Quality Working Group Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the meeting held on 22 April 2008 at King's College London

Present: Julie Howell (LMU, Chair), Rodney Amis (KCL), Gill Briggs (TVU), David Clover (ICS), Susan Howard (Imperial), Margaret March (Anglia Ruskin), Philip Payne (Birkbeck), Janet Percival (UCL), Elaine Salter (Westminster)

1.   Minutes of the meeting held on 19 February 2008
The Minutes were agreed as an accurate record.

2. Matters arising
Minute 3: Chartermark. PP reported that at its meeting on 12 May, the Quality Standards and Legal Frameworks Task Group of CPD25 will be discussing the possibility of putting on a Chartermark event.

Minute 3: Library Surveys. CPD25 has yet to make a decision about running an event on library surveys this session.

Minute 4. Quality Maturity Model. Frankie Wilson will be attending our meeting on 24 June, to discuss the application of the Quality Maturity Model.
        
3. Scoping the Big Project
DC had commissioned a literature search from CILIP on space planning, which did not uncover much UK research.

The Group discussed the different project strands identified at the last meeting. The overall aim is to develop a collection of resources relating to space utilisation, which will be of particular value to libraries planning or carrying out refurbishments. When we have scoped the project, we could bid for funding for consultancy work or clerical help.

i. Costing models. This could include open access v off-site storage; paper v electronic access; cost of refurbishments and shelving; cost of enhancements such as extended opening hours; cost benefit analyses.

ii. Recent building projects. It was decided that the Group should look at small to medium-sized projects carried out by M25 Consortium libraries over the last five years.  Sharing experience of these smaller projects is likely to be of more value to others than sharing experience of rarer, large building projects.         
         Action: JH agreed to summarise the drivers for such projects.

        Action:MM to draw up a brief for librarians visiting recent refurbishments, giving guidance on what to look at and what questions to ask.          

iii. Performance indicators and benchmarking.
       Action: PP to list the SCONUL statistics which relate to utilisation of space, and will identify aspects which are missing.
       Action: ES to identify space-related questions in LibQUAL.      

iv. Impact assessment. 
      Action: DC to identify the criteria used for impact assessment.

4. Update from M25 Steering Group Planning Meeting
JH had circulated notes from the M25 Steering Group Strategic Planning Day, outlining the Quality Working Group’s Action Plan.

5. Progress reports on smaller projects
i. Directory of expertise: We had considered compiling a directory of expertise in the area of quality. We will hold back on this, because the Consortium is considering the compilation of a more general directory of expertise.

ii. Application of the Quality Maturity model: Frankie Wilson will attend our meeting on 24 June 2008.

iii. Audit of formal quality processes: We need to find out what the SCONUL Quality Assurance group is doing, to avoid possible duplication of effort.

6. Any Other Business
i. LibQUAL
ES asked what other institutions do with negative comments about library staff in LibQUAL. The general view was that such comments should not be made available to staff.

ii. Customer Service Excellence Standard
MM reported that Anglia Ruskin will be seeking accreditation to the Customer Service Excellence Standard.
(see http://www.cse.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/aboutTheStandardCSE.do)

7.  Date and Venue of Next Meeting
     2.30pm, 24 June 2008, at the University of Westminster