May 8, 2004
8:35 – 11:05 AM
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
Ehrlicher Room (411 West Hall)

Present: Executive Committee, Ruby Bell-Gam (UCLA), chair; James Simon (CRL); Edward Miner (U. Iowa), secretary; Peter Malanchuk (U. Fla.), vice-chair and chair-elect; Laverne Page (LC); Gretchen Walsh (Boston U).
Members and guests: Esmeralda Kale (Northwestern), Helene Baumann (Duke), Phyllis Bischof (UC-Berkeley), Marion Frank-Wilson (Indiana U), Karen Fung (Stanford), Miki Goral (UCLA), Marieta Harper (LC), Peter Kargbo (NYU), Patricia Kuntz (Madison, Wis.), Deborah LaFond (SUNY/Albany), Joe Lauer (MSU), Lauris Olson (U Penn), Afeworki Paulos (U Michigan), Loumona Petroff (Boston U), David Westley (Boston U), Peter Limb (MSU), Bassey Irele (Harvard U), Greg Finnegan (Harvard U), Al Kagan (U Ill), Akilah Nosakhere (Atlanta University Center), Andrew de Heer (Schomburg Center), Marta Lee-Perriard (Proquest Information & Learning), Loyd Mbabu (Ohio University).

1. Introductions

2. Announcements
Marta Lee-Perriard (Proquest Information & Learning) was introduced as guest participant.

3. Amendments to the Agenda
The CRL report will include an update on AFRINUL. Under Old Business, the discussion of Nigerian state documents was added as item 16 and the IDC list of South African newspapers as item 17. Under New (and Developing) Business a discussion of the CAMP schedule for Fall 2004 was added as item 19 and the Liberian Collections Project as item 22.

4. Approval of the Minutes of the October 30, 2003 Business Meeting
Minutes approved with corrections noted.

5. 2004 CAMP Nominating Committee
The nominating committee comprises Peter Malanchuk, Dorothy Woodson, and Loyd Mbabu. Malanchuk said that the committee needs to communicate via e-mail and issue a call for nominations. Bell-Gam commented on the quality of recent faculty representatives and hopes that this trend continues.

6. CRL Report
• Simon reports that the turn around time in handling loan requests is getting quicker.
• CRL continues to catalog dissertations.
• Another proposal on ICON has been submitted.
• The investigation of a political web communications archive has been completed, with Karen Fung having aided with the identification of recent Nigerian election websites. The next phase of this project is being explored, with the possibility of developing a prototype archive utilizing a curatorial methodology.
• CRL is working with the Global Resources Network, and will take on the direct administration of the Latin American and German projects.
• Reference guides to microfilm sets have been scanned and are available in pdf through the CRL catalog. Some new guides are being created and old ones cleaned up.
• In the CRL catalog, it is now possible under the advanced keyword search to limit searches to CAMP monographs, newspapers, or serials. Another new search feature allows searches to be limited to dissertations. All dissertation records in the CRL catalog are now also in OCLC. http://www.crl.edu/catalog/advancedsearch.htm
• Bell-Gam commented that there is no print-friendly display feature on the CRL website. Simon replied that CRL is working on a way to offer this through the use of cascading style sheets.

For the AFRINUL report, Simon stood in for Easterbrook. He reported that they have finished the remote input tool, and are almost back online. The remote input tool is available at http://afrinul.crl.edu/login.

7. CAMP Budget Report
Simon distributed the CAMP Budget Report for FY 2004 (through 3/31/04). The beginning fund balance was $38,327.26. Membership fees and sales brought in revenues of $35,815.50. YTD expenses have been $16,577.93. Outstanding commitments total $48,352.93, which includes materials on order, materials approved for purchase, and non-material expenses. Available funds are at present $9,211.90.

8. Mombasa Times Update
The proposal for the microfilming and purchase of the Mombasa Times was approved in online voting. Simon commented that reactions to the online voting procedure were generally good. The British National Archives (BNA) is sending an invoice for the microfilming and work will commence when funds are received. Bell-Gam thanked CAMP members for their participation in the online discussion and indicated that this mechanism for voting will be used henceforth. We will have a better idea how long the microfilming will take once BNA conservators have looked at the volumes from the Imperial War Museum. As an aside, Bell-Gam noted that a representative of Adam Matthew Publications visited UCLA and said that they are working with the Imperial War Museum to identify materials suitable for microfilming from a storage vault at Duxford which contains some Africana.

