FROM THE TREASURERAuthor(s): Jack RobertsonSource: Art Documentation: Journal of the Art Libraries Society of North America, Vol. 7,No. 3 (Fall 1988), pp. 98-99Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of the Art Libraries Society of NorthAmericaStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27947916 .

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98 Art Documentation, Fall, 1988

ARLIS/ IMA NEWS SECTION

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FROM THE PRESIDENT In the calendar of the ARLIS/NA Executive Board, "sum

mer" means something other than vacations and "fun-in the-sun." It means planning for and attending the midyear Board meeting, which is a rather more intense experience than the Board meetings at the annual conference, which are buffered by attendance at the conference itself. Planning the agenda for the midyear Board meeting in Santa Fe, August 6-8, has begun and I expect that much work will be accom plished, from approving standardized committee guidelines to approving the final wording of the proposed changes to the bylaws, reflecting our intention to restructure the SIGs and TOLs.

The Conference Planning Advisory Committee of the Board met on June 16-17 in Phoenix to aid the co chairpersons, Mary Graham and Clayton Kirking, in planning the program and the conference budget. The Board commit tee consists of myself, Jack Robertson, and Elizabeth Byrne. The Dallas conference was the first to benefit by the joint planning efforts of the local committee and an advisory com mittee of the Board, and thus Phoenix will be the second conference so planned. In spite of the heat (113?F.), the con ference planning meeting accomplished its goal of choosing the program sessions and making recommendations about the local arrangements. We were actually able to stay at the conference hotel, the Hyatt Regency Phoenix, and can attest to its excellence as the location for the ARLIS/NA conference next March 23-30. The ambiance of the public spaces is at tractive and comfortable. If the rooms we had are typical, all are well-appointed with many affording spectacular views. I look forward to returning in March when the weather should be just warm enough to make those of us who are refugees from winter feel that we are at a resort. Do not forget to bring your swimming suits and exercise togs, as well as your en thusiasm for the ARLIS/NA program. When I ran for the office of president of ARLIS/NA, I stated

that I wanted to visit as many chapter meetings as possible. During the past three weeks I have finally been able to ex ercise this promise at least to some extent. On June 3, I attended the meeting of ARLIS/MOQ, our first Canadian chapter, in Montreal. I am happy to report that the chapter is functioning well on many levels and is planning to invite ARLIS/NA to meet in Montreal, probably in 1994. The chapter project, a directory of vertical file collections in its area, for which ARLIS/NA has granted seed money, is progressing with the enthusiasm and expertise of its committed member ship. On Friday, June 10, I attended the meeting of my own chapter, ARLIS/Ohio, in Cincinnati. We spent a very produc tive, enjoyable day at the Cincinnati Public Library and the Cincinnati Art Museum. On June 17, I attended the ARLIS/ Arizona Chapter meeting at the Heard Museum in Phoenix as an adjunct to the 1989 conference planning meeting. Once again, ARLIS/NA is fortunate in having such a committed, enthusiastic group working on its upcoming meeting.

Visiting chapter meetings has proved to be the most re warding experience I have encountered as president of ARLIS/NA and I recommend it wholeheartedly to my suc cessors. It is so easy to become bogged down in the paper work of the society, and meeting the members throughout the year rejuvenates one's enthusiasm for the other respon

sibilities. However, I can only plan to attend chapter meetings that I know about, so please let me know when they are planned and I will attempt to attend more in the fall.

Finally, and sadly, I must note the deaths of three active ARLIS/NA members: Deborah Linnet Boone (Getty Center Library), Diana G. Wilson (Huntington Library), and Charlotte Olin Watson (formerly Kimbell Art Museum).

Ann B. Abid ARLIS/NA President

FROM THE TREASURER During my first few months as treasurer of ARLIS/NA I

have had the opportunity to examine closely not only the current financial documents but also an array of historical records and reports. This examination has led me to the satisfying conclusion that our Society is, indeed, in very good financial shape. The day-to-day transactions, as reflected in the cash-flow summaries, are well-controlled and predict able. Even more pleasing is the steadily upward curving line reflecting the net worth of ARLIS/NA. All of these good signs

witness the wisdom of my predecessors! Now, I am san guine about our ability to continue building and strengthen ing the Society's financial foundations.

