Strategic Advisory Board Meeting Minutes - July 22, 2011

Members present:  John Butler, Julia Kochi, Sarah Pritchard, Paul Soderdahl, Ed Van Gemert, Bob Wolven, John Wilkin

Members absent:  Patricia Cruse, Todd Grappone

1.     Timelines and discussion of planning for the Constitutional Convention

Expressed desire to widely distribute, by the end of July, the final report of the three-year review prepared by Ithaka S+R (attached) and the Collections Working Group’s Print Repository Proposal (attached) for the Constitutional Convention. 

• The three year review has been distributed to the SAB and the Executive Committee.  Bob Wolven and Ed Van Gemert will draft a brief transmittal letter from the SAB to the Executive Committee.  SAB decided to make every attempt to make the review widely available.
• The draft Print Repository Proposal (attached) from the Collections Committee was sent to an Executive Committee subcommittee.  It was also distributed to the SAB on July 22, 2011. 

The SAB is in need of replacing Bruce Miller on the HT Constitutional Convention planning group.  Subsequent to this meeting, Bob Wolven offered to step in and was then appointed to fill that role.  He joins Paula Kaufman from the Executive Committee and John Wilkin on that group.

SAB reviewed participation and voting processes for the convention.  HT partners attending the convention will be reminded of voting numbers, voting weights, and ballot proposal processes in the near future.

2.     Updates/Developments, John Wilkin

• The repository now contains over 9 million volumes with 60 partners.
• An improved page turner mechanism has been introduced.  The new design positions us to make available a mobile (e.g. iPad) version of the content, which is underway.
• Work continues on:  
  • The production version of the print holdings database has been deployed.  Work has begun on holdings for multi-volume works.
  • The launch of a new version of full text search is imminent.
  • Full access to files to people with print disabilities will soon be launched using a tie to the holdings database and the print disabilities certification passed through Shibboleth (Paul Soderdahl’s draft attached).

3.    Print disabilities, public domain works, orphan works, broader fair use issues, Ed Van Gemert, John Wilkin.

SAB also discussed some of the implications and opportunities for the HathiTrust regarding efforts to identify in-copyright orphan works for eventual full viewing.  Legislation seldom if ever takes into account important technology protection measures that are now possible.  Institutions are interested in building a trustworthy model to examine and identify in-copyright works that do not have an identifiable rights holder.  Access to those files is being discussed.  HathiTrust has the capability now to provide various protection measures such as limiting viewing to one’s print holdings, or controlling access to those affiliated with an institution.  This is an area for direct involvement for the HathiTrust and is likely to emerge as a major item of discussion at the upcoming Constitutional Convention.

4.    Committee/working group updates

In addition to the print management report, the Collections Committee will soon have a duplicate issues report available for the SAB.

The next SAB call is scheduled for Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 2 PM Central