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DRAFT Minutes Executive Committee MeetingRiga, Latvia, 11-12 November 2005 |
These Minutes have been approved by the EBLIDA
Council, May 2006.
These Minutes have been approved by the EBLIDA
President.
Participants: Karin Åström, Toby Bainton, Sue Brown, Berndt Fredriksson, María Pía González Pereira, Gerald Leitner, Barbara Lison, Helena Patrício, Bas Savenije, Carla Sotgiu, Disa Svenskberg, Jan Ewout van der Putten, Finn Vester.
Observer: Pedro Hípola.
1. Opening and announcements
Jan Ewout van der Putten opened the meeting proposing an open Agenda and in-depth discussions in order to set the work to be done by the Executive Committee in the next months.
Disa Svenskberg requested that enough time would be devoted to discuss the functioning of the EBLIDA Working Groups.
Helena Patrício and Carla Sotgiu emphasized the relevance of discussing the issue of the new EC Communication on Digital Libraries 2010.
María Pía González Pereira included the issue of Digital Libraries on the Agenda Supplement for the Executive Committee meeting and commented that this Communication was sent to the members of the EBLIDA Working Groups CEG and PEG for further discussions and assessment.
There were no apologies for absence.
The Agenda was approved.
The Minutes were approved with the following amendments:
Berndt Fredriksson requested to amend Item 14 by moving its second paragraph to Item 5 (page 2) as follows:
5. EBLIDA annual Council meeting issues: Discussion groups, Elections, Executive Committee, proposal for next Council meeting 2006 in Budapest.
Pedro Hípola suggested that, apart from the 10 elected members of the executive Committee, it could be acknowledged the possibility to have regular observers in the Executive Committee meetings.
Further to Pedro Hípola’s suggestion, the Executive Committee agreed that EBLIDA members might be invited by the Executive Committee to attend Executive Committee meetings as observers.
The Minutes were approved.
The President said he takes the message from the Finnish associations seriously. The Finnish colleagues uttered serious doubts about democratic decision-making process in EBLIDA. Democracy and transparency are very important for the organisation. Also for himself as a former politician, who worked hard for local democracy and well defined procedures.
Disa Svenskberg said that the Executive Committee should exercise all managerial functions. In her opinion the Executive members have had not enough chance to discuss and decide in advance on the matter of the possible renewal of the contract of the Director. Proposals are made and put into practice without sufficient time to react for the members of the EC, who are not directly involved.
Helena Patrício said that she missed proper communication between the President and the EC. It should have been discussed in the first EC meeting in Cork not later on by email.
Carla Sotgiu commented that the Executive Committee has formal responsibility for the management of the organisation and a relevant matter such as the renewal of the Director’s contract must be put forward to the Executive plenary.
The president said that nothing was decided. He had presented by email proposals on how to prepare the EC-meeting in Riga. He sees it as his responsibility that the EC decides on the basis of proper preparations. He regretted that he did not communicate to the EC direct after his meeting in July with the vice-president, but postponed a communication until the first week of September (after the end of the holidays). In the meantime an internet discussion started. It would have been better to communicate immediately.
As to the first meeting of this EC in Cork, he agreed that it would have been advisable to use more time. Traditionally the new EC meets after election only to choose a new vice-president and to fix date and place of the autumn EC meeting. This EC followed that tradition.
Disa Svenskberg saw many small decisions, for example to set up a group to prepare the selection of a new director, and who has been chosen to this group.
Vice-president Sue Brown said that the process proposed was an attempt to prepare information for the decision of the Executive Committee in Riga.
Barbara Lison suggested that, in order to avoid future confusions, a set of Regulations could be drafted, which define further the powers and responsibilities of the Executive Committee, the Director and the President and the Working Groups, since the EBLIDA Constitution is not detailed enough on these matters.
