Advocacy Working Party Meeting Minutes

Notes from the meeting held at the University of Westminster.

Present: Máire Lanigan (St. Mary's & Chair), John Gilby (LSE - Minutes), Marysia Henty (LSE), Julie Howell (London Metropolitan University), Liz Hunwick (Middlesex), Janet Percival (UCL), Monica Rivers-Latham (Westminster).

Apologies: Apologies were received from Frances Norton (Wellcome Library), Madura Rasaratnam (LSE).

ML welcomed everyone to the meeting.

1. Previous Meeting Minutes and Matters Arising

Minutes from the meeting held on 10th August 2005 were agreed as a true and accurate record.

ML suggested that the taking of minutes should be done for a period of an academic year and asked for a volunteer to take minutes for 2005-6 since JG had been doing the minutes for about a year. LH volunteered to do the minutes from August 2006 and JG agreed to continue until that time.

All previous meeting action points had been completed and are covered elsewhere in these minutes.

Under matters arising, Madura Rasaratnam had sent a request to the group for articles to include in the next quarterly eBulletin, due in early November. Following discussion, the group agreed that MH would write a short article introducing the Annual Report, and that ML would write an article about the fun that can be had in choosing a banner stand. It was also agreed that the AWG would supply at least one piece to each eBulletin and MH agreed to be the official chaser of these items from the group.

2. Welcome to New Members

LH was welcomed to the group.

3. Annual Report Update

MH updated the group with progress on the 2004-5 Annual Report. All had gone well with good communications with the designer, favourable comments from the Steering Group and the report was now in print. Proofs were due in a few days with the main print run due at the end of October. The group now also has the beginnings of an image bank, some of which were utilised in the Annual Report. MRL suggested that the group could establish an image bank that could be used freely by Consortium members.

ML recorded the Steering Group's thanks, both for the efforts on the Annual Report and for the proposed Banners. The Steering Group had given consideration as to who receives the Annual Report and it was expected to circulate the document more widely this year compared to last. The group recorded a vote of thanks to MH and FN for their work on the report.

JG queried what to do with multiple paper copies of the older annual reports currently taking up space at the LSE. The group agreed that all old reports could be disposed of once the new report arrives. However a small number of copies should be kept on file as an archive.

A number of actions arose from this agenda item:

• Action 3.1 JG to add the Annual Report PDF to the website once the print version was available.
• Action 3.2 MR to circulate to the group a list of Annual Report recipients.
• Action 3.3 MR to dispose of older annual reports and add the new report into the Members Packs.

4. Flyer for London Higher

MRL updated the group about progress with the flyer being designed for London Higher. After a short discussion, the group agreed that the London Higher Flyer should be A5 size with a short print run (delivery by 11 November 2005) and that the group should also look at a more general A4 or A5 flyer for promotion of the Consortium that includes the SCONUL statistics.

5. M25 Banner Stand and Banner

All agreed that it would be best to hold off on the banner design until the Consortium logo and website work was progressed further.

6. Update on M25 Website Review

ML updated the group on recent progress with the website re-design project and confirmed that a revised logo and identity would be created for the Consortium at the same time. JG followed this by showing the group some initial designs for logos and web pages recently received from the designers. The Group highlighted the implications of a changed logo in terms of rolling this out to other printed items, the banner etc., and this was noted.

7. M25 Strategy - AWG Contribution

ML introduced this item having previously circulated the Consortium's Draft Strategic Plan for 2005/6 to 2008/9. The Steering Group had requested AWG input to various parts of the Strategic Plan and JH volunteered to assist with this task. The Group agreed that it would be preferable if the supporting aims under Section 5 were integrated into the Strategic Aims rather than sitting separately from them.
Action 7.1 ML to feedback discussion to the M25 Steering Group.

8. Promotional Activities

The main focus of promotional activities short term will be the banners.

Action 8.1 All to consider what could appear on the banners.

9. Future Meetings

The next meeting will be arranged via email, preferably to take place before the December Steering Group meeting.

Minutes by JG