The Directors of Collections Group beyond EDIT - Options and consequences -

The Directors of Collections The Directors of Collections Group beyond EDIT Group beyond EDIT

- Options and consequences -- Options and consequences -

Seventh EDIT BoD meetingSeventh EDIT BoD meetingParis, 22-23 June 2010Paris, 22-23 June 2010

Christiane Quaisser, René Dekker, Michel Guiraud, Christiane Quaisser, René Dekker, Michel Guiraud, Rob Huxley, David MabberleyRob Huxley, David Mabberley

• Directors or heads of collections of 16 EDIT institutions: BGBM, HNHM, IBPAN, MfN, MIZPAN, MNHN, NBGB, NHML, NHN, NNM, RBGK, RBINS, RMCA, SMNS, UKBH, ZMA

• Structure: task group, coordinator• Initiated in June 2008, three full DoC, three task group

meetings

Agreed policies & strategies Efficiency, cooperation with

regard to collection preservation and access

Implementation of SYNTHESYS results

DoCCDoCC – current structure – current structure

Seventh EDIT BoD meeting, Paris, 22-23 June 2010Seventh EDIT BoD meeting, Paris, 22-23 June 2010

EDIT Directors of Collections

ContextContext

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EDIT Activities:- Science Policy Group- BoD

EDIT Directors of Collections

Target audienceTarget audience

Seventh EDIT BoD meeting, Paris, 22-23 June 2010Seventh EDIT BoD meeting, Paris, 22-23 June 2010

Institutions holding scientific collections

Collection managers

Scientists of earth and life sciences

National & international funding agencies

Political boards & fora

Common principles for scientific loans

“Clearing house” for orphaned collections

Overview of coll’s man’ organisational structures

Opportunities for a EU collection managers association

Cooperation with science policy groups: strategies for specimen digitisation & acquisition

Cooperation with SYNTHESYS NA2(Collection standards)

helpdesk & performance indicators

Newly arising issues, e.g. collections security, repatriation

Continuation of DoCC after EDIT: options & consequences

Current activitiesCurrent activities

Seventh EDIT BoD meeting, Paris, 22-23 June 2010Seventh EDIT BoD meeting, Paris, 22-23 June 2010

•• The The DoCCDoCC as a working group on a directors of collections as a working group on a directors of collections level is level is successfully addressing problemssuccessfully addressing problems linked with colls linked with colls man.man.

•• The EDIT The EDIT BoDBoD has defined the DoCC as one of the has defined the DoCC as one of the core core activities to be sustainedactivities to be sustained after EDIT. after EDIT.

•• The The structure of a post-EDIT DoCC networkstructure of a post-EDIT DoCC network- will need some amount of coordination and additional - will need some amount of coordination and additional funding to ensure work progress, outreach and flexibility funding to ensure work progress, outreach and flexibility - must not be too heavily funded and formal; hinders- must not be too heavily funded and formal; hinders partners in participating over long-term perspective partners in participating over long-term perspective- must be flexible to be adapted smoothly and quickly to- must be flexible to be adapted smoothly and quickly to internal or external changes internal or external changes

SummarySummary

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Strengthen the role of EU natural history collections in the world as a community, by:

Helping to ensure long-term management and preservation as cultural heritage and fundamental research infrastructure

Increased efficiency by developing and implementing common standards, policies and procedures in coll’s man’ and access

Facilitating access to collections and their associated information to enable more collection based science

Increased effectiveness by seeking common solutions for collections complementarity (incl collection development and growth)

MissionMission

Seventh EDIT BoD meeting, Paris, 22-23 June 2010Seventh EDIT BoD meeting, Paris, 22-23 June 2010

Key objectiveKey objective: : Durable integration - build a sustainable network of EU Durable integration - build a sustainable network of EU natural history collections at a natural history collections at a decision taking leveldecision taking level

StrategyStrategy::Move from project phase (year-to-year planningMove from project phase (year-to-year planning) ) to mid- to mid- and long-term pand long-term planninglanning to deliver vision for E to deliver vision for EU natural U natural history collectionshistory collections

