Collaboration and Partnership Working Group - Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the Meeting held at Senate House Library, University of London

Present: Mary Davies (Chair), Helen Cocker, Dilys Hall, Brian Murphy, Fiona O’Brien, Christine Wise (Secretary)

In attendance: Mike Clarke, Angela Conyers

1. Apologies for Absence

Ann Sainsbury

2. Minutes of the meeting held 6 September 2006

These were accepted as a true record, subject to the correction of the date to 6 September 2006.

3. Matters arising

The following matter was noted:

Under item 5, MD reported that at a future meeting with representatives of London Higher, there would be further discussions regarding contributions to the London Olympics 2012.  BM would also circulate details arising from the recent meeting of the University of London University Libraries Committee.

ACTION MD, BM

4. LLDA: MLA London Board representation and London Olympics 2012

MD invited Mike Clarke, Director, LLDA, to speak.

MLA London Board representation

Mike Clarke reported that the MLA was increasing focusing its work on some key public library issues, especially the Framework for the Future programme.  In the light of these changes, there had been consultation and discussion between the M25 Consortium and the LLDA regarding future representation of the M25 Consortium on the MLA London Board and liaison in general with the academic library sector.  In the light of this, it had been agreed that, while it would not be optimum use of M25 Consortium resources to continue to be represented on the MLA London Board, it was essential to maintain existing dialogue on matters of mutual interest.  Therefore, MD would stand down at the end of the current year, and another representative would in due course take on the responsibility for liaison with the academic library sector.  MC thanked MD for her work in this capacity in the last three years.

London Olympics 2012

MC briefed Working Group members on the recent publication of the Setting the Pace brochure (http://www.mla.gov.uk/webdav/harmonise?Page/@id=73&Section[@stateId_eq_selected]/@id=5355&Section[@stateId_eq_left_hand_root]/@id=4332), describing the archive, library and museum sector’s contribution to the cultural offering for the London Olympics 2012.  It was agreed that this brochure, with a paper prepared by CW on opportunities for the M25 Consortium to develop its engagement, would be drawn to the attention of the M25 Steering Group for further consideration.
ACTION MD

5. London Higher Projects

MD invited Angela Conyers to speak to this agenda item.

AC had been contracted to undertake a consultancy on behalf of the M25 Consortium: to work with Working Group members and representatives of London Higher to produce a fact sheet on higher education libraries in London; and to research and deliver a report on the infrastructure element of the London Higher Research Excellence project.

Fact sheet on higher education libraries in London

AC circulated the latest draft of the fact-sheet.  This had been greatly informed by a recent meeting with representatives of London Higher, when the content and presentation had been discussed in detail.  AC was continuing to seek further detail on academic libraries’ engagement with the business sector, and also further breakdowns of significant statistics from the SCONUL statistical return 2004-2005.
ACTION AC

MD confirmed that the fact-sheet would be completed and published in November 2006, in line with London Higher’s deadline.

Research Excellence Project

Work on developing content for this project continued.  AC would brief Working Group members on progress at their next meeting.
ACTION AC

6. Action Plan – reports from Working Group members

• ALCL
  Working Group members noted AS’s report, especially on the request from local schools and colleges for the University of Westminster to consider purchasing material for reading lists.
  
  
• The British Library
  There were no new matters to report.
  
  
• Committee of Departmental Librarians
  There were no new matters to report.
  
  
• HE / FE liaison
  FOB reported that she was developing the programme and publicity for the next joint HE/FE liaison seminar, to be held on 20 November 2006, taking as the theme 24/7 opening and services.
  
  
• Library access programmes
  HC reported that work to unite the SCONUL Research Extra and UK Libraries Plus schemes into a single access programme was expected to be completed by summer 2007.
  
  
• LLDA
  FOB reported that work was continuing to develop and publicise access to Inspire (http://www.inspire.gov.uk/index.php).  She was in the process of contacting Directors of Public Libraries to encourage participation.
  
  

• Regional NHS libraries
  DH reported on an announcement of significant changes to the regional structure of NHS libraries.
  
  
• Regional library consortia
  There were no new matters to report.
  
  
• Research Information Network
  CW drew attention to the CURL-RIN Challenge Fund for COPAC enhancement.

Membership of the M25 Consortium
BM would identify members of London Higher not currently in membership of the M25 Consortium and reported to the Working Group.
ACTION BM

7. Any other business

MD would approach Graham Fisher, Chief Executive, MLA London, to speak at a future Working Group meeting.
ACTION MD

8. Date of next meeting

Wednesday 6 December 2006, 15h00.