Consortium Business Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the M25 Consortium Business Meeting held at the Maughan Library, King's College

Present:

Robert Hall (Surrey) - Chair

Nicky Kershaw (Anglia), Elizabeth Davison (University of the Arts, London), Philip Payne (Birkbeck), Jan Wilkinson (British Library), Joanna Bowring (British Museum), Nick Bevan (Brunel), Ann Badhams (Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College), Peter Ryan (Canterbury Christ Church), Dr. Sue Price (Courtauld Institute of Art), Kate Burke (University of East London), Ann Murphy (University of Greenwich), Dr. Janet M. Smith (Imperial), Mary P. Wilkinson (Imperial War Museum), Carole Pickaver (University of Kent), Dr. Mary Davies (King's College London), Margaret Haines (KCL), Dr. Jean Yeoh, (KCL), Julie Howell (London Metropolitan University), Roy Williams (London Metropolitan University), David Pearson (University of London Research Library Services), Jean Sykes (LSE), Maureen Wade (LSE), John Akeroyd (London South Bank University), William Marsterson (Middlesex University), Brian Murphy (Queen Mary, University of London), Adam Edwards (Roehampton University), Fiona Ainsworth (Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew), Jackie Lord (Royal College of Nursing), Emma Bull (Royal Holloway, University of London), Ann Poulson (SOAS), Marina Logan Bruce (St George's Hospital Medical School), Maire Lanigan (St Mary's College), Jennifer Nordon (Surrey), Maggie Fieldhouse (Sussex), John Wolstenholme (TVU), Douglas Dodd (Victoria and Albert), Frances Norton (Wellcome Library), Suzanne Enright (Westminster).

Apologies:

Dr. Helen Fletcher (Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College), Vanessa Crane (CADISE), Brendan Casey (City), Chris Pedley, S.J (Heythrop College), Clare Jenkins (Imperial College), Nicky Whitsed (Open University), Peter Hassell (RCA), Richard Golland (Imperial War Museum), Di Martin (University of Hertfordhshire), Deborah Shorley (Sussex), Dr. Paul Ayris (UCL), Sarah Gerrard (Royal Holloway), John Flanagan (Royal Botanical Gardens), Sue Clegg (Roehampton), Graham Higley (Natural History Museum), Graham Bulpitt (Kingston), Andrew McDonald (University of East London).

In attendance:

John Gilby (M25 Systems Team) and Madura Rasaratnam (M25 Administrative Assistant)

Introduction

It was noted that the business meeting and AGM was preceded by a morning session when Members were presented with information on the following areas.

Marysia Henty, Communications Manager, LSE Library discussed the marketing issues facing libraries and information services.

• MarysiaHenty.pdf

Jan Wilkinson, Head of Higher Education, British Library, discussed the British Library's marketing activities.

• JanWilkinson.pdf

Maire Lanigan, Chair of the Advocacy Working Group, reported on the group's activities including the planned review of the Website.

• MaireLanigan.pdf

Jean Yeoh, Chair of CPD 25 reported on the activities of CPD25.

• JeanYeoh.pdf

Jemima Johnstone, Acting Director of LLDA and Dermot Kennedy, Library Officer, LLDA & ALM London discussed their activities in promoting HE libraries.

• LLDAandALMLondonpresentation.pdf

Minutes

The Consortium recorded its thanks to King's College, London, for providing the venue and to Brendan Casey (City University) for his generosity in providing the catering for the day.

1. Apologies for absence and welcome to new members.

Philip Payne from Birkbeck, Andrew McDonald from UEL and Carole Pickaver from Kent were welcomed as the new M25 Consortium representatives for their respective institutions. There were no new institutional members and the apologies were noted.

2. Minutes

2.i The minutes from the Consortium meeting held on 11 June 2004 at the National Art Library, Victoria and Albert Museum were approved.

3. Matters arising from the minutes not otherwise on the agenda

3.i Collaboration with the University of London's University Libraries Committee (ULC).

3.i.a It was noted that a feasibility study into a collaborative journals store, jointly funded by the ULC and M25 Consortium, was due to start in February following the appointment of a project officer, Sarah Dodgson. The appointment is expected to last 8 months and will be based at the LSE. Jean Sykes (LSE) gave details of the study. It will seek to establish through telephone interviews with heads of services, estates directors and vice chancellors along with desk research and visits to significant collaborative shared stores, the feasibility and relevance of collaborative shared stores as a way forward.

Plans for a joint collaborative store between the British Library and the Consortium of University Research Libraries (CURL) were noted and Jan Wilkinson (British Library) confirmed that the store would not be restricted to journals. A review of the plans are to be announced in July.

Jean Sykes confirmed that Sarah Dodgson would liaise with officers planning the British Library / CURL store to share experience and ensure that work is not duplicated.

Members were asked to note that up to six non University of London members from the Consortium will participate in the ULC / Consortium feasibility study, reflecting both the level of funding provided by the Consortium and the diversity of its members. Members were encouraged to participate by expressing their interest to Maureen Wade, the Secretary, by the end of February.

3.i.b Members noted that the Consortium had contributed £5,000 towards phase 3 of the MASC25 service. In this next phase the project aims to map the special collections of printed books within M25 Consortium university libraries, not included in initial phases, and extend to other institutions such as museums, archives and learned institutions. The Chair's request that more hidden special collections within the M25 Consortium institutions be given priority was also noted.

