User Advisory Group Minutes
Title:
User Advisory Group
Date of Meeting:
17 September 2013
Location:
The National Archives
Attendees:
Staff
Mary Gledhill (MG), Commercial Director (Chair)
Oliver Morley (OM), Chief Executive and Keeper (item 4 only)
Caroline Kimbell (CK), Head of Licensing (items 1 and 2)
Chris Mumby (CM), Head of Commercial Delivery (items 1 and 2)
Emma Allen (EA), Head of Web Team (item 4 only)
Victoria Lain (VL), Research Grants Advisor and Academic Liaison (item 5 only)
Caroline Ottaway-Searle (COS), Director of Public Services and Human Resources (item 7 only)
Corinne Harrison (CH), Reader Adviser
Foluke Abiona (FA), Customer Intelligence Officer
Joanna Robinson (JR), Customer Intelligence Assistant (Minutes)
Lee Oliver (LMO), Head of Public Services Development
David Thornton (DT), Customer Service Excellence Assessor (temporary observer)
Delegates
Gillian Stevens (GS) – Onsite personal interest users
Graham Woolgar (GW) – Onsite personal interest users
Professor Grace Ioppolo (GI) – Academic users
Susan Moore (SM) – Map Room users
Margaret O’Sullivan (MO’S) – Local historians
Dr Paul Dryburgh (PD) – County/external archives
Else Churchill (EC) - Family history societies
Dr Nicola Phillips (NP) – Map Room users
Apologies
Professor Anne Laurence (AL) – Academic users
Nell Darby (ND) – Student users
Andrew Chapman (AC) – Online users
Dr Julie Anderson (JA) – Diversity/inclusion
Patrick Vernon (PV) - Diversity/inclusion
Item
1.
Action
Minutes, matters arising and general updates
Page 1 of 7
1.1
MG welcomed attendees to the meeting. MG advised that LMO would be bringing
DT, a Customer Service Excellence Assessor, to sit in on part of the meeting to
observe proceedings.
1.2
(Item 1.2 18/06) GW said that he believed point 1.2 in the minutes was incorrect,
and that the Extraordinary User Forum was not set up solely to discuss the
Records Decision Panel. GW said that Richard Bateson has agreed for the
reclosure meeting minutes to be published. These are now available to view on the
website. GW will circulate the attachments to UAG members. TNA will not publish
these on the website because they include personal views, not a summary of the
discussion.
1.3
(Item 1.3 18/06) MG advised that TNA is committed to publishing figures for
reclosed documents for 2012 and then subsequent years. The Freedom of
Information (FOI) team will be presenting a paper to this effect for review and
approval by TNA’s Executive Team in October. In preparing its recommendation
the FOI team has considered GW’s suggestion re: the categorisation of reclosures
by complainant type. While not wanting to pre-empt the Executive Team’s
decision, MG advised that TNA is unlikely to pursue an approach which goes
beyond FOI requirements. GW said that he didn’t understand why his suggestion
should pose any problems and asked for clarification of TNA’s position in writing.
MG said that the Executive Team needed to approve a detailed recommendation
first, which would take account of all the relevant considerations.
1.4
(Item 1.5 18/06) GW asked for the item in the previous minutes to be corrected to
reflect that the point he had made was simply about the quality of digitisation.
CH
(Item 1.6 18/06) MG said that it was felt that TNA could more fully contribute to the
anniversary of Shakespeare’s death as we hold more documents related to this. GI
said she would be happy to contribute her knowledge on Shakespeare to TNA.
MG welcomed the offer and suggested that something like a guest blog post from
GI would be very welcome.
GI
(Item 1.9 18/06). SM said that she and Guy Grannum had not yet managed to
schedule a meeting but still intend to do so. SM said that from reading the
Discovery update paper it looked like the issues were no closer to being resolved
and had been closed, but said she had found ways to use Discovery to do what
she wanted in most cases.
GG
1.7
(Item 2.9 18/06) MG said there will be an update at the December UAG meeting.
NK
1.8
(Item 2.10 18/06) SM said that she meant Access to Archives (A2A) reference
numbers not Archon numbers.
NK
1.5
1.6
1.9
(Item 3.4 18/06) The Discovery update was provided with this meeting’s papers.
1.10
(Item 5.2 18/06) CK said that RN Navy registers will be assigned as ADM 362, and
the cards will be assigned as ADM 363. ADM 188 will stop where it is because
TNA does not mix media in a series. GW asked if TNA will accession the original
documents. CK said we will not.
1.11
(Item 1.13 18/06) The glossary was included with this meeting’s papers.
Page 2 of 7
2.
