From the committee
by Paul Anderson and Russell Noakes
The EdNSW branch committee met on 13 July for its monthly meeting via Zoom, with two apologies.
Minutes of the June committee meeting were accepted and the actions from previous meetings reviewed.
Reports received included:
- meeting schedule
- professional development
- branch financial report
- branch budget commentary
- mentoring update
- membership report
- Accreditation Board delegate’s report
- Director’s update.
The financial position of the branch remains sound. We budgeted for a net deficit across all activities and, year to date, have achieved a net surplus. This improvement on the budget results in part from sales of the recordings of our popular speaker presentations.
Our Annual Branch Meeting (ABM) will be on 3 August, via Zoom. All branch members are invited to attend this free event. The main business is to declare the result of the branch committee election, to constitute the new committee (for 2021–22), and to present the branch activity program and budget for 2021–22. Thank you to those who have nominated for committee roles. There will be a final call for nominations for vacant committee roles during the ABM.
The agenda for the ABM includes a series of brief committee reports on the following branch activities:
- presentations
- workshops
- news
- member liaison
- mentoring
- accreditation.
There was no speaker presentation in July and our planned dinner event in Sydney was cancelled due to the prevailing COVID-19-related restrictions.
The ABM is the principal branch meeting for the year and the only one mandated by the IPEd by-laws. For the convenience of members, it takes place on the date members would expect for a branch member meeting in August. Thank you to those who have already provided questions for the members’ forum — it will follow ABM business and be open to all attendees. Please note the ABM and the members’ forum will not be recorded.
Two speaker presentations remain this year, on 7 September and 5 October.
We will host a workshop on Editing memoir with Pamela Hewitt in early November. Dates are being finalised. The workshop will comprise two sessions approximately a week apart. Please contact Sara Kitaoji at ednsw.profdev@iped-editors.org for more information.
Three new mentorship pairings were established in June.
Welcome to new members
by Kaaren Sutcliffe AE
EdNSW is pleased to welcome the following new members:
Associate members: Bridgette Armstrong; Veronicah Larkin; Katie Shapter; Sarah Trevor
Student members: Frances Glanz; Alyssa Blamire
As at 30 June 2021, our active financial membership stands at 374.
EdNSW lunch by the river
by Olivia Wroth Left to right: Sally Asnicar, Lindy Ferris, Susie Pilkington, Olivia Wroth, Ruth Steel, Rosemary Curtis [Photo credit: Sally Asnicar]
Northern Sydney and Central Coast editors were glad they could have a lunch together in June, not long before we all went into a COVID-19 lockdown. The weather was mild and sunny as we sat outside at a waterfront café in Brooklyn on the Hawkesbury River. Six editors made it, and we were pleased to welcome two new IPEd members who both live in Brooklyn. There was much editing and bathroom tiling discussion, and of course COVID-19 chat. Who knows when we will next be able to meet up in person? It was great to be able to chat and relax in the winter sunshine.
Events
Member meetings
Member meetings will continue to be held via video-conference using the Zoom application.
Members are urged to check their email for the latest information on any event.
Bookings via the IPEd Events webpage.
Annual Branch Meeting (followed by members’ forum)
Date: Tuesday 3 August 2021, 7pm AEST
Location: online via Zoom
Details: emailed to members
Cost: free to members
Bookings: for this members-only event close Friday 30 July and a link to join the Zoom meeting will be emailed to all registrants on Saturday 31 July.
Book here.
Which book to read now? What choice do I have?
Date: Tuesday 7 September 2021, 7pm AEST
Location: online via Zoom
Details: Most people can choose from the tens of millions of books available online or at a bookstore. People with a print disability have very limited choice. To read the latest national bestseller that everyone is raving about, they might have to wait for months to read it in a format of their choice — audio, ePub 3, large print or braille. We will discuss the process of converting books to accessible formats, the ways of accessing the printed word and the role editors can play in improving access to books.
Presenters: Mike Corrigan is a member of the NextSense Connected Services team. He provides training and support to clients and staff, conducts research into effective ways to use the technology necessary for people with vision impairment to achieve their goals, and presents in degree and professional development programs relating to access technology. Mike has been blind since birth and uses technology to help with daily living activities, at work and in his postgraduate studies.
Sonali Marathe manages the Accessibility and Inclusion Team at NextSense, which is responsible for producing accessible formats for people with a print disability. Sonali is also the President of the Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities, a member-led organisation that facilitates and influences the production and use of quality alternative formats. Sonali is passionate about equal access to information and has vast experience in alternative format production.
Bookings: close Friday 3 September and a link to join the Zoom meeting will be emailed to all registrants on Saturday 4 September.
Booking link to come.
Editor without borders, 2010–20
Date: Tuesday 5 October 2021, 7pm AEST
Location: online via Zoom
Presenter: Robyn Flemming, freelance editor, proofreader, street photographer and author
Details: will be announced closer to the date