3.ii Visit a Library - Data relating to reciprocal schemes

John Gilby (M25 Systems Team) summarised results of the review of the "Visit a library" tool carried out towards the end of last year. The review highlighted variations in the data held on the tool with respect to national and regional access schemes, namely the two SCONUL schemes, UK Libraries Plus and the University of London scheme. This was potentially confusing for users as the data recorded for some libraries conflicts with the published scheme details. The aim was to standardise entries in much the same way that was done when SRX was introduced. In addition, the re-introduced M25 scheme would be included.

Comments were invited and Adam Edwards (Roehampton) offered any help with UK Libraries Plus. It was agreed that the data entries could be changed by the Systems Team to standardised details taken directly from the published scheme information.

3.iii Promotion of InforM25 services

The InforM25 suite of services had come out well in the M25 awareness survey carried out last year, but further promotion was planned. In support of that, John Gilby announced that the M25 Systems Team are carrying out development work to provide usage statistics for the m25lib and cpd25.ac.uk domains and also a new domain, inform25.ac.uk, as mentioned earlier in the day. The data produced will give clear indicators of M25 web usage, both of the 'static' web pages such as working group, minutes, etc., and also the live services. It was anticipated that this work will be completed by Easter.

3.iv M25 Access and Borrowing Scheme

It was noted that new M25 members have agreed to participate in the scheme, which is operating successfully for the very small number of M25 members not eligible to join the various national schemes.

Suzanne Enright (Westminster) reported plans for a new SCONUL Access Group that would consider proposals for more streamlined access arrangements at a national level.

4. Membership issues

4.1 New Members

There were no new institutional members and note was taken of a decision to postpone a request for membership from the Institute of Electrical Engineers until completion of the review of membership categories.

4.ii Review of membership categories.

It was noted that the high profile of the Consortium had led to a growth in its size and diversity requiring a review of its membership categories. The Steering Group plans to review membership categories and, in particular, observer status, at its meetings in March and May. The results of the review will be put to Members at the AGM in June.

4.iii Steering Group membership

Members received an update on membership of the Steering Group.

The report on membership issues is available to read or download in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF format)

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5. Working Groups

5.i Creative Arts Working Group

The Steering Group's decision to stand down the Creative Arts Working group - as its work was now being carried out by other bodies - was noted. Doug Dodds, the chair of the group, and its members were thanked for their work.

5.ii Student Centred Services Working Group.

The Student Centred Working Group's decision at its December meeting to request its own dissolution by the Steering Group was noted.

Following a discussion on the appropriate remit for the group it was decided that the Group should be stood down, but relevant projects and areas of work should be considered, possibly to be carried out by existing or new groups. The following projects and areas of work were considered: developing programmes to help staff support students; investigating access issues for taught course students; a focus group that could act as a two way educational process in establishing student needs and informing students about the resources that are open to them and an information needs analysis.

It was agreed that at its next meeting the SG would establish a small sub group to investigate these ideas. It was also agreed that external consultants would be hired if necessary to organise focus groups and carry out an information needs analysis.

6. Update on implementation of development plan

6.i Members received an interim report on the progress of the development plan.

• Interim report on the progress of the development plan for 2005/05

6.ii It was noted that the Quality Working Group's survey of quality monitoring activities in M25 Consortium libraries had been completed and was available on the website.

6.iii It was also noted that the CPD25 comparative survey on staff development had been completed and was available on the website.

• Report.pdf

7. Treasurer's report

7.i Members received a report on the Consortium's current financial position and arrangements and thanks were noted to Roy Williams for auditing the accounts.

• Audited Accounts 2003-4

7.ii It was noted that finances for the current year were on target to meet expectations for income and expenditure. Only a few (10) invoices for subscriptions were still outstanding and the largest expenditures were expected to be on the ongoing web review process and paid secretarial help. It was expected that subscription levels for the next year will be the same as the current year.

8. Members' Issues

8.i Access to British Library

Emma Bull from Royal Holloway reported that following the suspension of the Fast Track scheme, students at Royal Holloway, particularly international students, had experienced difficulties in accessing the British Library. The difficulty that many students faced in providing proof of address, through for example utility bills, had been avoided under the previous scheme.

Jan Wilkinson noted that feedback about the new access arrangements at the British library had been very positive. She noted the issues facing international students but said that like all libraries, the British Library needed proof of address for membership. She said that various forms of proof of address could be offered. She also noted that the British Library website contained information on the documents that would be accepted as proof and offered to send members this information via e-mail.

8.ii Institutional repositories.

John Akeroyd from South Bank suggested that there might be a regional role for the M25 Consortium in promoting institutional e-print repositories.

Jean Sykes noted that the SHERPA-LEAP project had submitted a bid to the University of London's Vice Chancellor's development fund to expand its current membership to all 17 of the University of London colleges.

William Marsterson proposed that repositories be included as an item on the agenda for the next meeting of the Resource Discovery Working Group.

9. Any other business

Members noted the date, time and venue of the Consortium's AGM in June and were asked to contact the Secretary or Chair with offers to host Consortium meetings in 2006.

• Friday 10 June (Royal College of Nursing)
• January 2006 (TBC)
• June 2006 (TBC)

Maureen Wade
Secretary
22 February 2005