2003 Annual Report

2003 Annual Report of the Round Table for African American Concerns

In spite of the budget restraints felt by all in our profession, 2003 was a good year for the Round Table for African American Concerns (RAAC). The leadership for 2003 included: Chair, Rayburne J. Turner, Charleston County Public Library; Vice-Chair, Alex Currin, Anderson Public Library; and Secretary, Joyce Durant, Francis Marion University. Regretfully in June of 2003, our Vice-Chair, Alex Currin had to resign due personal reasons. RAAC is sincerely grateful to Alex for his invaluable service and assistance to the membership of RAAC for the 18 months he served as Vice-Chair.

2003 Mission

The mission for 2003 was to continue to reconnect with members and encourage new members to join the Round Table for African American Concerns. The mission also included a theme of healthcare within the African American community and the membership of RAAC. An additional component of the mission was to become more involved in the efforts to raise funds for the SCLA Scholarship for Diversity in Librarianship.
Membership

2002 Membership: 24
2003 Membership: 22 (May 2003)

The Membership includes African American professionals and paraprofessionals from academic and public libraries.
2003 Activities

Originally, the leadership of RAAC planned a summer workshop at one of the historically black colleges or universities in the state. However, with the budget strain experienced at public and academic libraries within the state, the leadership made a difficult decision to only sponsor the workshop at the Annual Conference in Columbia, October 22–24, 2003.

In addition, the following occurred during the year:

1. The Leadership of RAAC contacted current and past members by letter and email requesting them to join or renew their membership to the Round Table.
2. RAAC continues to be a “Supporting Donor” to the SCLA Scholarship for Diversity in Librarianship. The scholarship is in direct correlation with the RAAC’s purpose, which is to promote, recruit and retain minority librarians in South Carolina. We asked the membership to assist by giving a one-time gift to the scholarship in any amount. We also assisted with selling raffle tickets at the Annual Conference in support of the Scholarship.
3. RAAC continued its collaboration with the Paraprofessional Round Table. On May 16, 2003, the leadership of both Round Tables met in Orangeburg, South Carolina and agreed to co-sponsor a workshop related to the mental health of library employees at the Annual Conference.
4. The Round Table for African American Concerns’ workshop for the SCLA Annual Conference held at the Adams Mark Hotel, Columbia, South Carolina on Thursday, October 23, co-sponsored by the Paraprofessional Round Table focused on stress and the library employee. The Round Tables invited Khris Coolidge, LMSW, CAC I, of the Family Service Center of South Carolina to speak. The theme for the workshop was, “Ignite Your Energy, Diffuse Your Stress: While Telling Your Library’s Story.” A total of 24 librarians and paraprofessionals attended.

Budget

Beginning Balance (January 31, 2003) $ 62.00
Ending Balance (October 20, 2003 $ 152.49
Expenses $ 0

2004 Officers

The Nominating Committee of the Round Table was asked by the Round Table’s Chair, Rayburne J. Turner to present a slate of officers at the 2003 SCLA Annual Conference. The committee surveyed the membership and a slate of proposed officers were submitted and presented at the Business Session on Thursday, October 23, held at the 2003 Annual Conference. The 2004 slate of officers were approved. They are:

Francis Marion University
James A. Rogers Library
Post Office Box 100547
Florence, South Carolina 29501–0547

Williamsburg Technical College
601 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue
Kingstree, South Carolina 29556

Midlands Technical College
Airport Campus
Academic Center, 2nd Floor
1260 Lexington Drive
Columbia, South Carolina 29170