AUSPIN: September 2011 Workshop

The Australian Sport Information Network (AUSPIN) held its Annual Meeting and Workshop in Canberra on 21-22 September, 2011.
I missed the workshop but wanted to post this (belated) note about the Network provided by Gavin Reynolds (and included here with his permission).
“Thank you to all who attended and contributed to the AUSPIN Annual Meeting and Workshop in Canberra last week. Over the two days we gained consensus and progressed a number of key elements that form part of our ongoing work programme. These include:

  • Building a shared knowledge and evidence base: We agreed to work together to build and facilitate a knowledge and evidence base for the sport and active recreation sector using the Clearinghouse for Sport (Clearinghouse). The Clearinghouse will function as the sector’s leading information co-ordination and access point for this work. Please find a revised structure for the Clearinghouse knowledge management domains, categories, and portfolios attached. This structure will help underpin and organise our knowledge base as we move forward. We intend to implement this structure within the Clearinghouse in the coming weeks. Please contact Ralph Richards if you would like to suggest any further amendments or inclusions to the structure.
  • CASRO – and how AUSPIN can potentially support the work of CASRO using the Clearinghouse for Sport: We discussed in broad terms the role of the Committee of Australian Sport and Active Recreation Officials (CASRO), and how the Clearinghouse could be recruited to support CASRO’s programme of work. We agreed to approach and  liaise with the CASRO Secretariat to develop a CASRO secure site within the Clearinghouse – this will initially be a clone of the existing NESC secure site. After the test site is created, we propose to work with the CASRO Secretariat to develop the site further before hopefully releasing it to all CASRO members. The NSIC agreed to action this work immediately.
  • Coordinating the delivery of information services to clients:The AUSPIN Client Service Model (attached) was tabled for review by meeting attendees. The Model is an important element of our AUSPIN Operations Framework (also attached). The purpose of the Model is to inform and to better coordinate how we collectively deliver services to our respective client groups. The Model will also assist to identify existing information servicing gaps across the sector. The Model will be further refined to accommodate feedback received to date, including:
    • Establishing standard sports information product and service costs (inc. a standardised document delivery cost) across all AUSPIN Governments Group, service providers;
    • Ensuring the Model accommodates the needs of commercial clients (such as professional football clubs and fitness centres) when applied to service platforms such as the Clearinghouse; and,
    • Ensuring the Model can be applied to accommodate elite and emerging elite level athletes

Rebecca Lane, Lyndsay Perkin,  Anne Jackson, and Renae Clement will refine the Model further and report back to AUSPIN in the coming weeks.

  • Linking and improving the management, discoverability and visibility of our library holdings:  We agreed to establish and implement an AUSPIN Integrated Library Management System (ILMS) and Union Catalogue, to provide a national and federated view of our member’s library holdings. The NSIC agreed to look at its current ILMS vendor contract (due to end 30 June 2012) to see if this service could be expanded to include other AUSPIN members (approx. six sites), at no cost to these members.  Sean Chen, Rebecca Lane and Chris Hume will progress this work with interested members, with an aim to have a preferred solution identified and tested prior to April next year.

The issue of establishing a shared digital image management solution was also discussed.  The NSIC demonstrated Piction, its pilot platform for this purpose. You can access the platform here. Piction is presently used to support the QLD Whole-of-Government Image library. The NSIC put forward a proposal to join the QLD initiative or adopt a very similar model for AUSPIN.  We all agreed that we should explore the potential for collaborating and indeed joining-up with the QLD Whole-of-Government Image Library initiative. Beck Browne and Chris Hume will develop the proposal further in partnership with their QLD Government contacts, and will report back to AUSPIN members prior to January, 2012.

  • Establishing a standard for national and regional sport information services reporting:  We gained agreement on adopting a shared set of reporting metrics for AUSPIN sport and recreation libraries and information service providers. The agreed reporting templates and statistics are now housed in the Clearinghouse for Sport, within the AUSPIN members network area. Members can now update and edit their respective centre reports online.  Our reporting standards have been drawn from the Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL) standards where appropriate. Meeting participants agreed that shared reporting metrics will improve visibility of our collective effort and the contribution we make to the sport and active recreation sector.
  • Creating and sharing opportunities for information services staff capability development:  All members agreed to be more proactive in this area and will be committed to sharing learning experiences and providing staff development opportunities through short-term placements and secondments within member organisations (when opportunities arise). The NSIC will also remain committed to providing information systems training for AUSPIN members so they possess the technical capability to administer their own regional networks, users and content through the Clearinghouse for Sport.
  • Business improvement and innovation: Renae Clementfacilitated a session during our Open Forum, to discuss new ideas and emerging solutions that had the potential to advance our business. The key outcomes from this session included:
    • Building an iphone app (application) for the Clearinghouse – WA DSR to lead and  progress
    • Creating online video training and self-help packages for different Clearinghouse client groups – WA DSR to lead and progress
    • Using go-to-meeting (a screen/monitor sharing tool) as a way to provide Clearinghouse induction training to clients and system administrators – NSIC to lead and progress
    • Identify suitable (and innovative) physical education and active recreation online resources for Clearinghouse clients
    • Liaising with Chris Halbert, from Human Kinetics Australia & New Zealand, to explore any potential areas where there may be mutual interests and benefits

Finally, a special thank you to Tony, Paul, David, Greg, Renae, Shirley, Chris, Marilyn and Andrew, for delivering great presentations over the two days. A reminder to all AUSPIN members, you can access the relevant documentation from our  meeting via the Clearinghouse for Sport.
On behalf of everyone here, thank you again for your support and contributions last week.”
Photo Credit
Statue 1

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here