2008 AGM

The minutes of the 4th Training Day are as follows:

Minutes of meeting held on 23 May 2008, at The National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales, The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales, UK, SY23 3BU

Present:
Christine Adams (British Library Sound Archive)
Wayne Allen (Plasmon Data Ltd)
Almut Boehme (National Library of Scotland)
George Boston
Ruth Cammies (The Open University)
Norita Ní Chartuir (National University of Ireland (Galway)
Adele Cocchiglia (University College Dublin)
Jonathan Draper (Norfolk Sound Archive)
Leo Enticknap (University of Leeds)
Simon Factor (Moving Media)
Marian Geoghegan (RTÉ)
Niamh Heery (Contemporary Music Centre)
Martin Hrncar (University College Dublin)
Iwan Jenkins (National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales)
Isabelle Killane (University College Dublin)
Cathlin Macaulay (School of Scottish Studies Archives)
Mairead MacDonald (Tobar an Dualchais)
Claire McLoughlin (RTÉ)
Claire Marsh (Leeds College of Music)
Brian Montgomery (Datarch Ltd)
Malachy Moran (RTÉ)
Mary Moylett (National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales)
James Moynes (RTÉ)
Fergus Ó hĺr (Raidió Fáilte)
Franz Pavuza (Phonogrammarchiv)
Will Prentice (British Library Sound Archive)
Dafydd Pritchard (National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales)
Brian Quigley (RTÉ)
Richard Ranft (British Library Sound Archive)
Ruth-Blandina Quinn (Broadcasting Commission of Ireland)
Brian Rice (RTÉ)
Simon Rooks (BBC)
Meinwen Ruddock (St Fagan’s National History Museum)
Jack Smith (RTÉ)
Beth Thomas (St Fagan’s National History Museum)
Paul Turney (Sirensound Digital UK)
Sally Weston (BBC)
 
Apologies
Martin Astell, Margaret Brooks, Peter Carson, Clifford Harkness, David Lee, Stephen Weil 

To Receive the Minutes of the Previous Meeting held on 30 Nov 2007 at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra, Holywood, Co. Down, Northern Ireland

The minutes of the meeting held on 30 Nov 2007 were accepted with one amendment. Under the date and time of the next meeting, 2007 should have read 2008. Will Prentice (WP) duly signed the minutes. 
 
Committee Members’ Reports
WP gave convenor’s report. The main achievement has been the establishment of the website as focus from which resources can be accrued and shared. The other main achievement has been the establishment of a system of membership. WP acknowledged that there were lengthy discussions about Data Protection issues and invited delegates to join BISA. WP stated that membership was on an annual basis and free. However, he raised the prospect of charging a modest fee for membership, and, or attendance at training events. If this was the case, it would not discourage potential venues for future meetings if they knew they were not expected to cover costs.
WP gave a report on the BISA discussion list. He stated that there were 94 members, but traffic remained low but slowly increasing, especially regarding the proposed directory. He remains confident that there is a need for a discussion list and encouraged delegates to e-mail the list if they have a query, rather than e-mailing him directly.
Jonathan Draper (JD) gave the secretary’s report. JD re-emphasised WP’s comments about membership and encouraged people, who had not done so, to apply for membership. JD acknowledged that BISA were aware that they needed to offer something to members that they would not otherwise receive as an enticement. JD suggested a price differential on conference fees, if such fees were ever introduced. JD stated that there may have been a problems with his fax machine so asked if anyone had faxed him their membership form but not received confirmation, to see him after the meeting. JD also stated, that to keep costs down, he would prefer membership correspondence to be done electronically via e-mail as much as possible.
Malachy Moran (MM) gave the web master’s report. As the main topic in MM’s report was the BISA directory, which had its own agenda item, details of this discussion are given below.
Dafydd Pritchard (DP) as treasurer stated that a bank account has been set up, though BISA had no funds at the present time. Simon Rooks (SR) reminded the meeting that the British Association of Sound Collections still had some funds when it disbanded and that those funds could be inherited by BISA, as it is a body with very similar aims to that of BASC. WP said that this was being pursued and that the funds were in the region of £2000. Having a treasurer and bank account were steps towards being able to inherit any funds available which would be used for core funding rather than peripherals. 

