[Evergreen-governance-l] Evergreen Governance - What We Agreed To In April - Part II

[McKinney, Elizabeth]

When I came before the community in April to discuss Evergreen I truly envisioned the "foundation" (for lack of a better word) as a center for the global community. While I envisioned a governance structure for the purpose of protecting the assets of the community, I also envisioned a cohesive community structure. 

Consider you are new to Evergreen.  Just beginning your investigation. Do you need information about Evergreen?  What is the best source for information? 
How do you participate in the Evergreen community?  How do you get involved with the existing reports work groups?  How do you even find out if there IS an existing reports work group? Is anyone developing a user review mechanism for Evergreen? Think about these questions right now. Today: October 21.  Where is the best source of information if you are new to Evergreen?  Right now Google is the best option.   

I don't think we need to sit around making up groups. Or telling groups like the DIG or the developers what to do.  We need to provide a way to foster participation and make folks in the community aware 1) that they exist and 2) how to get in touch with them to participate.  We also provide a way for new groups to form.  Amy's community directory will go a long way to getting folks working in similar capacities together.  

Of course we need the buy-in and participation of all the various groups already working in the community to help us in forming a cohesive community.  We are just the glue that is going to bring and hold all of these resources together. 

Consider this: The existing interim governing committee had a role in the continuation of the Evergreen Conference this year.  We were all worried, inquired and were able to move the conference planning forward in an acceptable way. While it is not our purpose to plan the conferences, I do see the governing committee as having a role in inquiring, asking questions and ensuring that all is well.  If our group didn't exist and hadn't looked into it, next year's conference very likely would not have happened. 

In the same way, the governance committee may one day need to inquire about code or code-commit access.  There's not a problem today.  The Software Freedom Conservancy has inquired about it.  Perhaps one day questions may need to be asked.  The governance committee should reserve the right to investigate code issues for the continued good of the community under the charge of protecting the assets of the community. I don't think we have to place a structure on it now.  We can work with the SFC going forward and perhaps let the relationship between the governance committee and code committers evolve. 

Our current work is right on target with our initial goals: 
Form a non-profit legal entity for the community - Sylvia and Dan with input from Interim Governance Committee
Form a permanent governance structure - Interim Governance Committee
Form a central community presence - Communications Committee
 
Do we want to abandon any of these ideas? 

Elizabeth

Elizabeth McKinney 
PINES Program Director 
Georgia Public Library Service 
A Unit of the University System of Georgia
1800 Century Place, Suite 150
Atlanta GA 30345
404.235.7141
emckinney at georgialibraries.org
http://www.georgialibraries.org/





----- Original Message -----
From: "Elizabeth McKinney" <emckinney at georgialibraries.org>
To: evergreen-governance-l at list.georgialibraries.org
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2010 10:23:02 AM
Subject: [Evergreen-governance-l] Evergreen Governance - What We Agreed To	in April - Part I

Good morning all.  Below are the notes I used for the Foundation session in Grand Rapids last April.  When we met that Friday morning (April 23rd) we were all in agreement to move forward with this as such.  The meeting minutes reflect this. Please read through what we all originally agreed to in the beginning.  Does this need to change? Do we need to get ourselves back on track?   My personal thoughts are forthcoming in a separate email. 

1) Foundation - non profit entity that must meet the needs of the international community. 
-This body will hold the Evergreen assets currently held by GPLS
-GPLS will transfer all licenses, copyrights, trademarks, discussion lists, equipment used for discussion lists, website and equipment used for website to the foundation
-The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia assures us a clean transfer of all assets.

2) Purpose 
A)The purpose of the foundation will be to hold and protect the assets of the Evergreen Community. 
B)This should include but not be limited to User/Interest groups that are evolving in the community.  Currently there are documentation and reports interest groups.  There is interest in forming a project management interest group. 
C) This should include a unified site for Evergreen information. GPLS will make the open-ils website open for the community to use, contribute and modify. 
D)The foundation is also a mechanism for formal collaboration among Evergreen libraries. This will provide legal and financial avenues for collaborative development.  

3) Governance - Call for volunteers for an interim governance committee to work on forming the legal entity for the Evergreen Community, to set up a permanent governing body, membership bylaws and to promote collaboration among Evergreen users in the community. 

4) Opportunities and Challenges. Other ideas?
  
Elizabeth McKinney 
PINES Program Director 
Georgia Public Library Service 
A Unit of the University System of Georgia
1800 Century Place, Suite 150
Atlanta GA 30345
404.235.7141
emckinney at georgialibraries.org
http://www.georgialibraries.org/




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