Open Source and Community-Supported Infrastructure

Virtual Conference

Scope

We frequently hear that infrastructure is costly to build and maintain. Systems require investment and ongoing maintenance for the community to really benefit from and trust them. To ensure long-term success, community groups need to consider which of the spectrum of models currently in use will best sustain key information infrastructure. What’s working, and what’s been abandoned — and why?  What are the best practices for working across organizational boundaries? How can community leaders encourage the commitment needed to ensure sustainability as well as development? This virtual conference will bring together a group of experts to address these and other questions about the expansion of open source and community-supported infrastructure.

Confirmed speakers include Marshall Breeding, Consultant & Editor, Library Technology; Kristen Eschenfelder, Academic Associate Dean For Computer, Data & Information Sciences, University of Wisconsin; Arran Griffith, Program Manager for Academic Open Source Repository Software, LYRASIS; Evviva Weinraub Lajoie, Vice Provost for University Libraries, University at Buffalo; and Peter Murray, Open Source Community Advocate, Index Data.

 

Event Sessions

12:00 Noon - 12:15 Welcome

12:15pm - 12:45 pm Foundation / Landscape (Interview)

Speaker

Confirmed Speaker: Marshall Breeding, Consultant & Editor at Library Technology will touch on these topics:

  • Where are library systems now?
    • Strengths and weaknesses
  • What are the challenges for providers?
  • Desirable enhancements

12:45pm - 1:15pm Fedora: How a Software Need Created A Community

Speaker

Arran Griffith

Program Manager for Academic Open Source Repository Software
LYRASIS

In this presentation, we will discuss the history of Fedora as an example of long-standing open source technologies. Fedora the technology was created to serve a specific need, but the community that surrounds it is what has allowed it to exist nearly 25 years later. This presentation will explore how Fedora came to be and how it’s community of implementers are the driving force behind it’s success as an open-source program.

Fedora Project Wiki - a collaboration tool for our contributor community — developers, packagers, designers, writers, translators, quality assurance, and so on.

Get Fedora - Fedora creates an innovative, free, and open source platform for hardware, clouds, and containers that enables software developers and community members to build tailored solutions for their users

1:15pm - 1:45 pm Case Study on FOLIO and ReShare

Speaker

Confirmed Speaker: Peter Murray, Open Source Community Advocate, Index Data. This dual case study will touch on:

  • Rationale behind these initiatives
  • Process and challenges overcome
  • Next steps

 

FOLIO - FOLIO is a collaboration of libraries, developers and vendors building an open source library services platform. It supports traditional resource management functionality and can be extended into other institutional areas.

ReShare - Project ReShare is creating a new and open approach to library resource sharing systems that sets the standard for how we connect library patrons to the resources and information they require.

Open Library Foundation - The Open Library Foundation ensures the availability, accessibility and sustainability of open source and open access projects for and by libraries.

1:45pm - 2:30pm Comfort Break

2:30pm - 3:00pm How Does One Fund the Ongoing Maintenance of Open or Club Digital Projects?

Speaker

Kristen Eschenfelder

Academic Associate Dean For Computer, Data & Information Sciences
University of Wisconsin

Kristen Eschenfelder, Academic Associate Dean For Computer, Data & Information Sciences, University of Wisconsin will describe the current thinking from Europe and the United States about possible revenue sources to maintain shared or club information resources over multiple decades.  Based on her experiences with data archives, she will describe what types of changes digital cultural heritage projects might expect to make over the long term to remain financially sustainable.

 

3:00pm - 3:30pm Vision Interview

Speaker

Todd Carpenter, Executive Director of NISO, will interview Evviva Weinraub Lajoie, Vice Provost for University Libraries, The University at Buffalo about the work of Invest in Open Infrastructure, where she serves on their Board. 

Additional Information

NISO assumes organizations register as a group. The model assumes that an unlimited number of staff will be watching the live broadcast in a single location, but also includes access to an archived recording of the event for those who may have timing conflicts. 

NISO understands that, during the current pandemic, staff at a number of organizations may be practicing safe social distancing or working remotely. To accommodate those workers, we are allowing registrants to share the sign-on instructions with all colleagues so that they may join the broadcast directly. 

Registrants receive sign-on instructions via email on the Friday prior to the virtual event. If you have not received your instructions by the day before an event, please contact NISO headquarters for assistance via email (nisohq@niso.org). 

Registrants for an event may cancel participation and receive a refund (less $35.00) if the notice of cancellation is received at NISO HQ (nisohq@niso.org) one full week prior to the event date. If received less than 7 days before, no refund will be provided. 

Links to the archived recording of the broadcast are distributed to registrants 24-48 hours following the close of the live event. Access to that recording is intended for internal use of fellow staff at the registrant’s organization or institution. Speaker presentations are posted to the NISO event page.

Broadcast Platform

NISO uses the Zoom platform for purposes of broadcasting our live events. Zoom provides apps for a variety of computing devices (tablets, laptops, etc.) To view the broadcast, you will need a device that supports the Zoom app. Attendees may also choose to listen just to audio on their phones. Sign-on credentials include the necessary dial-in numbers, if that is your preference. Once notified of their availability, recordings may be downloaded from the Zoom platform to your machine for local viewing.