Priorities

This is a menu of the topics on this page (click on any): Goal I: Becoming More Conventional (less dependent on one person)    Goal II: Making Paper Archives Safe (ISHOF)    Goal III: Consolidating Digital Archives    Goal IV: Getting More Stories and Photos of Top Swimmers    Goal V: Examine how we are doing things and how might do better   .

The purpose of this page is to outline H&A Committee near-term priorities (for the next year or so). This outline should reflect current USMS priorities and should be consistent with H&A priorities and action items at convention(s).

Goal I: Becoming More Conventional (less dependent on one person)

1. Move digital archives to USMS.org server where others can more easily help.
2. Enable Barbara Dunbar to edit, rewrite & add text material (add other people later).
3. Migrate all table data to SQL oriented (conventional) database.
4. Create user interface to all technical maintenance tasks can be moved towards complete user friendliness.
5. Continue to improve automation of digital archives (e.g. administration of the SwimmerID, starting a new year).
6. Issue and administer our RFP (revised to be consistent with the USMS database project).

Goal II: Making Paper Archives Safe (ISHOF)

1. Write and execute ISHOF Henning Library contract.
2. Get Exec. Comm. approval of Priorities for What we will Collect (revise as needed).
3. Work with Preston to create plan for getting started on our 6-10 boxes of material (intern, catalogue).
4. Get original documents on creation and legal maintenance of USMS to ISHOF.
5. Offer to return paper documents that do not fit our criteria.
6. Develop (with Bob Duenkel) a concept for a multi-media exhibit in the ISHOF Museum.
7. Develop (with Bob and Sam Freas) a concept for a travelling exhibit about Masters swimming.

Goal III: Consolidating Digital Archives

1. USMS records (the existing database).
2. FINA records (at least those by USMS swimmers, create database if it does not exist).
3. Service Awards (create database).
4. Championship Meets (bring Mary Beth Windrath's project into the fold).
5. Relays (Top Ten, Records, history).
6. Reorganize Committee documents (policy, history, plans, projects - Barbara Dunbar will do this)
7. Design process for digitizing old data (e.g. old Top Tens).
8. Consider certification of archival data (e.g. how respond to the Swedish swimmer who contacted Jim Miller)
9. Continue to add to archives new information from Records & Tabulation Committee.

Goal IV: Getting More Stories and Photos of Top Swimmers

1. Top swimmers whose stories and photos should be given highest priority were established in January.
2. A flier (brochure) has been written (by Meegan Wilson with help from Marcia Cleveland & Meg Smath) which will be mailed to all LMSC's in May, 2002 (with a cover letter from Jim Miller and help from Tracy Grilli). If you would like to see or download a pdf file of our brochure, click here.

Goal V: Examine how we are doing things and how might do better

1. Now we are precompiling everything we offer on the web server. How might we make our job easier by doing part of our compiling on the server?
2. Evaluate accessability of digital archives. Are there ways to make access easier for the browsing person?
3. How can we do a better job of serving people using non-Microsoft technology?

The following pages add more detail to this statement of priorities.

• Priorities for What we will Collect (for ISHOF)
• Priorities for Stories & Photos (of All-Americans)
• Mid-Year Report from the H&A Committee
• Policy (for our H&A Committee).

Send Us a Story for USMS Archives
Priorities for Stories & Photos
Guidelines for Contributing a Formal Oral History
Status of On-line Databases
Davin's test page
Coding Scheme
Committee Members

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