In this, my initial report, I should like to review some of the more salient points to be drawn from the income and expenses figures at the end of March 1988. The figures for March of 1988 compared to the figures for March of 1987 reveal that the substantial increase in total income ($21,943.74) is only partially offset by the increase in ex penses ($10,447.41): the income line increasing by 12.8%, ex penses increasing by 10.7%.

The end of March marks the halfway point in our fiscal year, and the following points are especially revealing when we keep in mind that another 50% of the annual financial cycle remains.

*) The two major sources of income, membership and conference, attained 98.6% and 111.9% respectively of the year's budgeted figures. *) The total income line is already at 100.5% of the bud geted amount. Sources of income do slow down in the second half of the fiscal year, but it is certain, based on previous years' patterns, that additional funds will be added.

*) Expenses are running at 57.3% of the budgeted figure. This bulge over the 50% mark can easily be accounted for by the conference expenses line. Beyond the figure re flected here very little will be added to this, the second largest expense line item (see below). *) Several expense line items do not yet reflect activity that

will occur in the second half of the year: postage, already at 64.3% for the year, does not reflect the mailing rate increases of this spring; and expenses for the membership directory will not be incurred until this summer.

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Art Documentation, Fall, 1988 99

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS March 31,1988

1988 March 31, March 31, Budget 1988 1987

Income Operations:

Membership. $ 69,000.00 $ 68,030.00 $ 64,972.70 Conference. 61,000.00 68,304.36 65,142.61 Advertising. 14,000.00 6,499.40 4,375.55

Other: Publications. 12,000.00 5,884.00 2,419.72 Mailing List. 8,000.00 5,371.00 5,889.00 Interest. 5,000.00 3,480.19 2,623.66

Other. 1,000.00 13,236.53 3,438.50

TOTAL INCOME. 170,000.00 170,805.48 148,861.74

Expense: Management Fees. $ 50,360.00* $ 25,430.00 $ 21,099.96 Telephone. 1,500.00 611.53 738.45

Equipment/Supplies. 1,000.00 285.69 264.04

Travel/Mileage. 2,000.00 520.09 934.07 Art Documentation. 25,000.00 13,699.11 6,400.48 Printing/Publications. 6,640.00 2,755.28 6,332.55

Membership Directory.... 7,500.00 10.89 69.06

Postage/Mailing. 3,000.00 1,929.94 1,424.39 Conference. 45,000.00 44,758.86 44,857.83 Dues/Subscriptions. 750.00 448.00 353.00

Legal/Accounting. 1,000.00 1,019.40 Executive Board. 4,400.00 1,508.83 999.00 Muehsam Award. 250.00 145.00 Committee Expenses. 2,800.00 210.75 95.04

Chapter Expenses. 1,000.00 475.00 300.00 SIG/TOL Expenses. 1,800.00 965.88 765.07

Advertising Commissions 3,500.00 787.50 602.50 Reserve Fund. 8,500.00 Contingency. 4,000.00 1,997.73 1,585.63

TOTAL EXPENSE. 170,000.00 97,414.48 86,966.07

REVENUE/EXPENSE. -0- $ 73,391.00 $ 61,895.67

includes $26,360.00 Management Fee to Association Managers, Inc. 24,000.00 Management Fee to Executive Director

All in all the ARLIS/NA budget for this year would seem to be serving us very well, and, with certain considered adjust ments, should provide an appropriate framework for next year's budget.

The final Dallas conference accounting has been closed out, and the final tallies of income and expenses are yet another testimony to the unqualified success of the Dallas conference. Expenses totalled $44,863.86, and income totaled $69,215.00. These are, respectively, 99.7% of the budgeted amount for expenses and 113.5% for income. Both the dollar amount of income above expenses and the percentage above budget are important signs of success because we do rely on the annual conference as an annual source of income.

