2004 Meeting Minutes

Notes from the meeting held at St. George's Hospital Medical School.

Present: Margaret Coutts (University of Kent) (Chair), Eileen Nazha (Queen Mary), Judith Preece (University of East London), Olwen Revill (SGHMS), Colin Smith (University of Surrey), Nikki Trigg (University of Westminster)

1. Apologies

Carole Pickaver (University of Kent), Joanne Knight (British Library)

2. Minutes of last meeting and matters arising

The minutes were accepted as an accurate record.

Matters arising:

Contacts list: The M25 website had now been updated.

BL Focus Group: There was no more news from the British Library.

E-mail list: Colin reported that he had taken over responsibility for lists from Mara Uzzell, and had e-mailed institutions for contacts. We want to make the e-mail list a dynamic forum for discussion.

Action Plan: Margaret would update following the meeting. Transcription Centre - Margaret reported that the Steering Group would be guided by the conclusions of this group.

Virginia Malone, of the M25 Advocacy Working Group should be put on the mailing list for future meetings.

Publications of the Group in other formats: Eileen would ask for advice and report to the next meeting. Action EN

Assistive technology: Colin volunteered to put together a report on assistive technology, access requirements for the next Steering Group meeting in June. Action CS

Finance: No further developments. Decided to ask Nick Bevan for advice. Action EN

3. Publicising the Working Group

Agreed that we need to pass information back to library directors on what we are doing. The presence of Virginia Malone at future meetings would be useful in this respect.

4.Training Events

Visual impairment - planning for a half-day session, between Paul Jarman (QMUL) and Siobanne Brewster (RNIB) at Kings College Library, in June. Decided to make it free to members. We would ask if it could be publicised through CPD25's e-mail list.

Decided to combine this with an exchange of experience session in the morning (previously decided to make an annual event of the Group), chaired by Margaret, to include 'breakout sessions' on selected topics, with a report back at the end, and provide a buffet lunch. Action EN, NT, JP

Mental health - no further progress. Judith reported on a training session held at UEL, by Marion Chambers, which had been very well received. She would follow this up. The time for this session to be decided, possibly in the Autumn term? Action JP

Mobility issues - this seemed to be a timely topic, since the 2005 deadline for building accessibility is approaching. A lecturer at the University of Kent , who is a wheelchair user and very knowledgeable, might be willing to talk about it. Margaret would approach him. Action MC

Assistive technology - there was to be a CPD25 training event on 16th April. Nikki would attend it, and report back to our next meeting. Action NT

Margaret reported that the SCONUL award went to the Open Rose Group in Yorkshire (similar to CLAUD) to make a video in which disabled students would be interviewed about what their needs were. Discussed how we might promote this. Margaret would contact them to see if they could do a presentation. Action MC

Discussed the usefulness of having a contact on the CPD25 Group to cover disability issues. Judith volunteered to do this. Action JP

5. Assistive Technology

Discussed how we could set up a small exhibition of the technology available (previously discussed). Options proposed included either co-operating with CPD25 on one of their training events, or possibly including it in another training event of our own. Decided on making a presentation to the January meeting of Directors.

6. Website management (standing item)

Carole had passed on the minutes and contacts list, but they were late in being added to the web pages. Discussed whether we should have our own rep. to carry out the work, under John Gilby's supervision. Margaret would ask the Steering Group for Advice. Action MC

7. New publications re. SENDA and libraries (standing item)

Margaret reported that a Graduate Library Assistant at the University of Kent was working on new publications related to SENDA as a project.

8. SCONUL Guidelines

There was discussion of debating points in the guidelines:

7.1 Fire escapes - difficulties experienced from the recommended practice. Useful to discuss this at the Exchange of experience session.

7.3 Staff time spent on disabilities - the impact of SENDA on libraries could be a worthwhile training session - SENDA two years on?

7.6 Assistive technology - for discussion at the exchange of experience session. Where it's put, how staffed? E.g. UEL have TextHelp on their network, University of Hertfordshire have a hybrid model of provision, with some networked, some dedicated. Colin volunteered to produce a paper on various models of provision. Action CS

9. Accessibility and Inclusion in E-Learning Conference

This conference had been held on 19th February, but we had unfortunately not been able to send a representative. Decided to try to get copies of the papers presented, list of attendees etc. Action EN

10. AOB

Workplan for next year - training sessions, paper on various models of provision for assistive technology, exchange of experience seminars. Action MC

Olwen would be taking the next year off as maternity leave - we wished her well, and thanked her for all her work for the Group.

11. Date of next meeting

3rd June p.m., University of Westminster

EN - 28 May 2004