BISA Publicity Drive

JD explained that BISA was conscious that there are 94 members on the BISA lists and that there have been at least twenty-five attendees at previous meetings. Without much effort at publicity, BISA has attracted quite an interest. JD offered to compile a list of related e-mail discussion lists on which to advertise future BISA meetings. JD also pointed out that it would be advantageous to have a list of related bodies to whom it would be good to make contact with so that they know who we are and what we do. JD offered to send an e-mail to the BISA discussion list to prompt feedback. WP added that he wanted BISA, now it is established, to start inviting people to join and asked for suggestions as to how we could go about this. RBQ suggested the European Platform of Regulatory Authorities.

WP also said that IASA would encourage us to become a branch member of IASA. WP would welcome this as it would give BISA added strength and suggested that BISA thinks about this. Richard Ranft said that half of BISA’s members would have to be members of IASA, otherwise a fee would have to be paid. AB made the point that if BISA became a branch member of IASA and that fifty per cent of its members had to be members of IASA, this could be off putting to small institutions and that they may not join BISA and suggested it would be good to investigate the options. George Boston said that he wouldn’t have thought small organizations would be put off because the cost of individual membership is relatively small as they are aware of smaller organizations.
Leo Enticknap gave some added context to the film archive field, stating that it was a lot more complicated with the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) and International Federation of Television Archives (FIAT), who impose stringent rules on what organizations can join them as well as strong conditions on membership. Association of Moving Image Archivists looks to keep membership costs low and encourage individual membership. WP suggested that BISA’s initial aims should be modest and sustainable and saw the Directory as both a flagship project and resource for the wider community. WP also invited suggestions for other projects that BISA could get involved in.
 
Directory of Sound Archive Holdings
MM explained that the British Association of Sound Collections had published a directory of holders of sound archives in 1990 and that it was felt at previous meetings that the BISA website would be an excellent home for an up to date directory that would cover Ireland as well. MM explained that it was hoped that passwords would be issued to allow members to edit their directory entry on the BISA website. However, no passwords will be issued until the structure of the directory has been decided.
MM thanked those people who had already made suggestions for the format of the directory. MM stated that he would extend the consultative period for a little while longer and would then circulate, via the BISA discussion list, a summary of the possible formats. MM explained that the aim was to keep the directory simple but that there are at least four possible standards that could be adopted. MM pointed out that sustainability is a consideration. If the hosting of the directory was to be done by someone other than RTE, then the directory’s compatibility with other similar directories was essential to allow for its easy migration. WP pointed out that the Oral History Society had already done some background work on a directory and that they were happy to collaborate. WP stated that he saw the directory as being maintained by many people doing a little work and perhaps editing or prompting entries for neighbouring institutions.
Ruth-Blandina Quinn asked if access to the directory would be for full members only or for associate members. JD answered that it was hoped that the directory could be consulted by anyone, but that editing of the site would be controlled by passwords. RR asked how sustainable the website would be and if membership fees will be required for its maintenance. MM replied by saying that RTE were happy to cover the small costs at present. WP explained that when BISA was being established and it was being discussed what should exist, the work was based on goodwill, but as BISA develops, it is getting a better idea of what is required and likely costs with a view to being sustainable. In the next few months will see what costs are likely to be incurred to help work out if there should be any charges.
 
Future Meetings and Events
WP explained that at previous meetings it had been decided to have meetings once a year, but that did not preclude more regional meetings on particular topics.
 
Any Other Items of Business
No items were raised.
 
Date and Time of Next Meeting
The next BISA meeting will be held at the Wessex Film and Sound Archive in Winchester, Hampshire on Friday 5 June 2009 with possible tour on 6 June 2009

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