Meeting Minutes

Notes from the meeting held at London School of Economics Library

Present: Christine Wise (ULL - Convener), James Anthony (UCL), Anne Barrett (Imperial College), Lyn Bowen (Westminster), Jo Kilgannon (Courtauld Institute), Glyn Price (LSE), Katie Sambrook (KCL)

Apologies: Chris Brewer (IoE), Colin Rennie (SOAS)

1. Welcome and introductions

CW welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made.

2. Matters arising from minutes of the meeting of 18 March

Interim report on development plan sent to M25 Steering Group by CW.

Problems with Mozilla browser: GP reported that the disaster control plan site checks only to ensure browser is Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator 4.0 or higher. Possible implications for accessibility were noted and it was agreed to investigate having the page modified. It was also agreed that the group would aim to have the disaster control plan site migrated to the M25 web server with maintenance by the M25 systems team within a year.

Action: CW to liase with the webmaster.

3. M25 Development Plan 2002/3 - 2005/6 - to consider a revised DMG plan for 2003-2004 and consequent financial implications.

CW tabled an outline development plan for the M25 DMG for 2003-2004, which would be presented to the M25 Consortium Business Meeting on 4th June 2003. Additions to the specific action points were invited and made. It was agreed that an event on how to write a disaster control plan would be the first priority in organising training events during 2003-2004, and that Alison Walker from the National Preservation Office would be asked to address the DMG group about the work of the NPO and the Blue Shield organisation.

Action: CW to circulate a revised list of action points and to bring it to the attention of the M25 Steering Group at their next meeting on 17 June 2003. AB to invite Alison Walker to address the DMG.

4. Mutual Support Agreements: to discuss recent developments and to agree future areas of work

In conjunction with the Secretary of the M25 Consortium of Academic Libraries CW has prepared a form of words which will emphasise the importance of the global Mutual Support Agreement to new members of the Consortium. CW confirmed that a subject support agreement is of interest to the Creative Arts Working Group and will be on the agenda of their next meeting (date to be confirmed). CW would suggest that a member of the M25 DMG would attend that meeting to provide information on the global and subject-based agreements.

Action: A group member to offer to attend the next Creative Arts Group meeting.

JA reported on feedback from colleagues in UCL about the practicalities of an agreement for health. It was agreed that work could be done on disaster recovery for museum collections and artefacts, with a potential speaker from the museums sector suggested as a possible speaker on the topic.

Action: JA, AB and KS to liaise with their institutions on the implications for NHS agreements of a mutual support agreement for health. JK to consult with specialist colleagues at Courtauld to see if a disaster plan is in place for the Gallery.

5. Planning for Exchange of Information event

CW has sent an email to the M25-Dirs email list via the Secretary of the M25 Consortium advertising the Exchange of Information event. Suggestions for the structure of the event included the use of guided questions, publicising the results of the survey constructed by CB and CW and brainstorming sessions to be facilitated by group members. A meeting to plan the event in detail will be held in CW's office at 3pm, Friday 6th June 2003, to which all M25 DMG members were warmly invited. GP indicated that the findings of the previous survey on disaster control plans might still be available, and undertook to forward this to CW to inform planning for the forthcoming event.

Action: GP to forward details of the previous survey to CW.

6. Review of the M25 Disaster Management Group website: to discuss further enhancement of content

GP reported that the front page had been tidied up, the text of the global mutual support section and a 'Who we are' section added. It was agreed that members would each check links in the disaster control plan to ensure they are live. A link to the links page in the dcp to be added. Publicity for the Exchange of Information event and the M25DMG-INFORMATION mailing list would be added to the website. An account of the Exchange of Information event and survey results would be added after the event.

Action: GP to send list of links to be checked to each member. GP to amend the site as agreed.

7. Any other business

CW has been invited to join the M25 Collaboration and Partnership Working Group and would keep both working groups updated on current work.

8. Date of next meeting and venue

CW thanked all for attending and for taking actions.

Next meeting Wednesday 16 July 2003 at 10h30 in the Durning-Lawrence Library, University of London Library, Senate House.