Annual Conference: Helsinki, Finland (with IAML)
President: Gerald D. Gibson, Library of Congress, United States. James McCarthy, National Film and Sound Archives, Australia
Editor: Grace Koch, Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies,Canberra, Australia. Helen P. Harrison, Open University Library, Milton Keynes, UK
James McCarthy, National Film and Sound Archive, Australia
Firstly my sincere thanks for the support and encouragement many of you have given me before and after the conference. I hope to serve the organisation in the best traditions of my predecessors.
In my introductory remarks at the Helsinki conference I spoke of the need to make communication between the members our highest priority. In this I especially requested those of us who have English as a first language to make certain we are clear and unambiguous in our discussions and correspondence, keeping in mind the fact that many members have considerable difficulty in following our complex debates. If we want the organisation to truly reflect the international character and obligations of its charter, this must be observed.
Despite our best intentions, I do not believe there would have been as many difficulties with the IASA/IASAVA debate, had we been clearer in our communications with each other. In my experience it is not enough to say something once, believing all involved will comprehend, thus clearing the way for immediate action. With a sensitive issue such as this one, it was imperative that the whole membership was kept fully informed each step of the way.
Fortunately this process is now well in hand and debate in open forum and the columns of the Journal are proceeding well. The next Journal will contain some thought provoking articles, including fresh material raising issues about particular aspects of AV and sound as specific disciplines, which should give us all pause for thought. As I said in my opening remarks in Helsinki, some accommodation with AV is likely, but this does not mean that IASA's drift into AV, as a total absorption, is inevitable and I have never supported that view.
I should also like to take this opportunity, as I did at Conference, to acknowledge the debt we owe the previous Board, in particular Gerry Gibson and Sven Allerstrand, who had to steer the organisation through the most difficult period of its existence. As incoming President I am particularly grateful that their diligence has made my task a great deal easier.
