1. Introduction

The Welsh Library Association (WLA) welcomes the opportunity to take part in the Welsh Office consultation process regarding the Recording of Proceedings (ROP) of the Welsh Assembly.

The Welsh Library Association is the Wales Branch of The Library Association (of the UK) which by the terms of its Royal Charter works for the improvement of library services throughout the UK. The WLA is the professional body representing almost 900 members working in a variety of libraries and information services across Wales.

Public access to documents, encouraging public participation and working in partnership to ensure regional access points to Assembly material are themes which are central to the ROP and the National Assembly for Wales: Have your say on how it will work consultation papers. In the press release coinciding with the launch of the ROP consultation paper Welsh Se

‘I want to ensure that the record reaches as wide an audience as possible ....’

The WLA wholeheartedly supports these aims. This response focuses on the areas in which the Welsh library and information community can make a positive contribution to achieving these goals and identifies areas for possible enhancements.

2. Data Capture and Quality Control

Efforts to ensure correctness and quality control are welcomed and it is important that this quality control is extended to all documents in both Welsh and English. The procedure outlined for challenge and make queries regarding correctness via the Editor and the Presiding Officer is also welcomed.

3. Publishing Arrangements

Publishing arrangements need to ensure efficient access to the proceedings of the Assembly which is essential in enhancing the democratic process. To achieve this it is essential that the printed as well as electronic versions of the proceedings are made available promptly.

It is encouraging that the ROP consultation paper recognises the potential of electronic delivery of information not only to members but also to the public. It notes that fully edited versions of the Plenary Sessions and the Committee Sessions will be available electronically in the language in which they were delivered, and the translators’ interpretation into English of speeches delivered in Welsh, within 3 days and 10 days respectively. The paper does not however specify if the documents will be made available to both the Members on their Intranet and the public via the Internet within the duration specified above. The WLA feels strongly that the electronic version of the Plenary Sessions and the Committee Sessions should be made available to all within the three days and 10 days respectively. The prompt availability of proceedings is essential if the Assembly is to succeed in encouraging public participation.

An opportunity exists in Wales to enhance the delivery of information electronically. There is a potential to build on existing networks such as the academic network JANET/Super JANET, Llwybr/Pathway in rural Wales and the South Wales Metropolitan Network, along with Government initiatives such as the Public Libraries Network, Local Authority Networks and the National Grid for Learning. The Government, via the New Opportunities Fund, has made money available to develop a Public Libraries Network. There is a likelihood that money could be secured from the EU’s Fifth Framework Programme (much of Wales may be given Objective One status) to develop a high specification network.

Despite advances in the electronic delivery of information it is essential for the purposes of social inclusion that the proceedings are available in printed form for consultation and purchase. Many citizens do not have access to the Internet or have not been trained to use publicly available facilities to access the Internet. Waiting up to 8 weeks for a printed version available in both Welsh and English is not going to encourage participation by the public in the democratic process. Therefore the WLA would strongly recommend that the time-scale for the availability of the final printed bilingual text should be reviewed. Ideally the proceedings should be available in printed format within one week.

Possible alternative ways of providing the printed text quicker to the public utilising printing on demand technology via licensed local access points e.g. libraries should be investigated. To assist this procedure it is essential that documents are made available in suitable formats such as Portable Document Format (PDF) files via the Internet. The practice of making documents available as PDF files is widely used by Government.

In order to ensure that printed copies of the proceedings are available in as many access points as possible it is important that the purchase price is affordable. The WLA encourages the Assembly to adopt the terms of the 1924 agreement (Public Library Subsidy) which gives public libraries in the UK a 50% discount on official publications.

It is envisaged that commercial organisations, central government and its agencies, local government, research bodies, academic institutions and members of the public will want to purchase printed copies. Advice on pricing, marketing and distribution may be available form HMSO, The Stationery Office and the Welsh Books Council.

To avoid confusion a more distinct title is required, rather than the Journal/Y Llyfr, possibly Trafodion?

4. Access by Members of the Public

The ROP consultation paper mentions that the public will be able to access the record from their homes. Despite the increase in homes and workplaces with access to the Internet, to avoid a large percentage being socially excluded a comprehensive network of local access points to information is required throughout Wales. Once again this consultation paper along with previous documents recognises a role for public libraries in providing access to the public to consult Assembly documentation. The WLA welcomes this partnership in delivering Assembly information to the public. The Welsh library and information community provides a ready-made Wales-wide fine mesh network of service with free access to users, a key factor in promoting social inclusion.

