NWAA Book Room Policy at NWAC Statement

The Northwest Anthropological Association (NWAA) is designed to promote all four subfields of anthropology and related fields. The NWAA meets annually at the Northwest Anthropological Conference (NWAC) and participants provide papers and posters to disseminate information to the professional community as well as to the public. The conference encourages the participation of vendors and exhibitors in a setting commonly known as the book room. The book room provides an opportunity to promote education (federal agencies), regional organizations (such as the Archaeological Conservancy), professional journals (such as the Journal of Northwest Anthropology), volunteer organizations, student organizations, education opportunities (such as field schools), and employment opportunities. Acceptable commercial aspects include the sale of books and reports, the sale of field equipment and supplies, and the sale of professional services (such as protein residue analyses and radiocarbon dating).

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The NWAA follows the ethical guidelines of larger professional organizations including the American Anthropological Association, the Society for American Archaology, the Society for Historic Archaeology, the Register of Professional Archaeologists, and others (most of which have developed guidelines following the UNESCO Convention of 1970 and updates), all of which promote the ethical treatment of cultural materials including antiquities. The NWAA considers it acceptable for federal, state, Tribal, and similar institutions to exhibit cultural materials at the conference for educational purposes, such as items from recent field school. Prohibited cultural materials include the display of human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and/or objects of cultural patrimony for commercial purposes. It is the policy of the NWAA that the display of cultural items for commercial purposes is prohibited at NWAC and vendors/exhibitors or others attempting to do such will be prohibited from vending or exhibiting in the book room and attending NWAC. The organization or individuals hosting the NWAC are responsible for vetting vendors/exhibitors and if a question arises they should contact the NWAA officers and board members via the conference registration desk and they will provided assistance as soon as possible.