Finn Vester said that the discussions and exchange of opinions are very useful. In his opinion, the President has the responsibility to start this kind of process but a working group on Regulations could try to define responsibilities more precisely.
The Executive Committee agreed to set up a working group to draft Rules of Procedures. The working group members will be: Barbara Lison, Disa Svenskberg and Bas Savenije. This working group will present a draft at the next Executive Committee meeting.
Berndt Fredriksson said that he would have appreciated to discuss this matter already in Cork, in May 2005. It should have been a task of the former EC. In forthcoming years we must make sure that matters like these are well planned beforehand and will not surprise a new EC. He said that the discussions held had been constructive and acknowledged the helpful contributions of Sue Brown and Barbara Lison.
Toby Bainton commented that he was glad for this productive discussion and for moving forward into future solutions.
Carla Sotgiu said that María Pía González Pereira did a great job as Director of EBLIDA, as it is the opinion of the Italian Library Association, and would be in favour of looking into the possibility for María Pía to stay longer as Director of EBLIDA.
Disa Svenskberg commented that she would like María Pía González Pereira to continue on her position of Director at least a few more months, until a new Director is found and in view of the coming Council in Budapest in May 2006.
Karin Åström said that it is important to find a good solution for EBLIDA and for the present Director too. The Director is the most important person because she is responsible for the lobbying and the Executive Committee has to support the Director.
The president agrees with Karin Åström about the importance of the job for EBLIDA. He expressed on behalf of EBLIDA his appreciation to María Pía González Pereira and her work. However, he explained that, according to Dutch law, after three years of temporary contract an employment becomes indefinite. EBLIDA cannot afford at present to have an indefinite employment contract for the Director. For the same reason an extension, even for a few months, is impossible.
Therefore, after further discussion, the Executive Committee agreed that the employment contract of María Pía González Pereira shall not be renewed after January 2006.
The president stated that this meeting will be the last with our current director. He wanted to use the opportunity to thank her on behalf of the Executive Committee and EBLIDA for her work. During almost three years now the Executive Committee members have worked in close cooperation with María Pía González Pereira. She has done an excellent job in the accounts and finances area. She worked hard in the lobbying field.
He stressed that EBLIDA will act in a way that María Pía González Pereira can receive unemployment allowance in case she does not find a new job by February 2006.
The Executive Committee also agreed that in compensation for her hard and excellent work, María Pía González Pereira will be granted an extra month salary and a course on Dutch language at the Regina Coeli Institute in The Netherlands, as she made clear that she wants to stay in the Netherlands.
María Pía González Pereira thanked the Executive Committee for their support and recognition. She said she is grateful to EBLIDA and to the Executive Committee members for these three years of close cooperation and that her time as Director of EBLIDA has been highly enriching and rewarding. She wishes the new Executive Committee every success in their new term.
In order to provide for continuity of the EBLIDA Secretariat activity after January 31st, in case a new Director is not found by that time, the Executive Committee agreed that Marian Koren (VOB, The Netherlands) acts as interim Director of EBLIDA. The VOB will not charge EBLIDA for her time.
Director’s position requirements, Job description and Advertisement
Sue Brown presented a draft of the Job description and Advertisement for the announcement of the vacancy and search for a new Director as of February 2006. This draft is the result of the discussions held by Sue Brown, Jan Ewout van der Putten, Gerald Leitner and Barbara Lison on this regards.
The draft was discussed by paragraphs. Sue Brown will incorporate the suggestions and amendments approved into the new draft Job Description and Advertisement to be issued before the end of November 2005.
It was agreed that after the new texts are ready, dissemination should take one month to allow candidates enough time to apply. Library and Archive sources of information will be the main dissemination channels.
The Executive Committee approved the selection board that will be in charge of the interviews to candidates. The members of this selection board will be: Jan Ewout van der Putten, Sue Brown, Gerald Leitner and Karin Åström.
