Agenda item: 3
Share the Vision
Minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 21 April
2009, at RNIB, London
Present: Mark Freeman (Chair), Helen Brazier (Co-ordinator), Stephen
Bury, Barry Cropper, Michael Lewington, Katie Pekacar, Marion Ripley,
Linda Robertson, Julie Russell
In attendance: Mike Townsend, BCAB; Pat Beech, RNIB
Apologies: Tola Dabiri, Fazilet Hadi, Katherine Thomas
1. Welcome, introductions and apologies for
absence
The Chair welcomed members and guests.
2. Notification of any other business
3. Minutes of the meeting 16 December 2008
Minutes of the meeting held on 16 December 2008 were approved.
4. Matters arising not covered elsewhere on the
agenda
HB reported that she had written an article for Update about Louis
Braille’s bicentenary and Braille library services. Other members
mentioned planned or completed activities to celebrate the bicentenary.
Action: all members to report on their Louis Braille activities for
next meeting.
ML reported that Calibre had sent case studies to Elizabeth Elford for
the SCL website.
CyMAL will shortly publish articles about library services for blind and
partially sighted people including Share the Vision and Calibre.
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5. BCAB project EyeT4All
Mike Townsend, representing the British Computer Association of the
Blind, gave a presentation about BCAB’s IT training project for blind and
partially sighted people, EyeT4All. Text will be circulated.
In response to questions, Mike Townsend confirmed that the training is
delivered free of charge providing that the hosting organisation can
organise a venue, refreshments, administration and volunteer support.
It was felt that public libraries would welcome the opportunity to support
this kind of training. Actions: MF offered to explore possibilities in
the north east and BC offered likewise for London Libraries. PB
said she could publicise the scheme through Make a Noise in
Libraries.
Attention was drawn to the DIUS white paper “Learning revolution”
which encourages the establishment of computer clubs and training in
community spaces. ML felt that the project might like to look at Speak
On software developed by Isaac Porat.
MT mentioned that BCAB are working with ECDL to make sure that it is
accessible and with the National Blind Children’s Society to establish
“young BCAB”.
PB asked for BCAB’s help in updating RNIB’s Access Technology
Primer which was warmly received by public libraries and MT agreed.
6. Share the Vision news bulletin plus matters
arising
There were no matters arising.
7. Recent and current consultations
The Board noted the high level of activity, having made recent
responses to five government consultations, some of them with very
tight timetables.
Final versions of the following responses were noted and are also
available on the website: Web accessibility; Copyright the future; Digital
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Britain; Digital rights agency; and APPG consultation on public libraries.
The latter consultation, in the end, focused on governance only.
There was no news to report about DCMS’s earlier public libraries’
modernisation review, which is now expected to report in June.
8. Projects
(a) Reading Sight: Pat Beech and Mark Freeman reported on progress
with the development of this new web based tool to support library staff
with information about providing services to blind and partially sighted
people. The website will be highly accessible. The branding and design
are finalised so the work is now focused on populating the website with
content, which is proving more challenging than anticipated.
STV had previously granted £2000 (from 2008-9 budget) to this project
for marketing and agreed to grant a further £2000 to assist with content
development.
The website will be launched at Umbrella and promoted through various
channels including the Public Library Authorities’ conference and a
reading conference in Scotland.
Action: PB invited Board members to look at the prototype website
<www.readingsight.co.uk>
(b) North East project: project steering group members reported on
progress. Since the last STV Board meeting, CILIP had agreed to
support the project through participation of a local representative but
nobody had yet been identified. Jane Hall had had discussions with
Keith Bartlett, MLA, about recruitment of a project manager. A user
consultation day is planned for 18 May which will help refine the project
plan and outcomes. Steering group meets on 30 April.
(c) Discovery tools: HB/ML reported on a meeting with the Copyright
Licensing Agency about methods for reporting transcriptions. CLA wants
to update the VI licence and is currently surveying licence holders to
assess capability and interest in using UnityUK. Alternatively, small
organisations could report directly to publishers. TCR had agreed that
publishers could have free access to UnityUK, mechanism to be agreed.
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9. Right to Read Alliance
Michael Lewington reported on the last meeting held on 9 March 2009
where there were discussions about the viability of using UnityUK; the
upcoming seminar on accessibility of e-books at the London Book Fair;
and R2R’s strategy including stance towards publishers.
10. Website progress report
HB reported that useful feedback had been received from a number of
blind and partially sighted testers, who unanimously felt that pdf files
should be replaced by Word files. The Board agreed that this would
present minimal risks, also that (following these changes), the URL of
the website could be publicised for beta testing. A full accessibility audit
might be commissioned in due course dependent on feedback. Action:
HB to communicate with ICTeachers and publicise URL.
11. Strategy 2008-9
The strategy plan was reviewed and updated.
12. Finance report
HB reported that STV’s finances are currently in a healthy position,
because income had been higher than anticipated and expenditure
lower than forecast.
In addition to the grant to the Reading Sight project mentioned above,
the Board agreed to fund the Chair’s attendance at the conferences of
IFLA’s Section for Print Disabled People and of SCL.
It was noted that income in 2009-10 might be at risk due to the
pressures on all libraries arising from the economic situation. However, it
was positive news that 30 public libraries had already responded to the
request for contributions. We are still waiting to hear from two consortia
that were interested in negotiating discount rates.
Unfortunately, due to changes in corporation tax regulations, STV was
subject this year to a charge of £800 in respect of 2007-8, and would be
liable again in respect of 2008-9. Advice received from STV’s
accountant was to become a registered charity. Action: Board agreed
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that this route should be investigated with a view to agreement at
AGM.
13. Board administration
(a) There was a short discussion about the role of Chair. Nominations
can currently be made annually at the AGM. The post has historically
been held by a representative of SCL but could be open to all. It was
agreed that it would be helpful to fix terms of office for Chair and Board
members and that this could be built into the new charity M&A including
transitional arrangements tba.
Two members of School Libraries Group had responded to the request
for a representative to join the Board: Hilary McKenzie, Cardinal
Wiseman School, Greenford, and Cathy Wright, New College,
Worcester. Given their different backgrounds, the Board agreed it would
be useful to accept both applicants with the proviso that Board
membership might change on the creation of the charity. Action: HB to
inform them.
Glenda Wood had resigned and was thanked for her contribution. Steps
were being taken to find a replacement. The Board felt that it would be
useful to have second SCL representative from the southern part of the
UK. Action: MF
14. Board members’ activities
MF had recently promoted STV at a meeting of the career development
group. In the course of a recent study visit to South Africa, he had seen
how the library for the blind and public libraries work together.
JR reminded members that the new unified public library authority in
Northern Ireland came into being on 1 April. She also mentioned the
project to digitise talking newspaper services.
ML commented on the collaborative presence of several members at the
Education Show. There was consensus not to attend in 2010, however,
because themes would be different.
There was a short exchange of information about audio downloading
experiences in public libraries and the problems of contractual terms and
conditions from different suppliers, which MLA is examining.
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15. Any other business
MF reported that SCL is discussing how to implement a national
membership scheme and asked whether this could present an
opportunity to offer integrated access to specialist services. Agreed that
this could be investigated as part of the NE project. Action: HB to add
to NEALIS agenda.
16. Dates of meetings in 2009
9 June 2009 RNIB, Peterborough preceded by tour
27 October 2009 RNIB, London + AGM
12 January 2010 RNIB, Stockport
Admindocs/STVminutesApr/May09
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