The day to day activities of ARSC are carried out by a variety of committees. Committee activities are guided by the ARSC Committee Guidelines.
To join a committee, please contact the committee chair.
The purpose of the Archives Committee is to document the history of the Association by collecting and maintaining ARSC’s permanent files. The University of Maryland has been selected to house the ARSC Collection, and the organization’s files are currently in the process of being transferred to this facility.
To join a committee, please contact the committee chair.
The Cataloging Committee is concerned with all aspects of access to (and organization and control of) audiovisual materials. As part of the Discography Committee, it revised the Rules for Archival Cataloging of Sound Recordings (1995). A member of the committee has served as ARSC’s liaison on the Committee on Cataloging: Description and Access (CC:DA) of the American Library Association (ALA) since the inception of the 2nd edition of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules. Any project of a cataloging nature will be welcomed for consideration by the committee, and any ARSC member wishing to make such a proposal or participate in the committee’s work is encouraged to contact the chair.
Joining or forming an ARSC Chapter is a good way to meet other members and share your interests throughout the year. Though each chapter is free to establish its own structure, schedule and activities, chapter meetings are generally informal gatherings cenetered around a presentation of some sort. Indeed, some of the talks made to chapter groups have later been presented at national ARSC conferences. Right now, there are three active, and two inactive ARSC Chapters. If you would be interested in forming a chapter in your own area, contact the ARSC Executive Director for more information.
This committee monitors information and developments related to sound recording copyright and fair use issues. Its findings are shared with the ARSC membership through the ARSC Journal, the ARSC Web site, and annual conference programs. In addition members may receive periodic e-mail updates by contacting the chair.
The Development Committee seeks financial support to implement Board decisions setting the direction of the Association’s growth, and plan initiatives that address needs as identified by the Board. The committee recommends to the Board specific strategies designed to market ARSC, to create and enhance endowed funds, and to target granting agencies for specific ARSC initiatives. This committee will coordinate ARSC fundraising activities, including (in consultation with the program director) any grants the organization obtains from outside agencies.
The Discography Committee is concerned with all aspects of discographies. Members act as consultants and as a “sounding-board” on the current efforts towards discographic standards in the ARSC Journal. Any project of a discographic nature will be welcomed for consideration by the committee, and any ARSC member wishing to make such a proposal or participate in the committee’s work is encouraged to contact the chair.
The Diversity Committee will cultivate diversity in ARSC’s leadership, membership, scholarship and all activities. The purpose is to further enrich recorded sound scholarship and ARSC participation by involving many who do not know about ARSC. The committee is open to all, but with focus on bringing into the fold additional African American, Hispanic, Caribbean, American Indian, African collectors and scholars.
The ARSC Education and Training Committee’s mission is to address the education and training needs of ARSC members and the larger recorded sound community by providing workshops on sound archiving and preservation, discographic dissemination, bibliographic standards, digitization of sound libraries, copyright, and other related topics.
Working in close coordination with the ARSC Treasurer, the Finance Committee prepares and tracks the Association’s budget.
Research Grants Committee
Preservation Grants Committee
The ARSC Membership Committee will increase and diversify membership, and retain current and future members, by making strategic recommendations and engage in active recruitment activities, in collaboration with the Outreach Committee, Diversity Committee, Online Media Committee, Conference Mentoring coordinator, Conference Travel Grants Committee, and Executive Director.
The nominating committee is charged with providing a slate of candidates for the positions of President-Elect/1st Vice-President, 2nd Vice-President/Program Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, Members-at-Large, and the ARSC Blue Ribbon Committee judges.
The ARSC Online Media Committee’s (OMC) mission is to maintain and develop the Association of Recorded Sound website, social media platforms, and listserv. The OMC includes the Web Editor, Social Media Editor and Listserv Administrator. The OMC will advise the Board and the Association in all matters related to publishing online content. The Committee will develop policies and procedures related to the Association’s web presence, including web design, maintenance, style, and content, as well as best practices regarding the use of social media for networking and communication across various platforms.
With input from ARSC officers and committees, the Outreach Committee creates, edits, and distributes official publicity for the organization’s programs and events. We strive to inform prospective members about the many benefits of joining and participating in ARSC. The committee’s Organization Liaisons facilitate communication and cross-promotion between ARSC and other associations that share similar goals.
Organization Liaisons:
The Program Committee solicits presentations prior to each annual conference and arranges the program schedule.
The Publications committee is responsible for all ARSC periodicals, including monographs and other special publications; the editors of all regular publications are ex-officio members.
Articles and reviews should be forwarded to the ARSC Journal editor; requests for information, notices of current projects, and other time-sensitive announcements should be forwarded to the ARSC Newsletter editor. Matters pertaining to your entry in this directory should be sent to the ARSC Membership Directory editor, but changes of address should always be sent to the Executive Director.
Members with expertise in specific areas of collecting or archival work are encouraged to become Editorial Advisors for the ARSC Journal. Members of this peer review group read submissions to the Journal in advance, and recommend for or against publication. Evaluations are done on a blind review basis (your name is not revealed to the author, or the author’s name to you). If you are interested in becoming an Editorial Advisor, contact the Journal editor.
Members who are skilled at proofreading, data entry, or who have experience in formatting material on a computer for ultimate publication (pre-press work), are always in demand. Contact the editor of your choice!
The ARSC Technical Committee provides guidance on the most effective application of audio and related technologies to preserve and make accessible collections of sound recordings. Through research, publication, educational programs, and other initiatives, the Technical Committee serves audio professionals, institutions, and private individuals engaged in preserving the world’s recorded sound heritage.