Working Upstream - A Talk Given By Anne Longmuir to AUKML SMG Media 31/10/2002

Newsroom Librarian

• Moved from Information & Archives to Newsroom in 1997
  
• Move prompted by Newsroom
  
• Breakdown in relationship
  
• Newsroom wanted closer working relationship between news librarian and journalists
  

Advantages

• Improved communication
  
• Higher profile for library staff
  
• Access to ENPS
  
• Better understanding of stories
  
• Easier to distinguish need from demand
  
• Could take more proactive role
  

Disadvantages

• Single focus of enquiries - easy to become overloaded
  
• Library service associated with only one individual
  
• Tendency for some library staff 'downstream' to give up responsibility for news enquiries
  
• Logistical problems - tapes held on a different floor
  
• Very large office - easy to feel lost
  

Solutions

• News Media Manager now a rotated post
  
• Service associated with position not person
  
• Responsibility shared
  
• Rushes comp tapes held in edit suites - reduces running around
  

Preparing for a Scottish Parliamentary Library

Previous Experience

• News librarian 'working upstream' in newsroom
  
• Devolution Referendum
  

Visits

BH Edinburgh

• Ascertain the needs and preferences of existing newsroom and newly created Scottish Parliament Unit
  
• Gauge impact on new technology
  
• Check out storage/ facilities available
  

• Discover how the demands created by Westminster are dealt with
  

• Would they have anything to offer us or vice versa?
  

• Would the Offical Report be available on-line?
  
• How quickly would it be available?
  
• Would the website be searchable?
  

Conclusions: Cataloguing of Output

Scottish Parliament Output

• Like Millbank, it would not be catalogued, instead I would rely on Official Report
  
• Like Millbank, I wouldn't keep majority of Scottish Parliament Output in perpetuity
  - Issue of space
  - Copies available (for a small fee) from the Scottish Parliament itself
  - Moments of historic importance would be kept permanently e.g. first session, oath-takings, opening ceremony
  
• Output would be held on servers overnight only
  
• Would request VT editor to record coverage onto beta sx tapes with time of day timecode
  

• Better quality pictures than cut story
  
• More shots to choose from
  
• Another back-up when cut story being used by someone else or has gone missing
  

Conclusions: Relationship with Unit

• As in Millbank, I would work more closely with VT editors
  
• Important relationship, as they can manipulate the material I was responsible for managing
  

Results

Library successfully set up

• A comprehensive rushes collection
  
• Greater user satisfaction
  
• Very unusual for shots to go missing
  
• Length of time each enquiry takes has been reduced
  

• Flag up most important material/ good shots
  
• Compile rushes onto larger tapes - means of dealing with pressures of space
  
• Source of expertise - judging the value of shots
  

Parliamentary Media Manager: Activities

Enquiry service

Library Housekeeping

Enquiry Service

• Users
  
  • Holyrood, Holyrood Live, Reporting Scotland, Politics Tonight and Newsnight Scotland
    
  • Other BBC Scotland departments e.g. Education, Sport, Gaelic
    
  • Network News and Current Affairs e.g. Six O'Clock, On the Record, Newsnight
    
• Nature of Enquiries
  
  • VT
    
  • Audio
    
  • Information research
    
• Information Systems
  
  • VT/Audio - Infax and Star databases
    
  • Information Research
    - Research Central
    - ENPS
    - World Wide Web
    

Library housekeeping

• Shotlist and catalogue Holyrood and Holyrood Live onto Infax
  
• Manage rushes
  
• Manage audio
  

Parliamentary Media Manager

Advantages

• Smaller team - completely integrated into production process
  
• Greater mutual understanding of demands of each other's jobs
  
• Working in custom built offices - tapes close to working area
  
• Good communication
  
• Recognised 'expert' status
  
• Built up reservoir of specialist knowledge about Scottish Parliament and Scottish Politics
  
• Proactive - make suggestions as to shots or sources of information
  
• Expands job description in unexpected ways - stand in for anonymous shots/ work directly with editor to put pieces together
  
• Trust
  

Problems

• Post becomes over-identified with one individual
  
• Easy to get out of touch with colleagues - especially if working from different city
  
• Conflicts of loyalty
  
• Salary discrepancies
  

Solutions

• Temporary job swaps essential
  
• Maintain relationship with other I & A colleagues
  
• nsure other media managers could fill my shoes
  

Conclusions

• Best way to foster cordial relationships with production staff
  
• Most successful in small teams
  
• Job swaps important
  
• With introduction of digital technology, working upstream may become the norm
  
• Once material no longer associated with physical objects, no need to group media managers/ librarians together
  

Anne Longmuir 10/02