The president suggested that Finn Vester fulfils the role of Treasurer, previously assigned to Klaus-Peter Böttger. The Executive Committee agreed.
6. EBLIDA membership issues and Working Group
Working Group
The president gave background information on the previous Working Group on Membership issues. The group consists of members of the Executive Committee in order to design ways to attract new members for EBLIDA, especially from the new EU countries.
After discussion the following composition of the Working Group on Membership issues was approved: Finn Vester, Karin Åström, and Helena Patrício.
Membership report
María Pía González Pereira summarized the membership status and issues reflected in the Agenda Supplement. There are a few members who have not fulfilled payment of their Membership Fees for more than one year.
The president accepted the suggestion to contact these members personally in order to find out the reasons of the situation and how to proceed further.
María Pía González Pereira commented on the recent application for membership submitted by the Association of Latvian Academic Libraries. This new EBLIDA Full member represents about 25 academic libraries in Latvia and will be allocated in Band A. EBLIDA welcomes very especially this new member from a new EU country.
Membership fees 2006
After discussion the Executive Committee approved the membership fees for 2006, which will raise at the rate of 1,5 %. The same raise will apply to the EBLIDA Secretariat staff salaries, with the exception of Carmen Morlón’s salary, which, as agreed with former Director and with María Pía González Pereira, will raise at the rate of 4%.
7. Assessment Seminar with Baltic representatives
Ten representatives, coming from the three Baltic Countries attended the meeting. After a welcoming word of the President the Latvian State Secretary for Culture
, Daniels Pavluts rendered a keynote speech stressing the importance of libraries in a democratic society.Jan Ewout van der Putten gave an introduction to EBLIDA.
Toby Bainton presented an overview of current developments in copyright law. Sue Brown spoke about professional education, assisted by Pedro Hípola. After the break many topics of common interest were touched upon.
The president thanked the president of the Latvian Library Association, Anna Maulina and the director of the National Library of Latvia, Andres Vilks for all the work they did to welcome EBLIDA to Riga. He was happy that the Association of Latvian Academic Libraries recently joined EBLIDA. He hoped that the other Baltic Associations and Institutions will follow to strengthen EBLIDA as voice of the European Library world.
The Executive committee asked the working group on regulations to include the positioning and tasks of the working group into the draft rules of procedure. They can be discussed in the next Executive Committee. Next to procedures the Executive Committee has to consider the brief of the working groups and the time span.
Toby Bainton gave a short update on the work of CEG and WTO. After long deliberation it was decided that EBLIDA will not send a representation to Hong Kong, as proposed in Cork last time. Due to lack of time and money, but also because it seems highly improbable that lobbying organisations get access to the procedures.
The Executive Committee approves the position papers on Collective management of copyright, Open Access, WTO and the EU service directive. The EC asked the attention of the working group for this kind of procedures in the draft Rules of procedures.
Sue Brown was not present at the last PEG-meeting. There are no minutes yet. Pedro Hípola, present for this item on the agenda, gave a short resume. The working group prepares a statement on professional qualifications and the Bologna process and touches also different topics, as lifelong learning and Digital Libraries. The group will meet again on 20 and 21 of January 2006.
9. EBLIDA Draft Budget 2006 and Finances: Status Report
Draft Budget 2006
The draft budget is unchanged since Cork. The Executive Committee remembered the warning of former treasurer Klaus Peter Böttger. Before it can be sent to Council, it needs ample consideration.
Sue Brown stresses the joint responsibility of the Executive Committee to tackle this matter. We can not leave the struggle to the director.
Berndt Fredriksson asked if it was realistic to consider the income from workshops feasible for 2006. Barbara Lison suggested including the costs derived from the hiring of the new Director in 2006.
María Pía González Pereira warned that membership is not increasing considerably. There is a great danger of a deficit. EBLIDA has not been engaged in new EU projects and no workshop has been planned yet for 2006.
