Tips for Taking Minutes
Prepared by the Communication Committee
Instruction Section, Association of College and Research Libraries
Revised 2003
If you have been designated to take minutes at an IS meeting, the following suggestions should make your job as recording secretary easier.
Preparation:
1. Have ready the minutes of previous meetings and any other material you may need.
2. Obtain a list of committee members and an agenda from the chair.
3. Prepare a sign-in sheet to pass around to those in attendance. The sheet should request the following of attendees: name, institutional affiliation, preferred mailing address, email address, and designation of member or observer.
4. You may wish to use a tape recorder to back up to your notes.
What to Include:
1. Name of the group or committee and its hierarchical place within ACRL and IS. For example:
ACRL
Instruction Section
Research Committee
2. Place, time and date of the meeting.
3. Kind of meeting (a regular or special meeting called to discuss a specific topic).
4. Names of committee members present. Indicate the chair by using "(ch)" after name.
5. Names of committee members excused/absent.
6. List of observers. Indicate name, affiliation and mailing address (from sign-in sheet).
7. A statement that the minutes of the prior meeting were approved, revised or not read.
8. Announcements or issues for discussion from the IS Advisory Council meeting.
9. Items discussed in order listed on the agenda. Briefly describe main points discussed and state actions taken. A transcript of the discussion is not necessary, but be sure to include actions, votes, resolutions, motions, etc.
10. Keep the minutes to the point. Give complete information but do not ramble.
11. A structured format will help you keep the minutes succinct. For example, you may wish to use headings such as "Agenda Item" followed by subheadings "Discussion" and "Action Taken."
12. Minutes should always be objective and impartial. They should be factual and devoid of editorial opinions and comments.
13. If a member of the committee is assigned a task or volunteers for an assignment, state clearly the person's name and the responsibility accepted.
14. The time the meeting was adjourned and the place, time and date of the next meeting.
15. The recording secretary's signature and typed name.
Action Items:
Attach a separate sheet to the minutes entitled "Action Items". List the item on which action is needed and the responsible committee member. For example:
| Action Items |
| Item |
Member Responsible |
| 1. Contact Education for BI Committee concerning joint project & report back at next meeting. |
1. Susan Anybody |
| 2. Conduct literature search & distribute results to committee by June. |
2. John Everybody |
| 3. Etc. |
3. Etc. |
Distribution of Minutes:
Write up the minutes within two weeks after the meeting(s) and distribute them to the committee chair and other committee members for review.Once they are approved, the intern will send the minutes in Microsoft Word (or PDF format)to the IS Secretary, who will forward them to the IS Web Site Administrator for posting on the website under Minutes of Conference Meetings.
Additional Information:
A helpful title for novice minute-takers is Jane Watson's Minute Taker's Handbook: Taking Minutes at Any Meeting with Confidence (1992) ISBN 0-88908-994-9.
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