Steering Group Meeting Minutes

Notes from the meeting held at Senate House Library, University of London

Present:Nick Bevan (Treasurer), Mary Davies, Robert Hall (Chair), Nicky Kershaw, Maire Lanigan, William Marsterson, Madura Rasaratnam, Maureen Wade (Secretary), Christine Wise, John Wolstenholme, Jean Yeoh.

Anna Jones was in attendance for item 3 and Fiona O' Brien was in attendance for item 4.

1. Apologies

Graham Bulpitt, Margaret Coutts, Di Martin

2. Minutes

2.i The minutes of the Steering Group meeting held on 7 October were approved.

3. MASC25

3.i AJ gave a presentation on the MASC25 service and plans for its future development. The service, launched in December 2004 upon the completion of phases one and two of its development plan, contains collection level descriptions from special collections of printed books in fifty eight M25 University libraries.

A projected phase three was described which would include the remaining M25 libraries, particularly the museum and national libraries such as the British Library, British Museum and the Imperial War Museum. The possibility of including learned societies, especially those with collections in the History of Science, was also being investigated. A possible phase four is also being considered that would seek to place the MASC25 service within the widening participation agenda and so expand its use beyond the research community. An education outreach officer is envisaged as part of this proposal.

The participating libraries were congratulated and thanked for their contribution to the successful completion of phases one and two.

MW suggested that phase three should concentrate on the special collections of printed books within M25 Consortium learned societies and museums that were relatively more hidden than for example collections within the British Library. A suggestion by JW that MASC25's web address could be changed to make it easier to find was also noted.

3.ii Members agreed with RH's proposal that the Consortium contribute £5, 000 towards expanding the MASC 25 database with a request that the funding be used to prioritise mapping of relatively more hidden collections within M25 learned societies and museums. Members also accepted NB's proposal that the Consortium should seek acknowledgement for its contribution and that material on MASC25 should be included within the material sent to new M25 members and member institutions. CW, a member of the MASC25 steering group, agreed to raise ML's suggestion that the British Library be approached for funding. RH is to write to Paul Ayris agreeing to make a contribution. (Action RH) MR will also include a MASC25 flyer when sending out Welcome Packs. (Action MR)

4. Regional issues

4.i FOB presented a report updating the SG on the LLDA and related issues. Consortium members were invited to send details of events or developments that they would like included on the London Libraries website given that recent press coverage had led to an increase in first time visitors to the site.

Following a query from the Resource Discovery Working Group, and the increased activity on the London Libraries website, the LLDA is going to work with the Collaboration and Partnership Working Group to review the academic library pages on the site.

With reference to the Chinese reading promotion, due to start on 6 February, FOB suggested that Consortium members with significant Chinese student populations be included in the distribution of publicity. Consortium members with relevant collections that could be highlighted in the publicity material were also asked to contact FOB.

Academic libraries with collections relevant to the children's reading promotion week, titled 'World Literature for a World City,' to be launched on February 14th to coincide with the visit to London of the Olympic bids assessment committee, were also asked to contact FOB.

It was reported that plans were underway to integrate LliL with Inspire and that FOB would be representing LLDA and ALM London on the national steering group of Inspire.

5. Feasibility study into London Collaborative Store

5.i MW reported that a project officer had been appointed to run the feasibility study and work is due to start in the middle of February 2005 and that a scanning rather than document delivery service would be investigated. Members agreed that up to six non University of London members from the Consortium should be selected for participation, both to reflect the level of funding the Consortium was providing and the membership of the Consortium.

It was accepted that six institutions, which reflect the diversity of M25 Consortium membership, should be selected from amongst members who respond to a general call for interest that will be sent out after the Christmas break. The participating institutions would be expected to communicate with similar institutions within the Consortium to ensure that the views expressed during the feasibility study are representative of the Consortium's members. MW is to contact M25 Directors after the Christmas break calling for expressions of interest. (Action MW)

6. Financial Issues

6.i NB updated the SG on financial issues. A draft of the Consortium's accounts for 2003 - 2004 has been sent to Roy Williams for auditing. Up to date accounts should be available for the full Consortium meeting on 28 January.

NB noted that Working Groups still had budgets to spend within the current financial year.