9. Union List of Microform Sets
Simon reported that a request for revisions and corrections was sent out a couple of weeks ago. Bell-Gam asked which institutions are intending to put records of cataloged and uncataloged sets into the Union List – and encouraged all to do so. She also reminded members to contact Simon with updates as new microfilm sets are acquired.

10. Archives Task Force
Caruso, not in attendance, had submitted report electronically. Limb highlighted some of the main points of the report. Caruso has continued investigations in Dar-es-Salaam, Dakar and Maputo, and is talking to CRL and the foundations about funding. He will go to Dar-es-Salaam and Dakar again in July. Limb commented that the Task Force had earlier identified the need for a strategic plan, and that CAMP should generate some actual proposals in collaboration with African partners. He suggested that one way of facilitating concrete action would be to formalize the Archives Task Force as a structure within CAMP. As a formalized entity, the Task Force might then directly approach potential partners such as ALUKA. In his report, Caruso talks about the possibility of regional microfilming centers – and that such centers at Dar-es-Salaam and Maputo would fit in with the objectives of the ALUKA project. The Task Force could talk to ALUKA about combining microfilming with digitization.

In the ensuing discussion, Bell-Gam noted that the Archives Task Force was originally formed to identify projects and potential sources of funding (together with their requirements and application schedules), but not to write grant proposals as such. She further noted that in Spring 2003 CAMP had mandated the Task Force to identify and contact possible funding sources and report back to the membership for action. Recently she had discussed with Caruso the need to establish a committee to pursue grant writing to support new and continuing projects. Walsh commented that Bell-Gam seemed to be calling for replacing the Task Force with a standing committee that would also handle grant writing, to which Bell-Gam replied that there could be two standing committees to handle the two pieces of the process. Bischof opined that it would be more efficient to have one group to do both. Bell-Gam recounted that in her conversations with Caruso, she suggested that the CAMP chair should have an active role in the committee because of the importance of its work. Paulos commented upon the importance of creating relations with relevant African librarians. Baumann noted that Title VI can play an important role in these projects, especially in coming up with the cash match for a grant proposal. Walsh commented that if a standing committee is constituted, it should be authorized to move ahead with one or two projects and also steer the ongoing project in Senegal. Paulos voiced his feeling that the work of grant writing would be too much for the proposed standing committee.

Bischof moved that CAMP authorize a standing committee to formulate ideas that would be brought to the CAMP membership for approval, and that would also then write grant proposals to be approved by the CAMP Executive Committee. The CAMP chair would be an ex-oficio member of the Committee. The motion was seconded and passed. The new standing committee will be called the Archives Preservation committee. By a show of hands, several CAMP members indicated interest in serving on the committee and Bell-Gam requested that Limb take note of those names. Current members include Caruso, Malanchuk, Limb, Miner, Kargbo, Simon, Olson, Page, and Bell-Gam.

11. CRL Purchase Proposals and Material on Africa
Bell-Gam noted that whenever CRL issues general calls for purchase proposals, there are almost never any relating to Africana. CAMP itself cannot submit purchase proposals, although individual member institutions can. In the last round of purchase proposals to CRL, there were a lot of Middle Eastern and Asian materials. How can a better balance be struck? Another constraint is that purchase proposals must be for titles that are owned by less than five member institutions willing to lend them.

Discussion ensued about whether all CAMP member representatives see the calls from CRL circulated at their institutions. CRL calls go out to chief collection development officers, who are supposed to distribute them to selectors. Kagan noted that he never sees the calls or lists of materials proposed, and asked whether Simon could forward these to the CAMP membership. Simon responded that he has to investigate whether he is allowed to put these out on Intraspect. Olson suggested that notification of CRL calls could fall to the CAMP vice chair-chair elect. Bischof commented that if CAMP member representatives are not seeing the CRL calls, they should also work to resolve that issue within their institutions. Simon observed that SAMP notifies its members of the CRL call, and Bell-Gam suggested that the CAMP chair could do the same.

Limb suggested that separate mechanisms for approving CAMP purchases and coordinating institutional responses to general CRL calls should be created. Bell-Gam wondered whether CAMP members could coordinate so that CRL purchases new microfilm sets before individual member institutions. For example, if CAMP had a ranked “wish list” of stuff that is not under immediate consideration for CAMP purchase, then individual member institutions could make proposals to CRL from that list. Bell-Gam thought that coordinating and maintaining such a list might require a committee.