Many libraries in Wales already provide public access to the Internet. However an increase in the number of libraries with Internet access is required to assist in the distribution of Assembly information. It is essential that the Assembly supports libraries in Wales in taking advantage of the Government’s Public Libraries Network initiative which will prove advantageous to the Assembly in distributing information through the Welsh public and library and information services.

In addition to public libraries it is essential that library information services in educational establishments, from schools to Universities, are also included. The academic sector in particular requires prompt access to be able to fulfil its role in providing high-quality public policy advice and to educate and encourage students to participate fully in the work of the Assembly. For example Aberystwyth University’s Law and International Politics Department has recently organised seminars to discuss key issues relating to the Assembly. From today’s students will come tomorrow’s leaders in public life, in Wales, Westminster and Europe. Researchers, students and academics, particularly in areas such as public administration, education and health, will require access to the full range of documentation produced by the Assembly.

Libraries and information services (LIS) in the higher education sector have benefited from an established network, JANET, as a means of electronically delivering information. These LIS are also already widely used by the local public to access documentation. Therefore the WLA would recommend the inclusion of LIS in educational establishments as part of a network of access points.

A large number of LIS in Wales also provide free access to newspapers and journals that along with Assembly documentation will encourage discussion and participation.

5. Indexing and Searching Facilities

It is essential that comprehensive indexing and search facilities are developed to ensure effective exploitation of the documents produced by the Assembly. Access to information in the proceedings should be available via a person’s name, subject headings, publication type, date, free text searching or a combination of these. Co-ordination of indexing methods is required between all the Parliamentary and Assembly proceedings in the UK to assist research.

There is an opportunity for the Assembly to develop a comprehensive user-friendly web-site that not only includes access to proceedings but also provides comprehensive search facilities to all Assembly documentation. Much can be learned from the work of the EU in developing multilingual access to official documentation.

6. Bilingualism

Library and information services in Wales are required to respond to requests by the public for proceedings in both Welsh and English. According to the ROP consultation paper it could take up to 8 weeks before a fully bilingual version of the Assembly Journal / Y Llyfr will be available. The consultation paper states,

within 3 days - typed and edited versions of all speeches in the languages they were delivered, and translations into English of speeches delivered in Welsh, will be available in electronic format and can be printed off as required;

This certainly is not treating both languages equally and will result in Members and the public wishing to participate through the medium of Welsh being disadvantaged. To encourage the implementation of the Welsh Language Act 1993 the Assembly should be setting an example to all Welsh organisations on the use of both languages. The WLA supports the view that the Assembly should treat the English and Welsh languages on the basis of equality.

7. Archiving including audio and video

In addition to the depositing of copies of the electronic and printed copies with the National Library of Wales, the Public Record Office and the Assembly Library; arrangements regarding the archiving of the video/audio output of the Assembly need to be addressed. The WLA supports the view that a copy of the video output (including a full audio track) should be deposited at the Sound and Moving Image Archive at the National Library of Wales. It is anticipated that the Assembly’s Disaster Recovery Plan should ensure that copies of the printed, electronic and audio-visual archive survive.

As well as ensuring copies for the legal deposit libraries (6 in Britain and Ireland) under the Copyright Act, will the Assembly have agreements with other parliaments and assemblies in the UK regarding the exchange of proceedings?

8. Disabled Access

With the development of improved communication networks with increased bandwidths etc., following developments such as the Public Library Network, it will be possible to provide facilities to review audio and video material from local access points. For example people with visual disabilities may be able to listen to an audio track of archived proceedings from local access points. Providing access for disabled citizens to documentation is not included in this consultation paper e.g. the provision of large print or Braille versions of documents and is an issue which should be addressed to ensure social inclusion.

9. Conclusion

The WLA along with the library and information community in Wales is actively involved in promoting social inclusion, educating, extending democratic accountability to deliver better services throughout Wales. It therefore welcomes the opportunity to co-operate in encouraging public participation by especially providing public access to the Proceedings. In addition to the Assembly Journal and the Reports from Committee, it would also like to co-operate in providing access to the full range of documentation produced by the Assembly.

As a professional body representing information specialists, the WLA is most willing to provide additional information if required and participate in any further consultation to ensure the success of the Assembly.

The Welsh Library Association
January 1999

Executive Officer
The Welsh Library Association
Department of Information and Library Studies
University of Wales Aberystwyth
Llanbadarn Fawr
Aberystwyth
Tel: 01970 622174 Fax: 01761 436 7218
Email: hle@aber.ac.uk
URL: http://www.llgc.org.uk/wla