AVH User Registration Policy

Background and objectives
AVH3 will have the capability to provide registered users with access to additional query functionality, and increased scope and precision of data. The registration of users must be carefully managed in order to ensure data is not used in ways that compromise the core business of AVH parties, to limit access to potentially sensitive data and to protect the intellectual property of all parties. This document outlines the policy and procedures for administering user registration for AVH3.0.

The purpose of user registration is to:
 * inform CHAH and HISCOM about key users of AVH
 * restrict access to sensitive data (e.g. endangered species locations, works in progress) to authenticated and bona fide users
 * monitor the use of AVH data and applications
 * gather usage statistics to guide future developments
 * gather usage statistics to prove the usefulness and relevance of AVH.

Policy statement
An applicant will only be given access to the restricted query if they have:
 * provided a compelling argument for why they require access to the restricted query
 * provided details of their work or research relevant to their use of AVH
 * agreed to the terms and conditions of the registration agreement.

Need criteria for assessing applications - CHAH to discuss

Registration procedure
Registrations for access to the restricted query are overseen by CHAH. Each herbarium will appoint an administrator to handle registration requests (see Registration administrators). Administrators can approve registration requests from staff and associates within their own institution, and from their state or territory agencies. All other registration requests (including requests from non-government and university herbaria) must be approved by the Chair of CHAH, or by a delegate appointed by the Chair. Registration requests must be completed within one week of being submitted.

The registration procedure is outlined below.


 * 1) Applicants complete the online registration form and agree to the terms and conditions of registration. The details provided are transferred into a registration database.
 * 2) The form is forwarded to the administrator for the state or territory that the user is from. Applications from outside Australia will be sent to the administrator at the current Chair of CHAH's herbarium.
 * 3) If the application is from local herbarium staff, or from a state or territory agency, it may be approved by the registration administrator providing all application details have been supplied. Requests from all other parties  are forwarded to the Chair of CHAH for approval.
 * 4) * If the application is approved, the administrator will record the date of approval and set the account expiration date in the registration database.
 * 5) * If the application is not approved, the reason for refusing the applicaton is recorded in the registration database.
 * 6) Once the administrator has updated the registration database accordingly, an email is automatically sent to the applicant to advise them whether their application was approved or rejected.
 * 7) * Emails to approved applicants will contain their login details (as specified by the user in the registration form) and the terms and conditions of the registration agreement.
 * 8) * Emails to unsuccessful applicants will include the reason their request was refused.
 * 9) An email notifying users that their account is due to expire will be automatically sent two weeks before the account expiration date.
 * 10) * The account expiration date for staff from the Commonwealth, state and territory herbaria will be two years from the date of approval. The administrator is responsible for cancelling herbarium staff accounts if the user leaves the organisation. The account expiration date for all other users will be one year from the date of approval.

Need to determine whether it is feasible and/or desirable to have different access levels? If we have different access levels, then we need guidelines for determining who gets what level of access.
 * access to fields?
 * download limits?
 * accuracy of data?

Relevant documents
AVH Registration Agreement (in prep.)

Scope of policy
This policy applies to all people who wish to register for access to the AVH restricted query, including herbarium staff and members of HISCOM.

Contact
Enquiries regarding this policy should be directed to:
 * David Cantrill
 * Chief Botanist and Director, Plant Sciences and Biodiversity
 * National Herbarium of Victoria
 * Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne
 * email: davidDOTcantrillATrbgDOTvicDOTgovDOTau

Review date
This document will be reviewed by the registration administrators and the Chair of CHAH six months after implementation (date TBA).

Registration administrators

 * AD - Helen Vonow
 * BRI - Peter Bostock
 * CANB - Greg Whitbread
 * DNA - Donna Lewis
 * HO - Laurence Paine
 * MEL - Alison Vaughan
 * NSW - Gary Chapple
 * PERTH - Ben Richardson