HISTORIAN’S REPORT FOR 2012
AUSTIN, TEXAS
JUNE 2012
The Historian is charged with keeping track of the Association’s documents, minutes of meetings, resolutions, photographs, “and other matters of general interest.” Diligent work by former Historian Jim Cobb, past and present website managers, and past and present Secretaries resulted in the majority of our documents being available on the AASG website through the Meeting documents and the Historic Document Archive links. Even documents from this present meeting are available online as we meet. I will work to obtain any missing documents for these records. Also, I will update and maintain a spreadsheet of all officers and annual meeting dates and locations that was provided to me by Dr. Cobb.
An important discussion is ongoing in the Association on how to develop an information strategy for AASG, through a work group named by President Vicki McConnell. In addition to considering how best to maintain the website, develop a process for web and archival data storage, and determining the roles of the Editor, Historian, and Statistician in this digital age, there is discussion of what documents should be archived as hard copy and what materials should be distributed to the membership and how. The Historian is participating in this discussion and looks forward to understanding the wishes of the membership.
Another duty of the Historian is to compile a history of the Association. We are still enjoying the Centennial History published in 2008. Future volumes and interim products can be prepared only with the availability good and complete records. Thus the importance of the files.
I will take the opportunity of this report to address our current history by mentioning current methods of communication among the Association’s members and colleagues, and give a brief indication of some of the topics of interest this past year. Increasing use is being made of social media outlets such as blogs and Facebook, to supplement ever-improving websites. However, a great deal of communication is conducted by e-mail. E-mails sent to Members, Honorary Members, Associates, or to subsets or individuals, allow rapid communication of information, work products, and inquiries. Documents and manuscripts can be sent as attachments, and copied web links are easily shared.
Subjects of our e-mails are varied, but many concern planning for and sharing results of the Annual Meeting, Mid-Year Meeting, Spring Liaison, and Fall Liaison. Topics strongly represented are the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Act, geological data preservation, and news about the budgets of USGS and other federal agencies. Many e-mails share news of science policy at the national level, openings for State Geologists and other positions at state geological surveys, news about State Geologists or surveys in the popular press, nominations for awards and news about those receiving awards, and interesting news articles on geology in general. Hot topics this year included high-level radioactive waste disposal and a deep geologic repository, hydraulic fracturing and shale plays in several regions, and hydraulic fracturing and earthquakes. Among questionnaires distributed to the membership were those about formal guidelines on referring professional services, customer service, and digital mapping standards for geologic maps.
Michael B. E. Bograd
AASG Historian
June 2012