Meeting Minutes

Notes from the meeting held at University of London Library

Present:Anne Barrett (IC), Lyn Bowen (Westminster), Chris Brewer (IOE), Glyn Price (LSE), Janet Percival (UCL), Katie Sambrook (KCL), Christine Wise (University of London Library - Convener)

1. Welcome and introductions

CW welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made.

2. Minutes of the meeting and minute taking

LB agreed to take the minutes for this meeting. It was agreed to rotate minute taking for future meetings.

3. Remit of the M25 Disaster Management Group

Point 3 - undertaking co-operative initiatives, including investigating purchasing opportunities. The DMG had investigated this, and had concluded that it could be too difficult to achieve.

ACTION: We should retain this as part of our remit, but may suggest amendments to it in future. The Group confirmed the Remit as written.

4. Review of outstanding work from 2001-2002

GP described his previous work on mutual support agreements, which he would be happy to continue. AB said that website was to be reviewed. CW has done some preliminary work on this. The DMG agreed that a new agenda should be created, based on the Action Plan (see below).

5. M25 Development Plan 2002/3-2005/6

The meeting discussed the planned objectives for 2002/3.

(i) To review the DMG's membership, with a view to involving more people.

GP mentioned that it was our intention to get people with IT expertise involved. CW agreed to make suitable approaches.

ACTION:To keep membership under review. CW to make suitable approaches.

(ii) To introduce task based approach

ACTION: To keep under review for further consideration next year.

(iii) Performance indicators

ACTION: Also to be kept under review for further consideration next year.

(iv) To provide a more comprehensive Disaster Management Group product

The objective of adding an IT element to the existing Disaster Control Plan would be a substantial undertaking. Advice from ULCC or JISC could help. CW would also look at USA university web sites for examples of disaster control plans which may have included IT element.

ACTION: CW to look at USA university web sites.

(v) Raise Disaster Management Group profile and aim to increase membership

The DMG currently has 2 mailing lists, at hosted at jiscmail and at City University. CW proposed that the jiscmail-based list is preferred, where she is now the list-owner. This was seconded by AB, the former list owner. It was agreed that the list of all disaster control plan co-ordinators should also be based at jiscmail. CW agreed to undertake a review of who is on the list and update it with current contact names.

ACTION: CW to contact Directors of M25 libraries to solicit contact details from which to build a comprehensive mailing list of disaster co-coordinators.

JP said that there is assistance available from M25 Consortium with web pages and specialist literature. CW said that the DMG might want some publicity leaflets to publicise events in the future. AB said that DMG is well known beyond M25 circles. AB suggested we post to various email lists when we have planned events to promote. CW suggested that Disaster Control Plan should be reviewed on annual basis, and IT element added.

ACTION: Group to publicise next training event as widely as possible (see below).

(vi) To provide appropriate training support and events

It is some time since the DMG held a training event in on general disaster planning issues. It was suggested that techniques for writing disaster plans would be a good choice for a training event. This could be held in conjunction with CPD25. GP suggested also including consortial purchase and external consultancy in the seminar.

ACTION: Group to plan for a general disaster management event.

(vii)To identify shared institutions priorities, particularly business continuity

The DMG agreed that libraries should be an important part of institutional disaster planning.

ACTION: Group to progress this.

(viii) Income generation

The DMG agreed that in the short-term this could not be progressed easily. The DMG will consult with other M25 Consortium working groups to examine what potential there is for income generation.

ACTION: Group to consult with other M25 Consortium working groups.

(ix) Consortial mutual agreements

GP explained how this had been piloted with education, with a view to extending it to other subject areas. It has been difficult to gauge how well it would work in practice, as it has never been invoked. The DMG agreed that it would be better to review this from first principles.

ACTION: Group to work toward a global agreement.

6. Review of the M25 Disaster Management Group website

The M25 DMG agreed that the objectives and action points should be put on the Group's web pages. The unconfirmed minutes of meetings would also be posted when available. It was proposed that Disaster Control Plan link be made more prominent with its own heading as part of the contents list. It was also agreed that there should be more links to other good disaster management web sites.

ACTION: Group to investigate adding further links to good web sites.

It was also pointed out that there is no mention on the web site to Mutual Support Agreements. CW would contact Abi Lower of the M25 Systems Group to add this. It was also suggested we add more information about Group members. AB suggested that a listserv group was set up, which designated members of the Group would check at regular intervals.

ACTION: In the light of the number of amendments to be made to the web pages, it was decided to keep the website content under review as standing agenda item at least for the next couple of meetings.

7. AOB

There was no further business.

8. Date of next meeting and venue

Tuesday 18 March 2003, 10h30, Institute of Education Library.

February 2003