MINUTES OF THE NEWSPLAN MEETING HELD ON 23RD APRIL

							     MINUTES OF THE NEWSPLAN MEETING HELD ON 23RD APRIL 2002 AT
                    NOTTINGHAM CENTRAL LIBRARY

Present:
Terry Bracher (TB)                 Northamptonshire Libraries and Information
Ed Button (EB)                     Suffolk Libraries
Diana Dixon (DD)                   Independent Researcher
Ruth Gordon (RG)                   Derbyshire Libraries and Heritage (Chair)
Paul Hudson (PH)                   Derby Local Studies
Chris Jakes (CJ)                   Cambridgeshire Libraries and Information
Ed King (EK)                       BL Newspaper Library
Corinne Phillips (CP)              Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Libraries
Hazel Ramsden (HR)                 Norfolk Library and Information
Christina Raven Conn               EMRLS Secretariat

Apologies:
Katherine Allcock                  University of Nottingham
Richard Hillier                    Peterborough Libraries
Eleanor Nannestad                  Lincolnshire Libraries
Alison Peden                       Lincolnshire Libraries
Aubrey Stevenson                   Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Record
Office

1.     Minutes of the previous meeting - accepted with the following
corrections: -
       4b - web address should read www.olivesoftware.com
       5h - EB not ED queried when servicing charges would be levied.

2.      Matters arising
        a)    DD has now received copies of all the Newsplan reports
        b)    EK queried if Derbyshire’s republished finding list on local
              newspapers on microfilm (reported in last meeting’s minutes
              section 8 by RG) was listed on the web. RG replied that it was not.
        c)    RG queried about buying copies of extra papers (reported in last
              meeting’s minutes section 5f) through Newsplan Office. EK could
              not clarify. Request guidelines from Newsplan Project office on
              how and when to apply for extra copies of film.

3. British Library Newspaper Library update - provided by Ed King
         a)     Website continues to be discussed and developed. Newspaper
                Library section of BL website receives largest number of hits.
         b)     Major discussions on restructuring - but no specific outcomes yet.
         c)     Preparation team for Newsplan 2000 put in place, of up to 6 new
                staff under guidance of experienced team member, Aleem
                Achmed. Lots of materials ready for shipment to Microformat
                company, attempting to send plenty before staff shortages due to
                summer vacations.
      d)     Team from Newsplan 2000, visited Microformat at Rochester to
             see their preparations and were very impressed.
      e)     Thanks from EK to all colleagues who attended the Newsplan
             conference on 9 April 2002, really appreciated the support. (DD
             commented on how well organised and relevant it was; will be
             short piece on it for the CILIP Update).
             The 4th conference proceedings will be edited and put on the
             web, not published in hard copy. Looking forwards to the next
             conference and possibly placing the details of the previous
             conferences’ on the web too.

4.     Newsplan 2000 update - EK in absence of John Lauder and Simon
Kellas                                    (from memory)
       a)   Newsplan Project Office have made strenuous efforts to secure
            the matching funding required by the Heritage Lottery Fund
            (HLF). EK extends his congratulations on achieving this and on
            their hard work in promoting it to HLF; so that the filming work
            for the first stage is ready to go ahead. The filming schedule is
            being sorted out with the individual authorities, as has occurred at
            the Newspaper Library.
       b)   Microformat at Rochester have proved to the project their
            commitment and ability to achieve professional results by their
            expenditure on new materials, equipment etc.
       c)   VAT issue resolved - some regions sent invoices with no VAT
            shown, they will be re-invoiced with VAT shown so that it can be
            reclaimed. RG commented that she emailed Simon Kellas to ask
            about being sent a new invoice, possibly could need to contact
            Project office if need re-invoicing.
            EK replied that the project office had to use BL headings on the
            invoices to be able to show VAT as Newsplan is a charity and this
            took time to organise with the BL finance section. (The old ones
            were on non-BL headed invoices).
       d)   Formal publicity for the project was not ready in time for the
            National Conference, but it will still go ahead.
            Queries EK will pass to Newsplan Office
            1)     EB - Is filming schedule on target?
            2)     RG - Instructions how to place orders for additional copies,
                   as mentioned in 2c of these minutes.

5.    Newsplan Survey results
      a)   RG extends thanks for sending her the results. The figures are well
           up compared to other regions.
      b)   Discussion of questions raised the following points:
           EK would like some examples of the use of main regional titles.
           (RG to liase over this).
           RG suggests should aid customer satisfaction by buying extra
           copies of Newsplan titles, to be held at more locations. EK agrees
            this is a good idea and each authority should do this if they can
            afford to.
            DD interested that not many people using the Newsplan report or
            Internet to find out about newspapers. Should target this area
            more. CP pointed out that the staff in Notts use the report, as it is
            more appropriate for staff use than public, then they pass on the
            information as needed. DD feels its small use of a key resource. EK
            proposes a half day course could be held to help staff in the
            dissemination of information about Newsplan and links to
            Newsplan nationally. DD looking at provision of such courses
            through CILIP’s Local Studies group; believes it would be a good
            opportunity for a good day school in the East Midlands.
            CJ relating to survey question 20 about machines, when can we
            expect to receive new hardware from Newsplan?
            - EK replied the tender for the microfilm readers had been on a
              back burner but he would believe John Lauder to have it in
              progress.
            EK pointed out the importance of the survey in providing evidence
            of the service offered, where its strengths and weaknesses were to
            be found. Also that it shows the demand for these materials and a
            need for their retention.
            Q14 of survey about indexing of newspapers, heartened EK as it
            showed the need for indexing. DD will be emailing a survey about
            the current state of newspaper indexing to create a more updated
            database. Hopes to have a full list, arranged by region to go on
            the web eventually (only for England). TB asked if any work on
            cuttings files? DD says are included but needs more work doing
            on it. RG sends congratulations to all on a very useful piece of
            work. EK hopes to have collation of surveys from all 8 regions on
            Concord website by end of year. Adds his thanks to all.

