To ensure this guidance is followed, it is important that the process below is followed by anyone producing a document that is to be made public, either as a download, a paper publication, or both.
It is strongly recommended that Standing Committees, Working Parties and other BCA officials adhere to the following procedures before a publication can be officially published as a BCA document.
1) Purpose
The Standing Committee or Working Party supporting the document should agree on the purpose and scope of the publication, as well as appointing someone to oversee its preparation.
2) Notification
The Standing Committee Chair, or other delegated person, should contact both the Publications & Information Officer and the Secretary to inform them of their intentions, including as much detail as possible about proposed content and publication method.
The Publications & Information Officer has a lot of experience in dealing with publications, including the publication process and copyright law. The Secretary has an overview of all aspects of BCA's work and is, therefore, best placed to provide an early indication of whether it might be appropriate to liaise with other Committees, Constituent Bodies or Regional Councils from the outset. It is hoped that by notifying these two key people early on, potential difficulties can be avoided further down the line, and the path to publication can be smoothed.
3) Consulting, Drafting & Development
It is advisable to share early versions of the document with the Standing Committee or Working Party Chair, as well as the Publications & Information Officer and the Secretary. Again a little consultation during the writing process will almost certainly help to smooth the final passage of the document.
4) Independent Proof-Reading
The proposed final document should be fully proof-read by an independent person experienced in proof-reading. This should cover spelling, grammar, layout and also clarity of expression. The Publications & Information Officer will be able to recommend a suitable proof-reader. The Publications & Information Officer should then have a final proof-read to check for copyright notices, statements and ISBN / ISSN numbers, as well as any other legal requirements placed on us.
5) Formal Minuted Acceptance by the relevant Standing Committee or Working Party
All members of the Standing Committee or Working Party supporting the document should be given reasonable opportunity prior to the meeting to consider the proposed document. The Committee or Working Party should then formally minute its acceptance of the document, having paid particular attention to its content.
5) Formal Minuted Acceptance by BCA National Council
The approved document should be forwarded to the BCA Secretary at least 2 weeks prior to the next Council Meeting. The Secretary will then forward it to all members of BCA Council to allow proper consultation and consideration. Council should then formally minute its acceptance of the document.
6) Publication
The document can now be published in the format previously agreed with the Publications & Information Officer. A copy of the final Pdf (including passwords, if appropriate) and two full paper copies should be sent to the Publications & Information Officer for the BCA archive. A number of other institutions (including the British Caving Library) should also receive a copy. The Publications & Information Officer will advise on this too.