6.ii A request for funding of £1, 000 by JW, on behalf of the London Health Libraries and M25 Consortium Joint Working Group, for a joint away day with NHS libraries was accepted on condition that the next joint away day would be funded by the NHS libraries.

7. Agenda for the 28 January Consortium meeting

7.i The SG recorded its thanks to Mary Davies and Jean Yeoh for offering the Maughan Library, King's College, at short notice as a venue for the meeting.

It was agreed that the business meeting agenda should include the following: changes to the Visit a Library service; the Quality Survey; the Treasurer's report and a request for feedback from members on the publicity given to M25 Consortium tools within academic departments in their institutions.

It was agreed that space should be made on the agenda for member's issues. Members will be asked to notify the Secretary of issues that they would like to have added to the agenda, at least one week in advance.

7.ii A deadline was agreed by which members of the of the SG would send the Secretary their submissions for the Updates to the Development Plan.

8. Membership and constitutional issues

8.i MD updated the SG on meetings that Brian Murphy, from the Collaboration and Partnership Working Group, had with the Institute of Electrical Engineers on their request for membership of the Consortium. The IEE, which hopes to attract more members by joining the Consortium, currently only allows access to its own members, although it can lend books via the British Library scheme. The IEE would also be initially unable to join InforM 25 as it uses CAIRS, an incompatible system.

The IEE expressed an interest in joining as an observer but was aware that the categories of membership are due to be reviewed.

The IEE also expressed an interest on behalf of a consortium of twelve engineering libraries, of which it is a member, in the possibility of group membership. It was noted that a precedent for this existed in the case of CADISE.

Given the limited access offered by the IEE, and the other members of the engineering consortium, the benefits of IEE membership for the rest of the Consortium's members was discussed.

The SG accepted NB's proposal that a decision be deferred until completion of the review of membership categories.

8.ii RH noted that the Consortium was likely to be asked to consider requests for membership from the members of the SEUL consortium that had recently been disbanded. Some SEUL members already belonged to the M25 and it was agreed that membership requests from individual SEUL members would be considered on their merits.

9. Web Review Process

9.i ML updated the SG on the progress of the Web Review group. The group had identified a number of different target audiences which the website should reach. The SG agreed the revised terms of reference of the Review group.

It had been recognised that a review of the web visual identity would entail a review of the brand image, which would extend both costs and timescales. A revised timetable envisions an official launch for the website in January 2006, with a progress report to the June 2005 Consortium meeting.

The group requested that a member of the Collaboration and Partnership Working Group join the web review process. MD is to nominate a member. (Action MD)

The SG agreed that the tendering process would not have to comply with full EU regulations and it was expected that tendering would be limited to about three organisations. It was accepted that the group would seek advice from NB on financial matters.

It was agreed that information on the Web Review process would be made available through the Advocacy Working Group pages on the Consortium's website.

10. Items for report only

10.i Reports from the following WG's were noted: Advocacy, Collaboration and Partnership, CPD25, Disabled & Special Needs Support, Disaster Management, London Health Libraries and M25 Consortium joint group, Quality, Resource Discovery, Student Services. It was agreed to ask members at the January meeting for their views on the future of the Student Services Working group.

10.ii CW raised the issue of a possible consortial deal with suppliers of disaster recovery services. WM asked that different levels of subscription to such services be considered, eg only for special collections. CW to take this forward with a view to preparing tender documents. (Action CW)

11. Any other business

11.i It was reported that an order had been placed for a notepaper and compliments slips with the Consortium's logo. Given the ongoing web review process, the quantity would be limited.

12. The programme for meetings in 2005 was confirmed

12.i Steering Group

• Thursday 10 March 2005 (King's College)
• Thursday 5 May 2005 (King's College)
• Thursday 7 July 2005 (University of London Research Library Services)

12.ii Chairs of Working Groups lunch: will be held before each SG meeting (unless notified otherwise) starting at 1pm.

12.iii Full consortium: all day meeting commencing at 10am

• 28 January 2005 (Maughan Library, King's College)
• 10 June 2005 (Royal College of Nursing)

NB Change of venue of January meeting

Maureen Wade
Secretary
23 December 2004