Meeting held at Thames Valley University, Westel House, Ealing.

Present: Betsy Anagnostelis (BA) UCL (NCL), Ruth Fosker (RF) SELSHA, Angela Horrocks (AH) Kingston University (SWL), Gary Horrocks (GH KCL (SEL), Richard Osborn (RO) NWLSHA, Ray Phillips (RP) SWLSHA, Janet Smith (JS) Imperial College and CPD25 (NWL), Cheryl Twomey (CT) LHL eKAT, John Wolstenholme (JIW) Chair TVU NWL.

Apologies: Paul Ayris (PA) UCL (NCL), Melanie Brocklehurst (MB) LSBU (SEL), Maggie Haines (MH) KCL (SEL), Paul Hockney (PH) QM (NEL), Anne Weist (AW) NELSHA, Jane Williamson (JW) NCLSHA.

In Attendance: Jan Wiseman TVU

It was noted that Andy Richardson (LHL eKAT) would not be attending these meetings. LHL eKAT was represented by Cheryl Twomey.

The minutes were accepted as an accurate record of the meeting.

2.1 University Health Science Librarians (UHSL): AH, who was on the executive, reported that the group was still not active aT present.

2.2 Communication: notes from key national meetings were not being copied to the group. BA and CT, who attended the NHS/HE Joint Procurement Group, would forward their notes. ACTION: BA, CT

2.3 Joint Procurement: PA had written and sent a short proposal. Action closed. Funding has been granted and the project was going ahead. The group still needed to commission a procurement map.

2.4 Terms of Reference: JIW distributed copies of the amended terms of reference for the group. Action closed.

2.5 Work Plan for the LHL/M25 Group: JIW and RO would put together an action plan outside this meeting for circulation and comment. It would cover the academic year 2005-06. ACTION: JIW, RO

3.1 The Procurement sub-group (AH, JIW, BA and RO) had met. The paper previously produced by eKAT was discussed. It had been proposed that the London top-up funding stream go national. This would mean there was no eKAT funding for 05-06.

It was agreed that by November CT bid for two years’ top-up beginning April 2006. These funds would be for London. If funding was granted procurement would be carried out to best advantage, eg with joint procurement.

Concern was expressed at the unavailability of some core journals within the national core content: eg the Journal of Advance Nursing. It was agreed that core resources should be identified. BA and AH would liaise on a survey of HEIs in London. The survey would ask which HEIs already took Internurse, which would like it and which would prefer specific titles, if this proved to be possible. In addition the survey would ask which titles were held in print and how many copies. ACTION: BA, AH and JIW by email

The Procurement sub-group would maintain contact with JISC, Chest or any other procurement body to avoid duplicating time and effort.

RO would set up a separate NHL/M25 Procurement list and seek two representatives from each institution: a content specialist and a budget holder. ACTION: RO

3.2 Dialog and Ovid: BA reported that JISC and Dialog were in discussion. Dialog were keen to arrange demonstrations of their system, which was a web-based interface with a very wide range of resources and was not primarily medical.

BA would survey the HE London community and if there were sufficient interest she would invite Dialog to give a presentation. Ovid would also be invited to present on the same event. The venue would be central London.

The information and requests we may receive will be used inform 06-07 procurements. ACTION: BA

Copies of various current student placement charters were distributed at the meeting: South West London Charter, Thames Library Charter 04-05. JIW proposed a joint charter for London HEIs. After discussion it was agreed that a joint charter needed to be as generic and adaptable as possible. It was accepted that there should be a common framework of standard elements to which local needs could be added. JIW would draw up and circulate a core template. ACTION: JIW

RO would send JIW the North West London Charter and MB would be asked for the LSBU charter. ACTION: RO

RO reported to the group on his meeting in London with the NLH team on 4 October. RO had been asked to put forward proposals for work across London and the group agreed that joint procurement between NHS and HEIs in London should be proposed as a pilot scheme. ACTION: RO

RO distributed copies of his paper to the group which set out the project’s background, objectives, and steering group. Once he had updated his list (see item 3 above) RO would circulate the paper to HEIs within London. ACTION: RO

The project had been set up to explore how library staff in London could support learners. There had been a CPD 25 joint study day and draft modules were being drawn up, covering information retrieval and coaching skills and the theory and practice of education delivery. A paper would be published in early 2006 when the final modules would be ready and a pilot scheme put in place.

JIW would send RP a copy of TVU’s Information Study module. ACTION: JIW

RP would send the draft modules to members of the group for feedback prior to the pilot scheme. ACTION: RP

RO reported to the group on the recent review of the NHS in London which proposed reducing the current five Strategic Health Authorities to just one. He would circulate the report to the group. ACTION: RO

The next meeting would be held on Monday 23 January at 12.30 pm. RO would chair and arrange the venue. ACTION: RO