Call for Volunteers: BibSite Editorial Board – Updated!

April 8, 2021

As part of the BSA’s Describing the Material Text initiative, we are redesigning the BibSite section of our website as an open-source repository not just for bibliographical datasets, but also for pedagogical resources like syllabi, worksheets, and other materials for instructors and researchers. The new webpage will be a dynamic and searchable hub for the teaching and study of bibliography.

Towards this initiative, the BSA invites volunteers to form a new BibSite Editorial Group, led by a General Editor, and we are seeking self-nominations for service in the group.

Announcing the BibSite Editorial Group

We are so pleased to announce that Eric Ensley (General Editor, University of Iowa), Adriana Cásarez (University of Texas at Austin), and Emma M. Sarconi (Princeton University Library Special Collections) have been appointed to form the BibSite Editorial Group. Erin McGuirl, Scott Ellwood (BibSite Project Manager), and the Digital Strategy Working Group are delighted to collaborate with this group as we work toward the BibSite launch this fall.

BibSite Editorial Group Roles & Responsibilities

 The General Editor will:

  • Be the first point of contact for receiving submissions to BibSite and route submissions to the Editors, or if applicable to outside experts.
  • Coordinate the meetings of the Editorial Group and orient new Editors. 
  • Update the Digital Strategy Working Group on the progress of BibSite.
  • Report on the Editorial Group’s activities on a yearly basis.

The Editors will:

  • With the General Editor and Publications Committee, periodically review the BibSite submission guidelines to ensure that they reflect the current technical requirements of the site.
  • Facilitate submissions to BibSite, check formatting and content of submissions to ensure they meet site standards. 
  • Coordinate with authors and outside reviewers to correct and enhance any submissions that do not meet site standards.
  • Post and, if necessary, remove content from the site. 

Terms, Time Commitment, and Immediate Assignments

After the group is assembled, it will begin meeting monthly from June through September to address the following:

  • Drafting a charge for the group.
  • Refining the editorial policy.
  • Collaborating with BSA Executive Director Erin McGuirl and BibSite Project Manager Scott Ellwood to launch the site in late summer or early fall 2021.

In 2022 and beyond, the Editorial Group will meet at least twice per year, with additional meetings at the General Editor’s discretion depending on the volume of submissions to BibSite. One of these meetings will serve as an orientation session for new Editors, while others may be called to address larger volumes of submissions around key times in the year, like Bibliography Week.

Terms

To ensure the continuity of the Editorial Group, the General Editor and two Editors will be selected in 2021 for three-year terms, with two additional Editors selected in 2022, also to serve three-year terms. The General Editor and all Editors may be reappointed once at the expiration of their terms. The terms and reappointments of Chairs and members both of standing committees and of working groups are governed by the guidelines in Section 000 (“Committees and Working Groups”) of the BSA Policy and Procedures Manual.

Members of the BibSite Editorial Group will receive free membership to the BSA during their tenure.

Required Skills & Appointments

Editors will be appointed from nominations received based on merit, with combined skills and backgrounds chosen to provide a broad coverage of topics and areas of bibliographical study that aligns with the goals set by the BSA Equity Action Plan. Candidates should be able demonstrate engagement with bibliographical teaching and research. 

The Editorial Board will be required to use Collective Access and Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Forms, Drive) tools in their work with BSA.

How to Volunteer

We welcome applications from members of under-represented groups as defined in the BSA Equity Action Plan, particularly individuals who feel that their background and experience make them uniquely qualified to contribute to the development of an inclusive digital resource.

To submit your self-nomination, please complete and submit this Google Form.