12. DATAD – Database of African Theses and Dissertations
Simon reported that the DATAD project is included within the Association of African Universities’ ten year strategic plan. CRL collaborated with the AAU in organizing the DATAD Workshop on Intellectual Property, Governance, Dissemination and Funding Strategies in Accra, Ghana, on February 19-20, 2004. A lot of persuasion is needed for authors and academic departments to allow electronic publishing of theses, and there is a general need for copyright holders to be educated about what advantages it holds for them. The DATAD project is “moving from project to program”, and an important source of financial support will be through institutional subscriptions. CRL is helping DATAD by developing a business model. A full report on this is forthcoming.

13. Timbuktu Manuscripts
Simon reported that Easterbrook has received internal funding at Northwestern for indexing the Timbuktu materials, but that a suitable person has yet to be found. There is digital copy, so the work could conceivably be done elsewhere – Simon will follow up with Easterbrook on this. The available funding has to be spent by the end of August.

14. Nyerere Foundation Proposal Update
Paul Bjerk is going back to Dar-es-Salaam this summer, and needs to know what CAMP’s concerns are with respect to the proposed digitization project so that they can be conveyed to the Nyerere Foundation. Bell-Gam will note all concerns voiced and send them to Bjerk via e-mail.

Malanchuk commented that there are copyright sensitivities around the material, so that CAMP must be careful in how this is approached. Bell-Gam reported that Ned Alpers had mentioned ALUKA as a possible participant in the project. Olson opined that the sheer importance of the material makes a compelling case for CAMP’s involvement. Limb commented that the digitization methodology in the proposal seemed a bit ad hoc, and wondered if it is the best way of going about it. Fung stated that Bjerk appears to have done research on appropriate file formats and media storage. She pointed out the difference between access and preservation formats. Bell-Gam indicated that the discussion would be continued on Intraspect.

15. Arquivo Historico de Mocambique
A list of priorities has been received from Joel Tembe, Director of the Archivo Historico de Mocambique, through Ned Alpers. The list is a useful development and CAMP is now waiting for an itemized list of equipment costs for the first phase of the project. Bell-Gam hopes to receive this list soon and will forward it to CAMP and the Title VI group to discuss before the Fall meeting in New Orleans. Page mentioned that there had been discussions at LC about traveling microfilm equipment since national archivists typically will not allow documents to travel outside of the country. LC and ALUKA microfilming equipment are all currently in New Delhi. Bell-Gam said that she is thinking of the CAMP/Title VI project with the National Archives of Senegal as a model for what could be done in Mozambique. Page commented that these ideas could be presented to relevant African archivists if a CAMP contingent attends the meeting of the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA) in Botswana in 2005. Malanchuk speculated that perhaps microfilming equipment could be kept at LC-Nairobi and moved around to field sites as needed. Limb reported that Caruso would also like to look for funding for more microfilming equipment. Bell-Gam said that she would get a cost list, and then see how the Title VI group might be able to contribute, noting that the idea was well received at the recent Title VI Librarians meeting.

16. Nigerian State Documents
It was agreed that this discussion would be conducted on Intraspect.

17. IDC List of South African Newspapers
Olson reported that IDC is soliciting ideas about Africana materials to microfilm. It was agreed that this topic will be discussed further on Intraspect.

18. ProQuest Preservation Microfilming
Bell-Gam introduced Marta Lee-Perriard, ProQuest Product Manager for microfilming, and thanked her for arranging an informative tour of the ProQuest vault which some conference participants had attended. Lee-Perriard announced that ProQuest is interested in developing its Africa collections which had increased with the acquisition of Chadwyck-Healey and Norman Ross publishers. She talked about ProQuest’s Partners in Publishing Program, wherein they work with institutions holding suitable materials and take on the costs of microfilming. ProQuest gets distribution rights for the microfilm, and the source institution gets a free service copy. For any particular potential partner, ProQuest will determine the most efficient way to implement the microfilming project in such a way that it meets preservation standards. Sometimes the microfilming will be contracted out locally if there is sufficient local capacity, sometimes training will be provided if the proper equipment is already in place, or sometimes training and equipment will be provided to the local institution. Donations of equipment to the source institution is sometimes a possibility. ProQuest will be exhibiting a new digital viewer/printer (from ST Imaging) at the American Library Association conference in Orlando in June 2004. It costs less than $10,000 and so may be a viable technology for African libraries and archives, and it can be used for microfilming but cannot do microfiche at the moment.