The president hopes that the Working Group on membership issues will prepare a fruitful discussion about ways to recruit new members. On the short run the EC must be aware of the risk of a deficit in 2006 and take measures in Rome. The costs for hiring a new director are unavoidable. As it occurs every three years, the EC discussed in 2002 the option to form a special fund for these occasions out of every year's budget. In the end the EC decided that the costs could better be paid from EBLIDA general reserves to avoid bureaucracy. New treasurer Finn Vester will look into it with the director before the next EC-meeting.
10. Cooperation with other organisations
LIBER, the Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche
The president commented on the meetings held between himself and María Pía González Pereira with LIBER representatives. LIBER has proposed to set up a working group with members of both organisations in order to ascertain cooperation areas.
Bas Savenije told the EC that LIBER and SPARC Europe will meet and asked for participation of EBLIDA. He will be there and Toby Bainton could join, as the meeting will take place in London.
The EC agreed.
Bas Savenije and Toby Bainton will ask LIBER if they want to meet EBLIDA separately later on. Toby Bainton agreed to participate in the proposed working group with LIBER, together with Jan Ewout van der Putten and the director to explore possibilities for cooperation. Results will be reported to the Executive Committee.
María Pía González Pereira met with Peter Lor in The Hague in September in order to discuss the cooperation between IFLA and EBLIDA. María Pía González Pereira submitted to the Executive Committee the notes prepared by Peter Lor in this regards and emphasized the need for EBLIDA to maintain and strengthen its role as the lobby organisation for libraries and archives in Europe.
Carla Sotgiu said that it is very interesting and useful to cooperate with IFLA. However, since the foundation of EBLIDA it was made clear that the European Commission was keen on having one sole voice, one organisation representing libraries and archives in Europe. IFLA’s role is widely spread worldwide and has a strong accent in global matters, not only on EU issues.
Carla Sotgiu insisted on the need to keep EBLIDA as the lobby organisation for libraries and archives in Europe, because this is EBLIDA’s strength, although cooperation with IFLA is necessary too.
Barbara Lison agreed with Carla Sotgiu but suggested also that a formal contact between EBLIDA and IFLA is established in order to have regular communication between both organisations. Barbara Lison was in favour of making a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ as proposed by Peter Lor.
The Executive Committee supported that position.
SPARC Europe, the alliance of European research libraries, library organizations, and research institutions
Bas Savenije suggested that EBLIDA could explore also the possibilities for cooperation between both organisations.
The Executive committee agreed.
11. Information on lobbying & monitoring issues
[Agenda Supplement]
12. Any other business
Barbara Lison was approached by the major library supplier in Germany, who seeks support for an EU-project to facilitate the lending of digital material. The European publishers are partners. They would like EBLIDA to become a project partner as well. When the proposal succeeds, EBLIDA can play a role in disseminating the scheme promoting the project by organising workshops and other events. The plan foresees a subsidy to do so. EBLIDA should preferably react before 24 November.
The executive committee was tempted by the money but reluctant to identify itself with one, commercial solution. The committee decided to send the proposal to the CEG and ask their advice. It will not be possible to have a reaction and proper decision-making in the executive committee before the deadline. Barbara Lison will inform the supplier and ask if EBLIDA can step in later, in case the EC decides to do so. The reaction of the CEG will be communicated by email to the Executive Committee. Then it can be decided to refer the matter to the meeting in Rome of 'agree/refuse' by email.
The president proposed to table the Strategic Plan for the next Executive meeting. The plan can be updated and sent to Council before Budapest.
Other items for Rome are a report of the membership committee, the draft regulations for the functioning of the Executive Committee and the budget 2006/2007.
13. Next meeting
The next Executive Committee meeting will be held in Rome on 3 and 4 March 2006. Carla Sotgiu will be in charge of the preparations in short liaison with Italian colleagues.
14. Closure
The meeting was closed.
Created:
15 March 2006Last updated: 22 June 2006