Digitisation
2.1
CK and CM gave an update on digitisation projects at TNA. CK said that TNA was
the first archive to digitise documents, which has meant that various legacy issues
linger as advances in digitisation inevitably show up disparities between the quality
of early and more recent digitisations. Digitisation, transcription of hand-written
documents and web-presentation are all highly labour-intensive, expensive
processes. TNA does not have the resources to fund large digitisation projects and
therefore projects such as State Papers and censuses are only affordable through
commercial partnerships. Since the launch of the 1901 census in 2002, we
estimate that the private sector has invested about £60m (that’s two whole years
of TNA’s public funding) in digitisation. The 1911 census alone represented an
investment of £7m. Projects that receive commercial funding are generally those
that commercial partners are confident will have wide-ranging, popular appeal.
TNA uses its own funds to present key collections through Discovery. Digitisation
of BT 389 and KV 2 came about because of discussions at User Forum, but is
usually in response to heavy onsite demand or poor condition.
2.2
In the financial year 2012-13 alone we scanned around 10m document images –
6.2m of which were funded by the private sector. TNA currently manages around
20 projects per year - each routinely numbering hundreds of thousands of pages.
Many of our big scanning projects - occupying large tracts of the available
scanning space and large numbers of staff - run over many years. The 1911
census took a whole repository, two years to scan and 300 staff to complete, and
State Papers is now in its fifth year of production.
2.3
TNA cannot compete with commercial publishers like Ancestry as they have far
more money to invest and can make a wider range of records available to a global
audience. However, maintaining our own in-house digitisation business allows us
to address some of the weaknesses of the commercial sector e.g. an emphasis on
name-rich genealogy sources and an understandable reluctance to invest in less
commercially attractive series which we nonetheless have strategic needs to
digitise.
2.4
In response to questions TNA confirmed that
- The licensing partner underwrites projects e.g. census.
- Document preparation is done by TNA and paid for by the licensing
partner.
- The advent of universal broadband access, the gradual growing trust of
making credit card payments online, and the popularity of shows like Who
Do You Think You Are? have all increased demand from the public and
increased the confidence of commercial partners.
2.5
CK asked delegates for their opinions on whether it was useful to digitise parts of
‘unpopular’ series, when finance is not available to fully digitise series?
- GS said it was useful as long as people are made aware that only part has
been digitised.
- EC said that even digitising part of a series may still have the benefit of
generating interest from commercial partners if there turned out to be
public interest.
2.6
GW said two recent digitisations, BT 377 and ADM 340, have had poor resolution.
He asked if there are master copies of these and why are they not available to
view?
- MG said that it is a legacy issue and it takes a lot to justify re-imaging a
Page 3 of 7
-
3
collection which works well enough, especially for us internally, in
financially straitened times. Exceptions are always given careful
consideration though.
CM said TNA has not always published the high resolution images
because the file size, 300ppi, would just be too large for some computers
and GW had probably seen the low resolution version, 200ppi, on the
website. CM said he would check if there is a master of BT 377 and ADM
340.
Delegate submitted items
3.1
SM asked about the process of electing a new CEO. She said we need to have a
CEO with a background in history and archives.
3.2
PD said that from the archive sector’s point of view, OM’s tenure as CEO has
made TNA the sector leader. He said we need someone who will continue to
promote archivists and archives. A CEO with zero experience of archives would be
detrimental to TNA’s continuing success.
3.3
MG said that OM has been in conversation with the Ministry of Justice regarding
the process and every effort is being made to speed up the process. Delegates’
views on the future CEO will be passed on to those involved in the recruitment
process.
4
MG
New website design
4.1
EA gave a preview of the new website, a beta version of which is available on the
current site. This is the first overhaul of the website for four years and has been
worked on for some months. Part of the reason for the redesign is the increase in
use of mobile phones and tablets to access TNA’s services. 20% of TNA’s website
audience access it via mobile devices. We had feedback that the website was too
cluttered and that it was difficult to get deep into the site. TNA has therefore taken
this opportunity to develop the site and give users a world class digital experience.
‘Guerrilla’ testing was carried out in the reading rooms and workshops were held in
London and York, as we felt it was extremely important to test with users outside
London.
4.2
SM suggested some of the images on the website homepage could be taken from
pre-1688, to reflect the interests of those who use the Map and Large Document
Reading Room (MLDRR). GI suggested the use of maps of Kew held by TNA,
which could complement the use of the Google map of Kew on the new home
page.
EA said that if delegates could find suitably colourful maps from the image library,
they would be considered.
4.4
CM
It was asked if improving the website decreases footfall.
OM said that we are doing some research at the moment on footfall trends, but the
indications are that it has increased in recent months i.e. more people are looking
at original documents.
It was suggested that this was because visitors are finding Discovery easier to use
than the catalogue and finding more records.
Page 4 of 7
EA
4.5
PD suggested that there could be a set of ‘How to’ audio-visual guides on the
website for academic users of TNA, such as those undertaking PhDs.
EA said videos will be integrated into Start Here. PD will contact EA.
4.6
OM thanked UAG delegates for their contribution to TNA.
GS thanked OM for the way he has run TNA during his tenure.
5
Academic engagement
5.1
VL gave a presentation on how the research team has been revising research
priorities and the engagement plan. She said there are four key research
questions:




What is the nature of the digital archival record?
