1997 NEWSLETTER

Editor: Kristen Norget, McGill University

Greetings to all; we were delighted to have seen so many of you in Oaxaca over the past year, and hope that those we did not see will have a chance to visit very soon.

As with the inaugural issue last fall, the intention of this second Boletin is to keep you up to date on developments and events at the Institute, and demonstrate why your continued participation and support is important to us.

The biggest piece of news this year was undoubtedly the second Biannual Conference, co-sponsored with the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia (INAH), and held at the Institute. The meeting was a huge success, with over 60 papers on Oaxacan anthropology and archaeology presented, and more than 50 non-presenting participants- more than double the numbers in 1994.

The 1998 conference is planned to take place July 31st to August 1st, in three sessions spread out over the two days. Again, the meeting will be co-sponsored with INAH, with free registration for both socios of the Welte institute or employees of the INAH. We are planning to solicit funds from an outside source to help cover conference expenses, but as yet such sponsorship is unconfirmed.

Presently we have around 40 members under the category of 'socio'. During the Conference, we gained an additional ten new members- important since this is our third year as an institution without a permanent source of funding. We will need approximately 200 regular socios to be able to maintain the library on a continual basis; therefore our membership drive must remain aggressive.

For 1997 we are establishing a new membership category for couples (i.e. those sharing one address): the membership fee will be tallied according to the income of the individual with the larger salary, with the other member of the couple paying a fee according to the lowest income category. Couples will receive only one copy of the Boletin, but both members will have voting rights.

The Library continues to be used by a steady stream of visitors, especially during the summer months. Library policy remains as is: holdings will still be available for borrow (for weeks at a time) by socios. However none of the codices may leave the Institute's premises, nor any of the books which are not replaceable.

The Welte Bibliography will be published again, updated with over 4,000 citations from the Welte and other data banks, with an index by theme and by location. It will go on sale starting from November of 1996, and be available in paper ($20 US) or diskette format ($80 NP/$10 US). To order, simply send a cheque in the name of the WELTE INSTITUTE, Apartado 518, Oaxaca 68000, Oaxaca.

The Institute continues to broaden its ties with other academic and research organizations and institutions. For example, the Instituto de Investigaciones Antropologicas (IIA) of the UNAM invited us to participate in the publication of their Boletin de Articulos (for the re-publication of new or classic articles that have run out). Martha Rees agreed to act as editor for this cooperative project. The IIA-UNAM also invited us to send them bibliographies grouped according to selected themes to their monthly publication, Boletin Biblioteca Juan Comas (Catologo 1996). Gudrun Dohrmann and Martha Rees volunteered to choose themes and collect the corresponding bibliographies. We have also made an agreement with the INI for an exchange of donated books.

We decided to publish the memoirs of the 1996 Conference as the Welte's Publication #7, starting this October of 1996. The price, approximately $15 US, will depend on the number of pages. For more information, contact Gudrun Dohrmann at the Institute.

As you can see, it's been an active year, and we are pleased with the results of our efforts to solidify 'the Welte's identity as a foremost research institution locally in Oaxaca, as well as nationally and internationally. Projects on the agenda in the immediate future include the establishment of a solid bibliographic network on the Internet, and the continued search for funding.

Again, we would welcome anyone's suggestions as to how we might improve things, both in the department of financial solvency, as well as administratively or otherwise. The Institute is your organization, and its successful future depends entirely on the input of its members. So please don't let us lose touch with you.

A summary of 1997 news is available on-line.