President (2000). These kits, or their equivalents, are all available on the AAUW Web Site under the MEMBER CENTER sections on Resources for Officers, Membership Resources, and Tools and Guides. I ask the board for permission to dispose of these older copies. Possibilities: Give them to board members. Throw them away.

Maxine R. Haggerty, Historian