Has digital changed the needs, expectations and nature of research and
user behaviour?
How can we develop and exploit digital information extraction tools to help
support digital selection and digital sensitivity review?
Can we develop Open Data models to provide better-quality, authentic and
trusted data for use and re-use?
There are organisational research priorities: supporting government data and
policy; access, use and the user; digital information management; leading the
archive and information sector. There are also historical research priorities:
modern and contemporary; early modern; medieval; legal; maps and photographs.
The academic engagement strategy is ready for review. It was last refreshed in
2010. She asked delegates if there were any issues they wanted to raise.
GI said many involved in academic research do not define themselves as
‘historians’ and it could be helpful in encouraging more academics to access TNA
if the term was changed to ‘archival researchers’ or ‘research students’. She said
many academics studying literature, for example, may not realise how useful TNA
could be to their studies and it would be helpful to raise awareness of what TNA
can offer to academics other than historians.
5.2
MG asked how TNA can reach these parts of the academic community.
GI suggested more frequent Twitter feeds and sending emails to different
departments in academia, for example language and literature departments,
actively sending out the message that TNA is looking for partnerships in all
academic fields.
6
UAG delegate vacancy
Page 5 of 7
EA
6.1
MG said that a vacancy for an Independent Researcher delegate in UAG has
arisen, as Bob O’Hara (Independent Researchers) has resigned from UAG with
immediate effect. She said UAG needs at least three new delegates each year, so
that input into UAG can be kept refreshed. It was noted that we potentially have
two Independent Researcher vacancies this autumn as Nick Barratt also resigned
from UAG during the year. However, it was also noted that other current UAG
members (e.g. SM) are also Independent Researchers.
6.2
MG asked if any other long serving delegates were considering if the time is right
for a new delegate to take up the role they currently fill, as we are about to embark
on the annual round of recruiting new UAG members. No other delegates
indicated a desire to resign from the group.
6.3
MG asked delegates if they thought there were any other user groups not currently
represented at UAG that should be included. SM said Independent Researchers
should continue to be represented and offered to take over Bob O’Hara’s email list
until someone replaces him. It was agreed that the current list of communities
represented on UAG was reasonable and could be used as the basis of
recruitment requirements for this year.
MG
GI asked if the attendance rate and commitment levels of current delegates to
UAG could be taken into account, as there is no point in having delegates who do
not attend. She pointed out that neither of the Diversity/Inclusion delegates had
attended UAG for some time, therefore groups represented by these delegates
currently lack adequate representation. MG agreed that we would look at replacing
delegates with low attendance levels.
MG
MG said that, as per last year, we planned to invite expressions of interest from
new delegates during October, with a view to recommending new delegates in
time for them to attend December’s UAG, if possible.
MG
6.4
6.5
7
Equality and diversity update
7.1
COS told delegates that Equality and Diversity Manager Parveen Betab has now
left TNA. TNA’s equality and diversity work has been going well, but after
Parveen’s departure we feel it is the right time to pause and refresh our equality
and diversity projects; this is why there was no report for this meeting. TNA’s plan
is to fully integrate equality and diversity issues into the organisation. We want to
concentrate on how we can be more ambitious in increasing staff diversity. We
currently have good representation in terms of black and minority ethnic (BME)
staff but not through the grades. Increasing audience diversity is our big objective,
and we wish to embrace diversity across the archive sector.
7.2
PD asked how TNA will progress to a fourth round of Skills for the Future.
COS said we have developed how we support the placements. We have been
tracing the placement outcomes, and feel the mark of success is in people
progressing to long-term placements.
7.3
GW asked if a senior representative of COS’s department will be attending UAG
on a regular basis, e.g. LMO or COS.
COS said they would.
Page 6 of 7
8
Any other business
8.1
MG said there are confidential discussions taking place between TNA, the British
Library and the city of Lincoln concerning the forthcoming anniversary of the
signing of the Magna Carta. Due to the condition of the copies of the Magna Carta
held by TNA, it is unlikely that either with be allowed to travel overseas. However,
we think it possible that one copy will be made available on loan to the British
Library and/or Lincoln during the anniversary year, leaving the second copy
available for display at Kew.
8.2
MG said that TNA is gearing up for the First World War Centenary. Work is
ongoing to load the digitised copies of the France and Flanders war diaries onto
Discovery. This is the biggest in-house digitisation project we have carried out.
We will be crowdsourcing transcriptions of the diaries via a joint project with the
Imperial War Museum and Zooniverse that should launch in November.
8.3
MG said that TNA’s joint project with Archives and Records Association (ARA) to
refresh the Archives Awareness Campaign, now ‘Explore your Archives’, will be
launched the week of 16-23 November. The campaign website should go up in
early October, and we will contact UAG members with details nearer the time. It’s
hoped ‘Explore your Archives’ will encourage non-archive users to discover
archives around the country.
Next meeting: Tuesday 17 December 2013, 12:00 – 14:30, preceding User
Forum at 15:00
Page 7 of 7