BISA AGM 2025

BISA General Meeting 16th May 2025, Manchester Central Library

1. Introductions – Alistair Bell 
      

   The BISA Committee welcomed attendees to the AGM and explained where BISA was after nearly 20 years as a network for Sound Archives. The Committee explained the extent of the committee and explained its functions and aims.

2. Update on review of BISA from the Working Group - Éamonn Ó hAdhmaill
      

   Éamonn ran a series of online meetings last summer with a group of attendees from last year's Conference (BISA 2024). Through a lot of discussion it was broadly agreed that Teams would be a good way to meet online to share ideas and practical information and to broaden the Network. This was conveyed to those in attendance at this year's AGM and was accepted as the way forward for the Network through teams as our online platform.

3.  BISA Terms of Reference update – Alistair Bell

   Terms of reference was approved by majority and can replace the constitution for our informal network. Question was raised about the terminology (Terms of Reference over Constitution) but it was felt this was more suitable for the informal nature of the network. 

4. BISA Communications and Collaboration
      

   1. BISA on Teams – Kevin Bacon
         

      Introduction to Teams as communication. Agreed by majority of members that this would be a useful communication medium for BISA. 

   2. Useful resources and guides – Alistair Bell 
         

      Wide-ranging discussion/suggestions of useful guides and resources:

      Publication/sharing of Ratecards for reuse

      IASA – resources & guides – may be more suitable for large organisations

      UOSH resources (not hosted by BL), e.g. North West Sound Heritage

      British Library – still host International training and webinars

      Oral History Society

      Institute of Professional Sound 

      University of Indiana

      Tape Digitisation Archives

      Richard has website on sticky shed

      Magnetic Reference Library

      Audio Engineering Society

      BBC Academy – technical 

      How to UOSH

      BL Copyright templates

      Cataloguing sound recordings to match ISAD(G)

      Genome – programme index

      UCS – index

      UK directory of sound collections [BISA Directory]

      Introductions on Teams (who are you, what collections/services/expertise do you have)

      Digital Preservation Coalition

      Copyright -figshare repositories

      PRS + copyright user

5. Training Programme – Alistair Bell
      

   Committee has proposed to host online meetings in September and January before the next in person conference as an opportunity for training/knowledge exchange (in line with Working Group recommendations). The following topics were considered for online training and a vote taken. The two topics with the most votes in the room are to be taken forward for online meeting/training in September 2025 and January 2026. All other topics to be considered for the next in-person conference. 

   Cataloguing/tackling backlogs – is AI the answer? (24 votes)
      

   Creative Commons and licensing (18 votes)
      

   Orphan collections/collections with no provenance (11 votes)
      

   How we treat digitised vs born-digital collections? (11 votes)
      

   Lottery Funded projects (10 votes)
      

   Skills from retiring technicians e.g. machine repair/machine collaboration. (0 votes – based on preference for in-person)
      

6. Financial Update – Charlie McCann
      

   BISA finances remain stable with £2894 in the account. The conference generated £3856.59, with outgoings of £3901 including fees yet to be invoiced.

   We report that BISA activity has been financially supported by British Library/UOSH in recent years, which has allowed us to maintain a low cost to conference attendees. That is required to change, and so we will have to increase cost of attendance in future in order for BISA to remain financially sustainable. 

7. BISA Committee 25/26 – nominations for new committee members/roles
      

   As per the precedent suggested in Glasgow 2024, Alistair Bell stood down as Convenor and passed the Convenor role to David Govier (this year’s conference host). Éamonn Ó hAdhmaill is standing down from his role as Secretary which is now vacant. Éamonn and Alistair and all current committee members would like to remain on the committee for this coming year. Some vacancies on the committee exist. All members in attendance were offered the opportunity to join the committee. Nicolas Melia and Will Rene put themselves forward for committee roles which along with all existing committee members was approved at the general assembly. The role of Secretary (now vacant) will be confirmed by committee members at the first committee meeting. 

8. CLOSE OF MEETING