Report to Heritage Lottery Fund

May 1999     

Report No 3

 

Issues

 

Issue 99/1  Contracts

The latest position is set out in detail in Annex 1. 

Participating archive model agreements are completed, (these were copied to Lavinia Cartwright and will be tabled at the meeting on 2 June).

NAS-SCAN agreements are now expected to be agreed by the parties within a few days (drafts were sent to HLF in April and no comments received).

GSU-SCAN agreement is still awaiting response from Salt Lake City on outstanding matter of assignation rights. 

HLF-SCAN agreement  No response has been received from HLF on comments by Tods Murray submitted on 26 April.

 

Issue 99/2 Request from Participant Archives on Finding Aids

There have been no further comments from participating archives.  If none are received during June, this issue will be considered resolved.

 

Issue 99/3 Cashflow

This issue, raised at the meeting with HLF evaluators on 7 April and in writing on 12 April, remains.

 

Issue 99/4  ICT Report

The initial draft was submitted to the IT evaluator as requested on 1 April.  No comment has yet been received.

 

No other issues have been identified at this time.

 

Progress

 

Top Level Finding Aids

 

The main products and stages have been identified and work to codify and organise these into components and resource inputs continues.

 

Team leader Alan Borthwick held 2 workshop sessions for NAS staff on 12 May, attended by 20 people all told.  Alan's presentation covered the principles behind the TLFA project, the type of information which the network would be collecting for the NAS TLFA, what might be included in and excluded from the NAS TLFA (both equally important issues), Name Authority Files, and quality control matters.  Discussion of the issues raised ranged widely and has been helpful even in these early days of the project.  One question being debated is whether, once the project is running, there is any role for the NAS’ own top level finding aid.  This will apply to all the participating archives also. 

 

As soon as it is practicable to do so, similar workshop sessions will be held to which all the participating archives will be invited at which Alan will give an updated version of the presentation made on 12 May.

 

Special Archive Services Project

 

Team leader Joanna Baird has identified the main stages and products, and the underlying components and resource requirements have been codified in Gantt charts, using MS Project.  These will be incorporated into the revised PID.   This model will be followed shortly by the Top Level Finding Aids and the Wills team leaders. 

 

Testaments Project

 

The main products and stages have been identified and work to codify and organise these into components and resource inputs continues.

 

Detailed preparations of material for digital capture continues. The chief conservator has completed an assessment of the conservation requirements of the Edinburgh Commissary Court testaments, the largest in the pre-1800 group,  prior to scanning. The proposed requirements will be forwarded to  the NAS Conservation Manager prior to any treatments being carried out.

 

A database has been developed for tracking the progress of volumes and documents through the digitsing process.  This is the first part of a suite of computer programmes that will give a detailed pricture of all relevant preservation information.   It can also be used to produce and monitor key performancd indicators throughout the process.

 

The team leader has established contact with Stephen Chapman, Preservation Librarian for Digital Initiatives at Harvard, and agreed to exchange infomration and experience with a digitising project

 

Throughput Reports

 

The methodology of reporting is currently being revised, as notified by Ishbel Barnes to Mike Smethurst on 17 May.  Details will be incorporated in the revised Project Initiatiaion Document, which is due for completion within the next 2 weeks.

 

Costs

 

Until the contract is signed, all costs will be allocated to Year 0.

No request for drawdown is being made,  as the contract remains to be signed.

 

Staff

 

Total Staff Employed at month end

5

New Appointments

0

Posts backfilled

all

 

 

 

Recruitment of two conservators from outside NAS is expected shortly; both were candidates for an earlier NAS post, and letters of appointment will be issued by Scottish Office Personnel within a few days. 

 

The recruitment processs for 5 curatorial posts is under way, and press advertisements are now expected in the first week of June.

 

Procurement

 

No procurement during the reporting period.

 

Participating Archives

 

No of Participating Archives at month end

45

Changes since last report

0

 

 

Statistics on Use of Network Facilities

Nothing to report

 

Users

Nothing to report

 

Project Board

 

No meetings held

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

28 May 1999


Annex 1

Contract Timetable Report : May 1999

 

 

Agreement

Current Position

1.

Contract between Heritage Lottery Fund Trustees and Scottish Archive Network Ltd.

New draft received by Tods Murray 26 March; discussed with SCAN, 6 April.   Richard contacted Lavinia on some outstanding points (5.1, 7.3, schedule Part 1, 1.1) on 8 April, copied to SCAN; Lavinia’s reply receivd by RF, 20 April; his reply sent 26 April; Lavinia’s comments awaited.

2.

Agreement between National Archives of Scotland and Scottish Archive Network Ltd. covering:

 

2.1

intellectual property

draft outline by Lynn Beaumont with SCAN; SCAN comments submitted 12 April, sent on 14 April to Lavinia and to Jim Logie. (McCabe Partnership confirmed no implications for VAT) Jim Logie/Joanna Keating to consider and respond by 7 May. JK responded in writing 13 May,  TM response  received on 14 May, GPM discussed with JK on phone 24 May,  re-draft by TM in light of this discussion, 25 May, sent to JK for final approval, 26 May.  Copied to HMSO, Norwich for any further comment, 28 May.  HMSO ask if crown copyright waiver has an effect?

2.2

staffing/secondment

 

Reviewed with Richard and Lynn, 6 April; re-draft by Lynn sent to Jim Logie and to Lavinia. Jim Logie/Joanna Keating to consider and respond by 7 May.  JK responded in writing 11 May,  TM response  received on 13 May, GPM discussed with JK on phone 24 May,  re-draft by TM in light of this discussion, 25 May, sent to JK for final approval, 26 May. 

2.3

accommodation

(to include miscellaneous services)

SOLS asked SCAN to ask TM to draft; revised version discussed 6 April; re-draft back with SCAN 9 April; comments being made.  New draft from Lynn sent to Jim Logie 26 April.  Services schedule to agreement completed and sent to Jim Logie 30 April. Jim Logie/Joanna Keating to consider and respond by 7 May. JK responded in writing 11 May,  TM response  received on 13 May, GPM discussed with JK on phone 24 May,  re-draft by TM in light of this discussion, 25 May, sent to JK for final approval, 26 May.

3.

Agreement between Genealogical Society of Utah and Scottish Archive Network Ltd.

Revision received from GSU and passed to TM,  26 March; revision by Richard discussed 6 April; further revision by Richard sent to Lavinia and to GSU on 13 April.; GSU re-draft received 28 April, passed to TM for comment (e-m failed, faxed on 30 April). Returned by TM 5 May and passed direct to GSU;  acknowledged and will be passsed to their attorney.  Reply received 18 May; assignation rights of GSU to another non-profit subsidiary remains an issue; discused with TM, 25 May, response by TM to GSU sent 27 May; GSU response awaited.  Draft copied to Lavinia for information, 28 May.

4.

Agreement between Scottish Archive Network Ltd and participant archives (a model agreement)

Initial outline by SCAN, 6 April, discussed with Richard and Lynn; revised outline by SCAN (including definitions) to Richard and Lynn by 9 April for them to consider further.  Revised version received from Lynn, 28 April; requires simplicfication.  New, simpler versions (1 for funding, 1 for non-funding)  produced by Lynn   12 May and agreed in principle;  sent to Lavinia for information, 25 May.