March 22nd ECSC Conference Call

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Proposed Agenda:

• Technical Update (Chris) (hold for next call -- NEG)
• Financial/Budget Update (Martin/Tom) -- (only if there is progress to report -- NEG)
• Global Updates (Chris/Martin) -- (hold for next call--NEG)
• Upcoming Conferences/Meetings (everyone) -- hold for next call--NEG)
• IC Meeting debrief and follow-ups
• Clarification/report on collections committee action item from March 16

Notes:

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Minutes:

On call: Tom Garnett, Doug Holland, Nancy Gwinn, Holly Miller, Connie Rinaldo, Judy Warnement, Jean Farrington, Jane Smith, Chris Freeland, Susan Fraser (the group)

Connie reported on the Collections Committee call. The committee recommends and analysis of the BHL content be performed w/ caveat that this cannot be done is a short time-period. This could be done using TL-2 and Index Animalium to develop a title list. She suggest that the Library Directors come up with ideas for targeted projects (i.e. Shells of India) and will create a space on the collections page of the wiki for these "discreet projects"
Nancy stated that this analysis would be a wonderful way to talk about the BHL accomplishments beyond metrics. A list of subject related materials with finite goals and concrete costs attached could help facilitate fundraising for these discrete projects.
An analysis would help determine what has been scanned and what what still needs to be scanned which would also provide a good fund-raising metric. A list of journals already included would be impressive. Chris cautioned that it is an enormous task that should not be underestimated but we have the data necessary to move forward.
Action item: Moving forward, Martin, Chris and Connie will work with the collections committee and tech committee to develop a plan. This is a bibliographic task, not a technical one
Nancy suggest that plan include all resources needed. The group discussed the potential for crowdsourcing functionality and use of volunteers, interns and grad students and possibility of using "summer help" to add TL-2 indentifyers, etc.
One possible discrete project include collections relating to India and Judy and Jane will discuss with Kew for possible collaborative project.

The group then discussed the success of the recent IC meeting in Cambridge. The consensus was that it was a very good meeting; information dense. The round robin whereby each library reported on their activities was informative and content rich and should be included in all IC annual meetings moving forward. It was agreed that the new members brought new energy.

The group briefly discussed BHL finances with the MOBOT 10K arriving at Smithsonian this week. Tom reported $35,000 unspent from Life and Literature Conference that he is requesting to keep from the Lounsbery Foundation. He is finalizing his report to EOL and will give to Grace. Nancy said the 10K from the Smithsonian will be used to cover administrative costs.

Nancy reached out to Jesse Ausubel and will be meeting him in D.C. next week. She also updated the Global BHL bylaws (as discussed at the IC meeting) and will sent to William Ulate for distribution to the Global partners.
Kudos to Chris and his team for the NEH award to fund --The Art of Life: Data Mining and Crowdsourcing the Identification and Description of Natural History Illustrations from the Biodiversity Heritage Library.