'''State of The Augustan Society, Inc. — — August 2012'''
''submitted by [[Consuls]]''
We are now at the end of a most interesting year (in the proverbial sense of “interesting” where it is equivalent to “cursed”). It included a good number of fresh starts, substantial progress on a number of fronts, and slippage on but few. Sadly, the past two months also displayed evidence that not everyone accepts the authority of the [[By-Laws]] and [[Board|Board of Directors]], but even that has now largely been resolved.
The downward trend in our membership that began in the last years of [[Founder|Sir Rodney's ]] tenure appears to have been arrested, if not yet reversed. Our [[Communications|website]] has been the key tool for this, as fewer than one member per year has been brought in by any other means. That people are willing to send us $146 based solely upon what they see on our website, without even asking for a sample ''[[Augustan Omnibus]]'', argues strongly that the website is is a tool we must support and continually expand.
One step we could take that might help with the membership total is is to discontinue the somewhat pointless practice of electing new members. The website could very easily be set up to permit “instant membership”, as is common in other organizations. This would of course trigger other changes, such as the loss of the postnominals “MAS” (since membership would no longer represent an honor).
''[[Augustæum]]'' has proven a worthy tool, both for staying in more regular contact that the ''[[Augustan Omnibus]]'' schedule will permit, and particularly for giving management the means for quick communications with the membership. In an age of electronic communications, it's difficult to keep ahead of the rumors, but we seem to be keeping up well. Indeed, letters received that say, “Why didn't I know about this earlier?” are thus actually quite reassuring.
''The [[Augustan Society Roll of Arms]] '' project has had a rocky history of late. With an inactive [[Hereditary Order of Armigerous Augustans|HOAA]], it was taken on by the [[Communications|Publications Committee]]. First a color reprint of Volume I was targeted, then the focus was switched to a new Volume IV. More change may well be in the offing. The major challenge is with obtaining translations of the blazons into “English”, as our [[Vice-Justiciars|Vice-Deputy Justiciar Generals]] are not uniformly responsive. This project, along with new [[Registration of Arms|Registrations of Arms]], badly needs a traffic manager; someone to track which blazons are ready, which have gone to the artist, right through to delivery of certificates.
The [[Cataloging|Library Cataloging]] Project has finally begun in earnest, with over 300 books entered into the [[Online Public Access Catalog]] to date. We invite [[Directors]] and interested members to visit the site at <[http://library.augustansociety.org http://library.augustansociety.org]> and see for yourselves. Use login “guest” and password “please”. Work continues almost daily.[Note: No login is required to use most features of the catalog.]
The associated [["Buy-A-Box"]] program has generated substantial revenue which has been put to the purchase of acid-free storage boxes and steel shelving. We now have enough shelving for half our [[Library|library]] storage unit, and nearly that many boxes. We do not ask for another assessment at this time, as we think it appropriate to let the cataloging catch up. We will ask for more once we do.
Our storage facilities have been substantially reorganized in the past few months. The Library Collection was moved from a dark 15×15' room to one 10×25' with lights (and an aisle!). The office files and back issue storage have been moved into a 7×25' unit, again with lights. The [[Museum|Museum Collection]] remains in a 15×15' room, packed quite solidly, awaiting someone with enough concern to begin conservation (and deaccession) efforts. These changes make only a small difference in our expenses, but they greatly aid staff's ability to access materials and respond to requests, especially now that the materials aren't stuffed in various rooms of their house.
Three of our four review committees, [[Arms Review Heraldry Committee|Heraldry]], [[Chivlary Committee|Chivalry]], and [[Royalty & Nobility Committee|Royalty & Nobility]], all now have active chairmen, and all are reviewing submissions and making recommendations to the [[Board ]] in a timely fashion. It will take a bit of time for all of them to firm up their procedures and achieve the sort of response time we all want, but their clear dedication to their duties is most satisfying. We hope that the [[Genealogy Committee]] will soon find an active Chairman and join them.
We do have some research committees, primarily the [[Descents from Antiquity Study Group|Descents from Antiquity]] and [[Family of Augustans Study Group|Family of Augustans]], which have been moving slowly, but are far from dead. And even those many committees that are presently dormant are but that … they can be reactivated at the whim of a single willing member.
There have been times recently when the rhetoric has adopted “us v. them” terminology. I bid you abandon such labels. There will always be issues that bring individual Augustans together, issues about which some of us have no care, and issues about which we must find a way we can agree to disagree. This is as it should be.
But I have seen many groups torn asunder by a misplaced sense of loyalty or an inflated sense of authority. For some, these matters can trump all else, even justice and truth. From this unworthy mindset can come acts that will be viewed as evil by others, while seeming virtuous to the actors. As [[Directors]], and indeed as Augustans, I would remind you that your loyalty to all of us is greater than your loyalty to any one of us (Consuls included), and that the authority of your offices is strictly limited. This is no monarchy; only our [[By-Laws]] reign supreme. Know that they will always have your Consuls' first allegiance.
Finally, we wish to express our sincere and humble appreciation for the acts of confidence and spontaneous gestures of support offered by Officer and Member alike in recent weeks. Considering that our fiscal compensation is almost beneath notice, it is these shows of confidence that sustain us in our efforts on the Society's behalf.
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*[[State of the Society|back to State of the Society]]