Limb commented that partnering with ProQuest appears to be one solution to the problem of funding for African microfilming projects. Lee-Perriard commented that ProQuest tries to use local resources and people as much as possible in their overseas projects. Bell-Gam queried whether ProQuest might be interested in a partnership around African dissertations, such as with DATAD. The DATAD database is limited by availability of abstracts with no access to full text. Lee-Perriard replied that they are very interested in foreign dissertations. Page mentioned that in Maputo, there is a commercial microfilmer, but that it is too expensive for the Arquivo Historico de Mocambique – so that ProQuest might be an attractive partner to hire the local filmer for AHM projects. Lee-Perriard stated that ProQuest does not need many customers to justify a project, because the microfilm sets are expensive – 8-12 customers are usually enough.

19. CAMP Schedule for Fall 2004
Bell-Gam suggested the following change to the meeting schedule for Friday, November 12, 2004.

8-8:30am 1st CAMP Executive Committee Meeting
8:35-11am CAMP Business Meeting
11:15-12noon 2nd CAMP Executive Committee Meeting

There were no objections to this change.

20. Purchase Proposals
a) O.R. Tambo Papers
A proposal has not yet been written up, as Simon is waiting for pricing information. Baumann moved that the purchase be approved in principle. The motion was seconded and passed.
b) CRL Purchase Proposal: Government Publications Relating to the Cape of Good Hope, 1821-1910 (Microform Academic Publishers)
Bell-Gam reported that Simon had suggested this title for CRL consideration because at $23,000 it is beyond CAMP’s means, and Fung had found cataloging records indicating that less than five institutions own it. It was agreed that this should be put forward through the CRL purchase proposal process.

21. Preservation Proposal: Miso Gaa
Simon reported that there is apparently a complete run in Belgium, but just scattered issues around the US. Member institutions should look at their holding for any additional issues. If necessary, CAMP will inquire about preservation from the Belgian collection.

22. Liberian Proposal
Frank-Wilson reported that Professor Elwood Dunn (University of the South) and Verlon Stone (Indiana University) propose a trip to Liberia this summer of 2004 to assess collections of archival records and documents that still exist, but are at serious risk of deterioration and destruction. The assessment trip is deemed a necessary first step in planning a cooperative preservation and microfilming project that would be a partnership between appropriate organizations in the Liberian Government and the Liberian Collections Project of Indiana University. The prospective assessors are requesting funding from CAMP/Title VI towards the cost of travel.

Bell-Gam commented that CAMP does not typically pay for exploratory trips, but that Title VI has. Frank-Wilson suggested that Title VI consider funding one airline ticket. Bell-Gam suggested allocating $2,000 to $2,500. With only Title VI institutions voting, $2,500 of Title VI funding was approved towards an airline ticket for Professor Elwood Dunn.

23. Institutional Reports
Simon reported that a CRL committee is looking at sources for foreign official gazettes. There is still intent that Africa would be one focus, but the project is quagmired as to where to look for funding.

Simon also announced that digitized finding aids are on the latest list of CAMP receipts.

Malanchuk reported the University of Florida has microfilmed four Sierra Leonean newspapers from the period 1965-1970. No other institutions in the US seem to hold these particular issues, although there are scattered holdings for other years. The titles are: Unity Independent, Freetown, Sierra Leone (1967-1970); Unity, Freetown, Sierra Leone (1965-1967); We Yone, Freetown, Sierra Leone (1965-1970); and Shekpendeh, Freetown, Sierra Leone (1966). These can be borrowed from UF. Another UF acquisition was audio tape interviews done in 1972 by Professor John Cartwright with Sir Maurice Dorman, Governor General of Sierra Leone, Prime Minister Sir Albert Margai, and Lady Gladys Margai. These will receive some form of preservation, possibly digitization.

Bell-Gam relayed regrets from Ned Alpers, Dorothy Woodson, Joe Caruso, Harvey Feinberg and David Easterbrook that they were unable to attend the meetings. Finally, she proposed a vote of thanks to Afeworki Paulos for the fine job he did organizing the conference venue.

Meeting adjourned at 11:05am.

Respectfully submitted,

Edward Miner