Dear Yasmin



I entirely agree with Derek's points, and feel that the BRISMES proposal is very much an offer we can refuse. Personally I should be glad to see the Pearson Memorial Lecture held in London on a suitable weekday evening, perhaps at SOAS, the Royal Asiatic Society, Al-Furqan Foundation, the Institute of Ismaili Studies, or some other venue that offers ease of access, maybe a potential internal audience - and a better financial deal.



Best wishes to all



Muhammad Isa



-----Original Message-----

From: Circulation list for MELCOM UK [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of derek hopwood

Sent: 24 March 2015 13:37

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: Re: MELCOM participation at BRISMES - please vote!



Dear Yasmin

As the one who hoped that Melcom and Brismes would cooperate closely - and in fact we did for many years - as I was secretary and chairman of both - I am very sorry that Brismes has adopted this attitude. All we wanted was to meet at the same time as Brismes so that more people could attend both. I don't think that money should in any way come into it. Perhaps the Pearson lecture can be held when you chose and where you chose.

Yours

Derek Hopwood





========================================

Message Received: Mar 23 2015, 09:45 PM

From: "Yasmin Faghihi"

To: [log in to unmask]

Cc:

Subject: MELCOM participation at BRISMES - please vote!



Dear MELCOM UK members



I wish to call for a /REFERENDUM/



on MELCom UK's continued participating at the BRISMES annual conference with the Pearson Memorial Lecture under the conditions defined by the BRIMSES council:



With a three year validity (and beyond, subject to inflation), the BRISMES Council has decided with a majority of votes, that:

the Pearson Memorial lecture may continue to be on the conference programme, MELCom UK members be given access to the conference, provided with a venue to convene and 2 servings of refreshments against a total fixed fee of £300 for the day.



To meet these conditions, we have to introduce a membership fee and/or a participation fee to cover expenses (ca. £10-£20 p.a.) Alternatively, we have to part from BRISMES and organise the Pearson Lecture independently.





If you agree to the BRISMES conditions and commit to paying a fee for your membership/participation

- please reply in your subject line



AGREE



if you do not agree

- please reply in your subject line



NOT AGREE I do not agree



By 27.03.2015 - 17:00 GMT



Please send your replies to

"Y. Faghihi"

OCIS Librarian



only.





On the background:

In past BRISMES conferences, The Pearson Memorial lecture was integrated in the conference programme and MELCOM UK members were granted free access to the venue and a room to convene for the MELCom UK AGM, for the day on which the Lecture was held -- with the exception of last year's conference at the University of Sussex.

The question of free MELCom UK participation at the BRISMES conference (for one day) had in the past either been solved through external funding found by the conference organiser or by MELCom UK avoiding to use the conference venue and convening at a nearby Library, while BRISMES continued to agree on including the Pearson Memorial lecture in the conference programme.



Following lengthy negotiations with the organisers of the BRISMES conference 2014 and in view of the forthcoming conference I have had further conversations with members of the BRISMES Council explaining our situation (no fee policy, receiving a £150 donation p.a.

from the Pearson Family for covering expenses of speakers, and the generally harshening conditions from employers to support travel), arguing that MELCom UK is not in theposition to sustain it's participation at BRISMES, under the application of fees. Moreover, MELCom UK members do not expect a service from the Organiser other than providing a room for our AGM for two hours and including the lecture in the programme.



BRISMES on the contrary argues that the organisers are charged high fees for the venue and the accompanying services and that all other participants are in fact paying much higher participation fees in addition to presenting papers and chairing sessions. The majority of board members did not therefore agree to further concessions than charging a fixed and reduced cost for MELCom UK.





--

Yasmin Faghihi

Head of Near and Middle Eastern Department Manuscripts and Printed Collections Cambridge University Library West Road

CB3 9DR UK

Tel.: +44 1223 764739

Email:[log in to unmask]

Chair Middle East Libraries Committee (MELCom) UK http://www.melcom.org.uk/





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