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SAA and STHC 

Dear Russell, Penny, and all members of Sci-Tech Health Care Listserv,

While I have registered for the conference, I had not yet fully digested
the program booklet, and I am dismayed at lack of insight and sensitivity
by this year's Program Committee towards the primary consumer group for
this years Science, Technology and Healthcare sessions, roundtable meetings
and tours.  Its really amazing, and that's putting it very mildly.
Attendance levels will be seriously affected, and at a time when
organizations (in general and I think SAA in specific) are counting widgets
such as costs of meeting rooms, and number of bodies at events, this has
serious repercussions.

Thanks for the headsup about the program, and I will be in touch with Suzie
Long my/our co-chair and we will draft a letter to Marie Allen, 1997
Program Chair and to Susan Fox, SAA Executive Director "strongly
articulating" our concerns at this blatant lack of planning.  I will
circulate this letter to the members of the Sci-Tech Health Care Roundtable
for comment before mailing.

To answer your direct questions about the program, Sci-Tech Health Care
sponsored five session proposals this year, and three were accepted, two of
which are in the same time slot on Saturday.  FYI, here are the three
accepted:

-Managing Organizational Records on the World Wide Web: Making A Start
(Thur 8/28 @ 1:30PM)

-STAT. Making Health Information Available on the Internet (Sat 8/30 @ 1:30PM)

-Where are the Records of Multi-Institutional Collaborations (Sat 8/30 @1:30PM)

FYI, at the Sci-Tech Health Care Roundtable we will have a session entitled
"Forming Partnerships to Document Science, Technology, and Health Care" and
be advised that we will try to have that later in the meeting to accomodate
those persons coming in late from the Museum Tour.

Note about the program committee.  As a result of my being on Program
Committee for the San Diego Meeting, it became very clear that to have our
sessions accepted for the program, it was essential to have an advocate on
the committee.    This advocate would relate the importance of these
sessions, if not their relevence, to our community of archivists working in
science, technology and health care.  Archivists working in other subject
areas don't always understand what is important about our topics.  Acting
on this knowledge, Suzie Long last Fall sent copies of our session
proposals to our Roundtable Liason to the Program Committee, and called him
on the phone to offer clarification if needed.  I think lobbying strategies
like this are essential to keep our voice heard in SAA.

Note about transportation.  I don't know much about Chicago - but I'll see
if I can get a hold of someone on Local Arrangements to find out about
buses, etc.
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