6.   News from the region
     TB - Backlog of unbound newspapers now down to one year. Should still
     stay with original 9 titles for microfilming.
     - Developing website to local newspaper index, currently only on local
     intranet, unless have full web address.(TB will email this to EMRLS, who
     will supply it to everyone.
     - NOF digitisation project with Lincolnshire and Leicester City, Northants
     part due to start in July 2002.(Cataloguing rather than images).
     - Black History Project- have received lottery funding for 1 year, just
     recruited project director; will include work on newspapers - samples of
     certain years of newspapers relevant to black history.

     DD - working on indexing project and survey, hopes to make access
     possible. Original survey in progress. Newsplan update has all the
     information just needs checking against Colindale’s holdings.
     EB - Much restructuring in Suffolk. New head of Heritage, Alex Hayward,
     aware of importance of Newsplan and allowing budget for microfilming.
     CJ - Smaller budget this year due to overspend last year being carried
     over. Partnership with local family history society who are giving £10,000
     to boost local stock for 3libraries and pay for extended opening hours
     and staff. Newspapers formerly stored at Huntingdon Library have now
     moved to Cambridge, due to opening of new Open Learning Centre at
     Huntingdon.

     CP - Restructuring in Notttingham City - Joan Bray has moved on and
     Roger Parish is now Senior Librarian, Local Studies. Evening Post will be
     ceasing to microfilm the newspaper, so will have to obtain it from BL,
     making it more expensive. They will be using digitisation rather than
     microfilm for their own archives now. Trying to discover about any future
     possibilities. Reduction in budget but still committed to the Digital
     Imaging project with lottery funds having to be matched.

     HR - Microfilming budget same as last year, but local budget decreased.

     PH - Staffing problems. Continuing with Digitisation project with Derbys,
     Nottingham and Notts. Supporting local activities involving museums and
     childrens’ libraries, especially for the Jubilee.

     RG - Now started to create onto an Access database, an index for 20
     years of births, marriages, deaths and obituaries in the Derbyshire Times.
     (Originally it was on fiche). Searching for new method over last 10 years.
     So 1990 - 2000 has been put onto a CD by a Leicester company, LMB
     Microdata. They scan cards as images and manually index to 11
     characters, have flexible search ability, so seems quite good. Makes the
     index more useable.
     - Launch of new website - www.peaklandheritage.org.uk with use of old
     newspaper reports on the site. If successful will possibly include more
     newspapers.

7.   Any other Business
     a)       EK - possible future agenda item - how both national and regional
              committees will connect with the new EMMLAC. Importance of
              raising
              awareness of Newsplan and its objectives.
b)   EK - Indexing - Gale Thomson group offering The Times for the last 200
     years, fully available and indexed on the web. Subscription rates -want to
     sell to libraries not individuals. Main problem would be for each authority
     to negotiate a good deal.(should possibly collaborate with neighbours).
     c)       National Newsplan panel meeting, 25 April 2002 - update for
              Newsplan 2000 attached to these minutes. Reminder to regional
              authorities to keep their microfilm stored correctly. EK will be
              presenting ‘guidelines on retention and storage of local
              newspapers and microfilm’; if accepted, these will be passed on to
              the regions.
        d)     TB - Workshop on preservation of microfilm to be held at Norwich
               Millenium Library - ‘Preservation on a shoestring’ on 9 May 2002.
        e)     CJ - Newspaper.archive.com - has anyone received emails about
               this? EK knows of this company but has not evaluated it yet.
               EK interested in the way the information provision industry is
               becoming very interested in this area (i.e. Gale Thomson’s Times
               project). It could mean that in future it won’t be necessary to
               worry about national titles, can concentrate on local ones.
        f)     RG confirmed that everyone has copy of the second edition of the
               Handbook and that it is also available on the internet.

8.      Date of next meeting: Friday 25 October at 11 am, in the Cecil Roberts
        Room, Nottingham Central Library.

•    Libraries sending papers off for filming must inform the project office as
     described on pg.21 item 4.4 of the handbook. Otherwise the Contractor will
     not be ready and prepared to receive and store them properly.

•    Good publicity is really vital to help ensure funding continues. Please try to
     get your local paper to cover the event when papers go for filming and
     when microfilm is supplied. Send copies of all press coverage to the Project
     Office.

•    A complete review of who wants what microfilm readers where, is to be
     carried out soon. The Project Office will issue guidelines. Machines should be
     supplied during 2003.

•    Ordering additional copies of your own or other authorities film is done via
     the project office. Details are in the handbook. Payment is not required in
     advance, a statement of intent or an official order are equally acceptable. To
     take advantage of the cheap rate of £17 a reel, it is essential that orders are
     placed before the contractor starts filming. So it is up to us to keep an eye on
     the schedule and place orders in good time.