[OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] Evergreen web page for paid support vendors

[James Keenan]

Hi All,

I like the idea of using something similar to the Koha guidelines to start with.

I also like the idea of caveat emptor embodied in the opening paragraph of the existing page. http://evergreen-ils.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=faqs:evergreen_companies In the end, everyone must do their own due diligence.

I don't remember if anyone has suggested that any company that has been listed must have at least one client where the work done equals the services offered (in other words, don't list migration if you've only done OPAC customization, or implementation when all you've done is connect some 3M self-check machines.). I would also rather not see entries on the list from companies who are only fishing for business in the Evergreen community but who aren't already actively engaged.

Rogan presented some thoughts about how annual registration and reference confirmation would cast the web team in an altered role, acting a little like an Evergreen Better Business Bureau. I think that annual registration and reference confirmation are good ideas but maybe the web team shouldn't be doing this. Maybe there should be a separate group that does this and then provides the web team with the information for the listing.

Jim

Jim Keenan
Library Applications Supervisor
jkeenan at cwmars.org<mailto:jkeenan at cwmars.org>
508-755-3323 x23

C/W MARS
67 Millbrook St., Suite 201
Worcester, MA 01606

P   Save a tree! Please don't print this e-mail unless it's really necessary.
Currently reading Surfaces and Essences by Douglas Hofstadter & Emmanuel Sander
Currently also reading Time Warped: Unlocking the Mysteries of Time Perception by Claudia Hammond
Just finished The Venture of Islam, Vol 1 by Marshall Hodgson

From: open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org [mailto:open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org] On Behalf Of Kathy Lussier
Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2013 5:29 PM
To: Evergreen General Discussion List
Subject: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] Evergreen web page for paid support vendors

Hi all,

At the June Oversight Board meeting (minutes available at http://evergreen-ils.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=governance:minutes:2013-6-20), I raised the question of whether the Evergreen community should develop a policy regarding the paid support vendors that are listed on the Evergreen web site at http://evergreen-ils.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=faqs:evergreen_companies.

I don't think the community should be in a position of endorsing any Evergreen provider. However, I think it's important that the companies on the list do indeed provide Evergreen services so that users don't waste a lot of time investigating companies that don't really work with Evergreen. There was a consensus at the Board meeting that a policy should be considered.

I would like to get feedback from others in the community on the guidelines you think should be used for this page. As an example, Koha asks support providers to follow the procedures outlined at http://koha-community.org/support/paid-support/how-to-get-listed/. The Koha community asks support providers to send an e-mail to the general list with contact information and a description of services provided. The providers must also show their support for the community by adding a visible link to the Koha web site.

I think the Koha guidelines might offer a good starting point for the Evergreen community.

During the meeting, there was discussion about whether we should define what an Evergreen service is. Migration, hosting, support, development, training, and implementation seem like obvious Evergreen services. Should peripheral devices or third-party services that work with Evergreen be included or are they a different animal?

Does everyone like the Koha model of requiring listed vendors to add a visible link to the project web site?

Does anyone have any other thoughts on the subject?

Thanks!

Kathy




--

Kathy Lussier

Project Coordinator

Massachusetts Library Network Cooperative

(508) 343-0128

klussier at masslnc.org<mailto:klussier at masslnc.org>

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kmlussier
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://libmail.georgialibraries.org/pipermail/open-ils-general/attachments/20130710/63e122e9/attachment-0001.htm>