Notes and action points from first workshop on 18th April 2007

1. We decided to carry forward discussions by exploring 3 possible models for finding a way to make our digital resources sustainable and future-proof (ie addressing who has responsibility for them, how they are maintained in terms of funding and personnel, etc):

• A minimalist approach, which would be a completely devolved network where each project looks after itself but links to other related projects/resources (Lucy)
• An umbrella website, which acts as a single portal to give centralised access to a number of related projects (Will)
• A larger self-sustaining and extensible project, involving collaboration between institutions (Mick/Daisy)

2. Lucy, Will and Mick/Daisy agreed to put together position statements on these models for late June, which would then be circulated within the network and also posted on the Future Histories website. These will form the basis for discussion of the practical advantages and disadvantages of each model in addition to any theoretical issues that arises f ro orm these.

3. Steven agreed to set up a weblog on the Future Histories website by late June so that some initial discussion could take place in advance of the next meeting.

4. A number of ideas emerged during the first meeting, which we may wish to pursue at a later date:

1. Using our collaboration to avoid duplication of effort, e.g. in drawing up a digital rights contract
2. Do we want to act as a lobbying body?
3. How do we develop audiences/users for our resources? And what user groups are we targeting?
4. The relationship between the digital resources and real world activity/promotion, e.g. talking to groups of students

5. We need to decide who to invite to the open workshop at the Sunderland conference. Organisations/people who have already expressed interest in attending are Montevideo (Netherlands), Lukasz Ronduda (Archive of Polish Experimental Film) and Marcel Schwierin (Cinovid, Germany). Funding is obviously limited (5-7 people, depending on where they are travelling from) but we may wish to consider people from other related projects or representation from exhibitors, funding bodies, broadcasting etc. Suggestions welcome.

6. Next meeting set for Wed 5 September, to be held at Central St Martins. At the moment there are two definite agenda items:

1. Discussion of the 3 different sustainability models in (1) above
2. Planning for the open workshop in Sunderland (what do we want out of it, who wants to contribute?)

Other possible items are:

1. The future relationship of the AHRC/AHDS, given the AHRC's recent announcement that they will cease funding the AHDS
2. Inviting someone who works professionally within the web-based information field to the 2nd workshop.  Ian knows the Head of Operations for Channel 4, in charge of their web content and management, and prior to that she worked for MSN running their home page.  Although a long way from academic research, Ian has suggested that there could be some benefit from such an input in terms of looking at usability, diverse appeal and information management.
3. Revisiting the ideas listed in (4) above to see if we want to prioritise any of them.

 

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