Meeting Minutes 

Present: Christine Wise (ULRLS, Chair), Anne Barrett (Imperial), Lyn Bowen (Westminster), Tim Cullen (Greenwich), Lise Foster (LSBU, minutes), Geoff Gardner (Reading), Glyn Price (LSE), Katie Sambrook (KCL)

Apologies: Gail Duggett (ULRLS), Simon Jackson (Royal Veterinary College)

1. Welcome and introductions

The Chair welcomed new and existing members who each introduced themselves briefly and their disaster planning responsibilities at their home institutions.

2. Membership of the M25 DMG

Recent changes were noted.  Since the last meeting, William Alexander and Colin Rennie had resigned from the Group; and Tim Cullen, Gail Duggett, Geoff Gardner, Lise Foster and Simon Jackson had joined.

3.  Appointment of Minutes Secretary to M25 DMG

Lise Foster volunteered to act as Minutes Secretary to the Group.

4. Minutes of the meeting held Tuesday 12 July 2005

These were approved as an accurate record.

5. Matters arising from the meeting held 12 July 2005

Item 4. Preferential rates for disaster recovery contracts for Consortium members. Discussions had taken place to explore if the offer could be extended to Consortium member libraries located outside the geographic area of the 33 London Boroughs, which would affect approximately 12 Consortium members. The Chair would speak representatives of these members individually, with a view to opening negotiations on their behalf if there was sufficient interest. Action: CW

6.  Oral report on matters arising from the M25 Steering Group meeting held 29 September 2005

Diary date: On 17 November 2005 there would be an evening M25 networking event from 6pm (tbc) at the Brunei Gallery SOAS, to which all members of M25 working groups would be invited.
 
M25 Web review group.  The Chair had been asked to attend this forum to represent the M25 DMG.  The new M25 web pages were on schedule to be launched early in 2006 and would incorporate a new look and feel and give prominence to the work of the Groups.  The Disaster Control Plan template would also be highlighted.

7. Strategic planning within the M25 Consortium.

The DMG noted that the draft M25 DMG Operational Plan 2005-2006 had been endorsed at the Steering Group on 26 July 2005.  The M25 Consortium Strategic Plan gave the context for all Group Plans.  The DMG objectives were covered in point 2.1 : To develop and promote the Consortium’s support for Members in the area of disaster preparedness.

DMG members commented that it was useful to have the target dates laid out in the plan as this helps map out the year’s schedule.

It was noted that previous events held by the DMG had been well received, but were a burden on the Group members as volunteers.  The collaboration of CPD25 in organising events was welcomed.

8. To discuss recent progress on key targets in the M25 DMG Operational Plan 2005-2006 and to plan future actions and activities.

Annual Exchange of experience seminar 16 November 2005

Group members responded positively to the facilitated scenario training session. The Chair had approached Mary Auckland, Independent Consultant and previously Director of Libraries at the University of the Arts London, to facilitate this session. The Chair would circulate details once they had been confirmed. The Mutual Support Agreement would be at the heart of the session: how it should be invoked, and issues around testing it. Several members of the DMG would be able to attend. A detailed invitation would be issued in the next few working days; disaster planning representatives had already been notified of the date. Action: CW

M25 DMG / CPD25 Disaster Preparedness Seminar.

The Chair presented a draft programme for this event. GP agreed to explore if the LSE could contribute to the proposed case study examining the creation of the Library and the institutional disaster plans. Action: GP

AB would make an approach to contacts who could speak to the issues of risk assessment and disaster preparedness. Action: AB

The Chair would contact CPD 25 to identify a mutually convenient date for the seminar in Spring 2006.

Risk assessment, archives, e-learning, e-resources, infrastructure, resilience: development of new content for the disaster Control Plan template.New areas of activity include e resources and e learning. Lise Foster volunteered to form a sub group of interested members to investigate this area and report back to the main group. Action: AB and GG

10. Any other business

The Group noted the Chair’s presentation to SLAIS students on 1 November 2005. The content would cover the work of the DMG and disaster preparedness.