May 11, 2010 BHL Executive Committee notes

AGENDA

1. Finances and MBL request for allocation to cover hosting services (email to follow)
Most MacArthur money going for salaries and scanning. Contingency fund for some wiggle-room. Budget proposal for MBL hosting of Bhl data--about $50,000 plus upcoming expenses reach 85,000 and this leaves little wiggle room for the $90,000. This doesn't include the tech meeting.

Chris noted that there are real costs in hosting BHL content--not all the costs get reimbursed, even at the rate proposed. ACTION: identify costs that are not reimbursed.
Need to decide on call about the MBL proposal.

Don't want to drop funding for staff meetings. What are our options? What other sources? Could ask directors in year 4 IC meeting to fund own travel costs. Should have a robust technical solution so that people can be included.

Need to address why the hosting is needed.

2. EOL Steering Committee call:

Leader transition announcement will come out in a few days. Christian will be acting Exec. Director of EOL. A position description will be available soon--send to all appropriate candidates.

Recommendations for additional funding.

Secretariat budget unchanged
Species pages budget reduced
BHL budget unchanged
L & E reduced
BSG reduced
BIG increases--budget set for next 2 years.

Numbers coming out shortly.


3. Taxacom discussion re images, image quality.

How do we respond to taxacom discussion. People want to see black and white pdfs. They want changes in the files we serve. The BHL development team has always made these changes. Will the BHL Europe portal address any of these issues? BHL Europe portal will not be changing via user feedback. Thus BHL Classic will have to respond. How do we respond to the survey? We are collecting user information that will inform our decisions about development priorities. How are priorities vetted? We need a process/plan on how to respond.

ACTION: Graham and Chris will meet in Vienna with others about portal developments.
ACTION: Identify survey items that we can address in the short term.

4. MOBOT moving forward with consultant for Citebank development. Begins first full week in June.

5. Call with Elly Wallis and Martin to plan ALA-Australia session.


Next call May 18 at 11 AM EDT



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