ARLIS/NA is not an organization with a profit motive, and when we see a positive balance in the conference income and expenses lines of the annual budget we must keep in mind that other aspects of our Society, such as publications, operate at a substantial deficit.

I'd like to close this report with a few thoughts and some information related to long-range financial planning for

ARLIS/NA. In the past several years the Society's net worth has been steadily increasing. Last year the figure increased by 29.2%, and the lowest dollar amount in this current year is likely to be $82,188.84, the value at which we began the year.

We have been experiencing an expanding financial reserve, and the interest line on the income side of the annual budget has increased steadily in recent years as we secure income from our invested reserve funds. In addition to the bulk of our funds deposited in the Delaware Cash Reserve, which yields between 6% and 7%, we also have a relatively small amount working for us in the Fidelity High Income Fund mak ing between 10% and 11%. The information detailed above indicates to me that an

investigation of ways that our Society might make even bet

ter use of existing reserve funds is in order. The choices available for investing are constrained by two factors inher ent in our financial planning process: first the need for main taining ready access to our resources (liquidity), and, second, the necessity for maintaining a safe approach (low risk). With these two factors in mind, I believe there are options that should be evaluated. Investing would need to be done very carefully, and, of course, nothing could be done without the full approval of the Executive Board and knowledge of the membership. At this point, as I continue to assess ARLIS's past and current financial status and begin to plan for the future, I see every reason for gathering information and eval uating alternatives. In fact, it is quite possible that even now our funds are in the most secure and sensible position for our current needs.

Jack Robertson ARLIS/NA Treasurer

NEWS FROM THE CHAPTERS ARLIS/ Arizona

ARLIS/AZ kicked off its "Conference Year" meeting sched ule on March 4th with a spring meeting at the Tucson Mu seum of Art. The meeting began with an outdoor lunch in the 70-plus degree weather at the Old Town Artisans Cafe. Under the cool ramada, long-time members met guests and pro spective members and discussed potential activities for the 1989 Phoenix conference. After lunch, the group reconvened at the lecture hall of the Tucson Museum of Art for the chap ter's formal meeting.

1989 Conference Co-Chairs Mary Graham (Program) and Clayton Kirking (Local Arrangements) reviewed the highly successful Dallas conference. Graham and Kirking admitted that the Phoenix conference would not attempt to "top" Dallas, but rather contrast the southern hospitality with southwest indigenous cultures activities (and warmer weather!!). The conference will start earlier than previous years, they reported, because no sessions will be planned for Easter morning.

Part of the excitement of the March meeting was the vari ety of new members and guests and the distances which many other members had traveled. ARLIS/Arizona represents members in New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah who do not have their own chapter organizations. Nancy Pistorius of the University of New Mexico was the member who had traveled the farthest for the meeting.

The meeting continued with Clayton Kirking asking the chapter to consider the plight of Mexican art libraries. Kirking explained the devastation which the devaluation of the peso has wreaked upon art libraries throughout the country. He asked that ARLIS/AZ act as a sponsor for an exchange/gift program of catalogues, etc., for art libraries to Arizona's south.

After the conclusion of the business portion of the meet ing, members were treated to an address by keynote speaker James Gresham. Mr. Gresham is an architect involved with the planning of the new arts district in downtown Tucson. The area, which is already an established gallery enclave for contemporary/alternative art galleries, will be enhanced with an open-air market, more restaurants and shops, and the renovation of the historic "Temple of Music and Art," an ar chitectural landmark in the city which will be the new home of the Arizona Theatre Company. Much of the area will be available to ARLIS members by next year's conference date. The meeting adjourned and members viewed the Matisse drawings exhibition in the main part of the Tucson Museum of Art.

The chapter met again, on June 17, at the Heard Museum in Phoenix. The conference committee chairs, who were assign ed their duties months ago, are now completing the details of the preparations for the March 1989 event. The Tours Com mittee has reported planned outings to Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West and Arcosanti. Also, the Center for Creative

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