Dear Book and Paper Members,
I have stepped down as BPG Chair effective August 1st. As some of you are aware, my wife Shari was diagnosed with cancer in December. She had surgery and underwent treatment for a glioblastoma, or brain cancer. On August 19th, my wife lost her battle with cancer and passed away.
Sarah Reidell will fulfill the remainder of my term, which ends May 2020. The BPG bylaws cover filling an executive council vacancy mid-term, but we plan on adding more detail in the BPG handbook to deal with such a situation for the future. Sarah is well known to many of you; she has been BPG Library Collections Conservation Discussion Group Chair (2006-08), BPG Assistant Program Chair (2011-12), BPG Program Chair (2012-13), and BPG Publications Committee Chair (2014-2017). Most recently she has been AIC Publications Committee Chair (2015-2019). I know that I leave leadership of BPG in great hands.
At the May 2019 business meeting in Uncasville, CT, I announced the formation of a Financial Committee to assess our fiscal effectiveness. The Committee will continue to develop and move this project forward. Expect to hear more once we finish our examination of BPG’s financial health and submit findings early next year.
It has been an honor to serve as BPG chair and be involved with an organization that means so much to me. I hope to be able to serve again in the future.
Secretary/Treasurer update
Last year's Business Meeting minutes, approved by the membership during this year's BPG Business Meeting, are available in the Library section of the BPG online community website. This year's meeting minutes are available in the same place, and members are welcome to submit corrections to Saira Haqqi, BPG Secretary (saira.haqqi@mnhs.org).
—Jodie Utter, BPG Chair, bpg.jodie.utter@gmail.com