Site map
| Disaster Management 26 Oct 2004 |
Meeting MinutesPresent: In attendance: Apologies: 1. Welcome & Introductions1.1 The meeting was opened, chaired by Christine Wise. William Alexander was welcomed to his first meeting of the M25 Disaster Management Group, and introductions were made. 2. Presentations by Mario Aleppo, Head of Conservation, National Archives2.1 Mario Aleppo gave two presentations to the Group, entitled Disaster Management, and Going Underground. CW thanked Mario Aleppo for his presentations, which had been of great interest and relevance to the work of the M25 DMG. 3. Minutes of the previous meeting3.1 The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 13 May 2004 were accepted as a true record. 4. Matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting4.1
From item 5.2 in the previous minutes, it was recorded that the
Powerpoint slides from the training events held in 2003/2004 had not
yet been received for inclusion on the M25 Consortium website. GP
agreed to progress this once the slides had been received. 4.2 From item 10.3 in the previous minutes, it was recorded that a form of words had been agreed with Susan Baker regarding the Intellectual Property rights of the Disaster Control Plan template. The M25 DMG website had been updated accordingly. 4.3 From item 10.4 in the previous minutes, it was recorded that the seminar at Bournemouth University, at which Anne Barrett had been due to give a presentation on Disaster Planning, had been cancelled. 5. Strategic Planning within the M25 Consortium5.1 It was recorded that the 2004/2005 Update to the M25 Consortium Development Plan 2002/3 to 2005/6 had been agreed and was now on the Consortium website. The DMG contribution to the Development Plan, as per the text agreed at the previous M25 DMG meeting, had been incorporated as a component part into the wider section of the Goal of Mutual Support. 5.2 CW reported that she had submitted on behalf of the M25 DMG an update on recent work to the Steering Group meeting that had taken place on 7th October 2004. This report had been circulated for information. 6. M25 DMG Disaster Control Plan Template6.1 GP confirmed that the revised template had been on the M25 DMG website since 11 August 2004, following publicity of the template, in conjunction with the Mutual Support Agreement, at the M25 Consortium Business Day on 11 June 2004. The template was now available as a single downloadable file. More detail has been added to the commentary, and substantial revisions made, and this was also available singly to sit alongside the template itself. 6.2 As this was the first occasion that the template had undergone a major revision since 1997/1998, it was intended that no further updates would be required for some time. To ensure that supplier links and similar content are always up to date, it was suggested that a 6-month review programme should be implemented. Thanks were extended to GP and John Gilby of the M25 Systems Group. 6.3 Publicity 6.4 The
M25 Advocacy Working Group would be able to assist in identifying
target audiences and JP agreed to ascertain at the next AWG meeting
whether any funds would be available to assist the DMG in publicity.
Other options for funding included the DMG budget, or possible
sponsorship from a company. 6.5 It was agreed
that articles to be placed on the DMG website would come from CW
regarding the Mutual Support Agreement, GP regarding the Disaster
Control Plan template, and KS regarding rare books and special
collections. Ideas about how to enhance the visuals and content of the
website would be welcomed from all in the Group. 7. M25 Consortium Mutual Support Agreement7.1 It was noted that the revised Mutual Support Agreement had come into effect as of 1 August 2004. Information on the MSA is available on the M25 DMG website. 7.2 The publicity for the Mutual Support Agreement was included in the discussions under item 6, above. 8 Exchange of Experience Session for Disaster Control Plan Representatives to be held 11 November 20048.1
Topics for discussion at the Exchange of Experience session included
the content of the Disaster Control Plan Template, the Mutual Support
Agreement, and Consortial Disaster Recovery. The programme for the DMG
content of the session would be circulated by 29 October 2004. 9. Training events in conjunction with CPD 25 2004-20059.1 It was reiterated that only one session would be held in the academic year 2004/2005. Ideas for this included disaster scenario planning, writing a control plan, and business continuity. It was agreed that more work needed to be done by the Group on business continuity before a training session could be held on this subject, although this is an important area. 9.2 As writing a disaster control plan is
key, it was agreed that this would be the subject of the next training
session. The particular focus would be on the strategic importance of
the disaster plan for an institution, and the interface between a
library plan and that for the institution as a whole. A possible
approach may be to use one institution as a case study. CW agreed to
float this seminar idea at the Exchange of Experience session on 11
November 2004, in order to be able to liaise with CPD 25 as soon as
possible. 10 Consortial Disaster Recovery Contracts10.1 James Anthony's survey on behalf of the M25 DMG to ascertain the level of interest in a prospective Consortial Disaster Recovery Contract with a particular company found a large majority of respondents in favour of such an arrangement. Benefits were that the contract would offer priority status to members of the group, conferring reductions in cost of services, and this arrangement could be extended to institutions joining the Consortium. 10.2 It was agreed that before
discussions with this prospective contractor could continue, approaches
needed to be made to other companies providing disaster recovery
services, to compare offers and costs to ensure that the best decision
was made. It was agreed that CW would raise the need for this at the
next AIM 25 Steering Group meeting on 7 December 2004. Thanks were
extended to James Anthony for the work he had done on this issue. 11 Business and Service Continuity Planning11.1
It was reported that CW, Anne Barrett (AB), and KS had met for useful
discussions on this issue. Network contacts continued to provide a
detailed and helpful perspective, and there was much opportunity for
development work in this area, with the eventual aim of producing a
template similar to that for the Disaster Control Plan. It was proposed
that Ronald Mountain, from Coventry University's Centre for Disaster
Management, be invited to speak at the next M25 DMG meeting. CW agreed
to contact him. It was agreed that CW, AB, and KS continue to meet to
develop content for the Business Continuity template. 12 Initial discussion and scoping of two new priority areas of work12.1 Risk Assessment 12.2 Insurance of Collections 13 Review of the M25 Disaster Management Group membership13.1 William Alexander from the University of Sussex was welcomed as a new member of the Group. Judith Preece from the University of East London had resigned due to additional M25 commitments, and James Anthony from University College London had resigned due to taking on a new job outside the M25 Consortium area. Both were thanked for the contributions they had made to the Group. 13.2 Group membership was discussed with reference to needing additional members to assist in progressing the ambitious programme of work. Opportunities for new members included museum libraries, and institutions outside of London. The Exchange of Experience session on 11 November 2004 would be a good opportunity to canvass informal expressions of interest, and CW would welcome membership suggestions from all members of the Group. 14 Any Other Business14.1 It was reported that CW had received 3 enquiries regarding the Mutual Support Agreement, 2 from Scotland, and 1 from the North of England. CW had also agreed to represent the M25 DMG at the South East Thames Health Librarians' Group at their meeting on 16th November, following James Anthony's arrangement with Paul Harrington. 15 Date and venue of next meeting15.1
It was decided that the next meeting would be held at the London School
of Economics. CW and GP would liaise regarding dates, to be circulated. |