RequirementsRequirements::- - Partner involvement and expertisePartner involvement and expertise- Common purpose and identity- Common purpose and identity- Organisation and governance- Organisation and governance- Communication tools- Communication tools- Resources- Resources

Objective & strategy Objective & strategy

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Organisation: Option IOrganisation: Option I

1. Digital discussion forum

• Description: loose network based on a digital forum to circulate news and documents, temporary task groups set up on demand, in-kind coordinator, some coordination within the task groups, commitment almost 100 % in-kind by staff time dedicated to work in task groups, some funds for task group meetings

• Pro: lightest version, only a few additional costs, easy (?) to maintain, successful within other communities

• Con: more an information forum, hardly possible to work towards common goals, slow work progress

Seventh EDIT BoD meeting, Paris, 22-23 June 2010Seventh EDIT BoD meeting, Paris, 22-23 June 2010

Organisation: Option IIOrganisation: Option II

2. Directors of Collections working group

• Description: working group with a minimum of organisational structure, e.g. core group, chair, and coordinator, basic communication mechanisms (mailing list, discussion forum), coordinated activities and projects, periodical meetings, task groups on demand, commitment in-kind by staff time, some funds for meetings, activities, and a (part-time) coordinator

• Pro: focus on certain tasks, flexibility and work progress in balance

• Con: long-term maintenance depends on funds from projects and member institutions, work progress and outreach on availability of members, might change over time

Seventh EDIT BoD meeting, Paris, 22-23 June 2010Seventh EDIT BoD meeting, Paris, 22-23 June 2010

Organisation: Option IIIOrganisation: Option III

3. Directors of Collections Committee

• Description: committee with a complex organisational structure including chair, steering committee, and secretariat, annual meetings and reporting periods, agreed work plans, periodical information service, e.g. newsletters and website, coordinated activities and projects, sub-groups possible, commitment by staff time and funds, e.g. through membership fees, to finance meetings, activities, and the secretariat

• Pro: work progress fast and focused, high visibility and outreach

• Con: formal and heavy administration, financial and possibly also in-kind commitment might be too heavy to be maintained on a long-term perspective

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FromFrom 3rd DoCC workshop, Tervuren, May 2010: 3rd DoCC workshop, Tervuren, May 2010:

Recommend: Option iiRecommend: Option ii

New model: might notNew model: might not look much different from the look much different from the current EDIT DoCC working groupcurrent EDIT DoCC working group

- - Task groups to achieve agreed task to date- Coordinator - Communication: internet platform, mailing list

Affiliation: under the umbrella of CETAF- Pilot project on how to integrate EDIT activities in CETAF

ConclusionsConclusions

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InstitutionsInstitutions::- Minimum i- Minimum in-kind staff-time: n-kind staff-time: > > 4 person days/month4 person days/month

- - Under direction DoCC leaderUnder direction DoCC leader

- Fund travel and meetings (from each par- Fund travel and meetings (from each participating inst)ticipating inst)

CoordinationCoordination: : - 1/3 FTE (ca. 25 kEuro on annual basis)- 1/3 FTE (ca. 25 kEuro on annual basis)

- Some costs for communication, workplace (if not- Some costs for communication, workplace (if not provided by an institution) etc. provided by an institution) etc.

Co-funding with another initiativeCo-funding with another initiative could could be cost-savingbe cost-saving

Resource implicationsResource implications

Seventh EDIT BoD meeting, Paris, 22-23 June 2010Seventh EDIT BoD meeting, Paris, 22-23 June 2010

DoCCDoCC Revision & Revision & refinement of business planrefinement of business plan

Investigation of opportunities for cooperation or liaison Investigation of opportunities for cooperation or liaison with other groups & initiativeswith other groups & initiatives

Opening up to non-EDIT institutions, e.g. starting with Opening up to non-EDIT institutions, e.g. starting with CETAF institutionsCETAF institutions

Action requested from the EDIT BoDAction requested from the EDIT BoD Decision on institutional commitment to DoCC beyond Decision on institutional commitment to DoCC beyond

EDITEDIT

Next steps – DoCC & BoDNext steps – DoCC & BoD

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ConsiderationsConsiderations

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Institutional commitment (indirect & direct)Organisational structures

Option I Option II Option IIIDiscussion forum Working group Committee