The name of the newsletter is derived from an insect. Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) have inhabited the earth for over 300 million years. They are pests of paper products and prefer food containing starch such as the glue found in book bindings and photographs. Silverfish are found throughout the United States and the world. They are the traditional nemesis of librarians.

Mission Statement

1. The Silverfish Newsletter is a publication produced by and for iSchool students and alumni.

2. The Silverfish Blog is a communal mouthpiece and discussion forum for the iSchool community.

3. The Silverfish Calendar informs students about iSchool events, from the academic to the extracurricular.

4. The Silverfish newsletter, blog and calendar are intended to provide valuable information for iSchool students and promote free expression within the iSchool community.

Purpose

The Silverfish is the official newsletter of the Association of Library & Information Science Students (ALISS) at the Information School of the University of Washington. The primary purpose of the Silverfish is to publish material relevant to the experience of students at the Information School. This may include student opinions and concerns, student recreation, entertainment, and discussions of issues pertinent to the iSchool community.

Frequency

The Silverfish is published bimonthly during the academic school year with an optional summer issue.

Staff

The Silverfish Staff consists at a minimum of the ALISS vice president, senior editor, web editor, and staff writers. Additional editorial positions or staff positions may be added at the discretion of the senior editor in consultation with the ALISS vice president. All staff must be currently enrolled in the Information School.

The senior editor position will be limited to a term of one year. At the end of each school year, the ALISS vice president and senior editor will select a new senior editor. The senior editor position may be offered to current Silverfish staff before opening to the entire iSchool community. If the position is not taken by a current Silverfish staff member, the position will be advertised 2 weeks before selection on the iChat mailing list, MLIS mailing list, dMLIS mailing list, and in the iSalon. The senior editor is responsible for managing the Silverfish staff, conducting meetings, and communicating with the ALISS vice president. A co-senior editorship may be established if desired. There may be no more than two senior editors.

The web editor position will be appointed by the senior editor. The web editor is appointed for one year. The position is renewable for additional years. The web editor position begins with each school year. The web editor is responsible for website editing, design modification, PDF file creation of issues, and maintenance of the online archive. Archiving responsibilities may be assigned to another member of the Silverfish staff. All design modification will be made in consultation with the senior editor.

Staff members will be selected by the ALISS vice president and senior editor in the first few weeks of Autumn quarter. The positions will be advertised during orientation events and the first week of the quarter. Staff members are expected to contribute an article or feature for each monthly issue except for one month, of their choice, during the school year.

The Silverfish accepts articles from all members of the Information School. Contributors are individuals that write for the Silverfish but are not members of the staff.

Freedom of Speech

All opinions expressed in the Silverfish are those of the authors and not the editors, ALISS, the Information School, or University of Washington. The Silverfish does not condone and will not publish slanderous or otherwise illegal content.

Archiving Policy

Portable Document Format (PDF) documents will be created of each issue of the Silverfish. The PDF files will be stored on the ALISS web space. At a minimum, the past two years of the Silverfish will be linkable from the Silverfish website. The web editor is responsible for maintaining the archive. In the event a student volunteer takes on the archiving responsibilities, the web editor will be relieved of this task.

Interview Policy

Interviews conducted in person must be recorded. The recording device must be visible to the interviewee. The interviewer must inform the interviewee when they are being recorded and ask to begin. Verbal affirmation must be received before the interview begins. If an interview is conducted electronically, the e-mail log or chat transcript must be saved. Any recordings or transcripts will be saved for at least one quarter after the interview is published.

Anyone under age 18 must have parental consent before being photographed or interviewed. Consent forms will be drafted as cases arise.

Interviewees may view a copy of their quotes before the interview is published. It is at the discretion of the interviewer whether they view the entire article. Agreement to conduct the interview is considered agreement to reproduce the interview. Quotes cannot be retracted. Additional quotes may be made to clarify or correct factual information.

Copyright Policy

The Silverfish content is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, or otherwise utilized without prior written consent of the author. Copyright is retained by the author. All rights reserved. All reprinted content must cite the Silverfish as the original source.