Secretary's guidelines

The group secretary's role is to undertake the group's administration. The responsibilities may typically include:

keeping the group's website up-to-date and informative
monitoring the usage of the group's e-list
providing information about groups events to ALIA National Office for inclusion in the events listing on ALIAnet and in inCite
keeping Vital Link Online details for group office-bearers up-to-date, and inform ALIA National Office of any changes
recording the decisions made at meetings of the group and its executive
communicating the outcomes and decisions of group meetings to members of the group, using an appropriate medium (mail, e-mail, newsletter, e-list)
maintaining general group correspondence
keeping the group membership list up-to-date, using information provided from ALIA National Office
ensuring that records are kept and archived of group meetings, activities and correspondence
ordering address labels from ALIA National Office for mail-outs to members, or organise e-mail-outs with ALIA National Office
ensuring adherence to ALIA's policy on the handling of personal information.
ordering ALIA stationery from ALIA National Office

The secretary's role may also include the group's communications through group newsletter (print and/or electronic); and/or e-lists.

Welcoming new group members

Once a month, ALIA National Office forwards the group convenor details of new members, if any, who have indicated that they wish to join the group. This is a good opportunity for the group executive to welcome the new member to the group and to explain how the group works and communicates, and to invite the new member to become involved.

Groups may request membership lists, labels and e-mail addresses at any time, or request them from the ALIA membership office (please remove the '.nospam' from adress)] by fax or mail.

Communication

The sharing of information about a group and its activities is key to the success of ALIA groups, many of which have members joining from across the country. ALIAnet facilitates communication with members, wherever they may be located. An important part of the secretary's job is to ensure that information about the group is available, and current.

Group e-list

A group can establish their own e-list by filling in the form on ALIAnet. Note, that an e-list requires a list owner, who accepts the duties and obligations described. A listowner manual may be of assistance.

Group members are not automatically subscribed to e-lists - they need to subscribe themselves. Therefore, when the group executive welcomes a new member to the group, it is worthwhile to explain how the group communicates and how the new member can join the e-list.

Group website

All groups have a website on ALIAnet, accessed through a link from http://groups.alia.org.au. The site includes information about office-bearers, links to an electronic 'how to join' form, and where to go to join the group's e-list, if one exists. There are also options provided for placing information about activities, committee meetings and reports.

To contribute or alter content on the group's website, select the page that you wish to modify (or go to the page from which you would like a link to exist) and select the footer 'comment' link, which takes you to a form that allows content to be added. ALIA National Office web staff then add the content or alterations to the group's webpages - generally within 48 hours. Minor editorial refinements and changes may take place to ensure that the material conforms to ALIAnet 'house style'. All details will be verified prior to posting.

Newsletters

Groups that publish or wish to publish newsletters in print should contact the ALIA publishing officer, at ALIA National Office for advice regarding printing and distribution. Emma is also available to advise on layout, corporate style and other issues associated with publication. Official ALIA logos for use on publications can be downloaded.

Groups distributing newsletters to all ALIA members Australia-wide may consider inserting the newsletter in inCite, at the special discount for groups (to recover cost). If the insert option is chosen, make sure that the issues are received by the 18th of the month for distribution in the first week of the following month.

Events notification

The Association is keen to list all ALIA events in inCite and on ALIAnet. Therefore, please send in details of your events by the 18th of the month for following month(s) to ensure inclusion in inCite, or at any time for inclusion on ALIAnet events pages.

Events descriptions are brief - a maximum of 40 words, including the name of the group, title of event, theme and key speaker (if relevant), venue, time, admission fee/s, and a contact name with phone and fax numbers. Forward the event details via mail to Events (please remove the '.nospam' from adress), via this website, or to ALIA National Office, PO Box 6335 Kingston 2604, or fax to 02 6282 2249.

Correspondence

The group should use only ALIA stationery for formal correspondence. It can be ordered from ALIA National Office.

Vital Link Online

The primary tool for pinpointing details of ALIA office-bearers and ALIA National Office staff is the web-based database Vital Link Online, which is automatically updated from our membership database. Please ensure that any change in office-bearer details are reported promptly (use the form located through the link at the foot of every Vital Link page) to the ALIA membership office by phone or e-mail (please remove the '.nospam' from adress).

Office-bearers' e-list

ALIA National Office uses the office-bearers e-list (please remove the '.nospam' from adress), as a primary means for communication with group office-bearers. ALIA National Office maintains the list, and all office-bearers are subscribed automatically, using the e-mail address provided in your membership application or renewal. Therefore, please ensure that ALIA National Office (please remove the '.nospam' from adress) is informed of any changes to office-bearers and their e-mails.

Groups may post information or comments to the list, and it may be used as a discussion list by responding to each post. Note that the 'Reply' response returns to the entire list.

Six-monthly reports to the Board

Groups endorsed for more than six months are to submit a progress report to the Board of Directors every six months. Groups endorsed for less than six months are to submit a report on their operations to the Board of Directors within six weeks of the end of the endorsement period.

Reports from groups to the Board of Directors and members should provide an evaluation of the achievements of the group as related to clause 6 of By-law 2 which relate to the group's:

ability to fulfil the objects of the Association;
purpose and program;
past achievements of purpose and goals;
financial viability; and
proposed communication with members.

Groups are requested to forward their six-monthly progress reports to the Board of Directors to the executive director by 1 July (covering the period 1 January to 30 June, and by 15 November (covering the period 1 July to 31 December) - the latter report may be used for the Association's Annual Report and in inCite.

Records management

Groups are encouraged to ensure that records are kept of group meetings, activities, correspondence and financial transactions, and archived in accordance with ALIA's archival guidelines. Advice regarding the archiving of group records is available from ALIA National Office, by phone or e-mail (please remove the '.nospam' from adress).

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