PHILADELPHIA — February 25, 2021 — The FOLIO project, which has created an open source library services platform (LSP), is expanding to add new member organizations and is introducing a new governance model. The changes are designed to open the project to a wider variety of member libraries and organizations with a new structure for both involvement and leadership.
More than 25 organizations are now FOLIO Member Organizations and are able to participate with new membership levels. These organizations and institutions represent a range of existing and new members joining together to move the project forward, whether they commit to paying dues or donating people’s time to do the work needed to sustain FOLIO.
The FOLIO member organizations have committed to support the new FOLIO Governance Model, which is designed to support open, transparent and respectful collaboration to create a more diverse community and provide more decentralized decision-making. Those taking part in the open source project will have a more structured way to influence the roadmap and engage in the project at the operational level.
Lehigh’s University Librarian Boaz Nadav Manes and Governance Task Force member says the changes are designed to create a sustainable community and an ecosystem that is open and provides opportunities for all participants. “We want to make sure that transparency and communications are intrinsically built into all aspects of the project along with an established structure to welcome and involve new members and celebrate the expertise that organizations and individuals bring to FOLIO.”
Members of the FOLIO project have been invited to suggest their nominations to be elected to the new Community Council. All members of the FOLIO community are taking part in the inaugural Community Council election, which runs through March 12th. Once elected, The Community Council will then be responsible for running elections for the Product Council and the Technical Council in May.
FOLIO Product Council Chair and Task Force member Kirstin Kemner-Heek says the new model offers more access to community decision-making and provides for the project’s sustainability. “In looking at the long-term goals of FOLIO, we recognize that we need to be as open and transparent as possible and welcome institutions and organizations of all sizes into the community and give them a voice in the project.”
Stanford University is one of the new member organizations. Tom Cramer, the Associate University Librarian and Director of Digital Library at Stanford, says being able to make an immediate difference was part of the draw of the new structure. “We have watched as the FOLIO project came together as a community formed to create a new service for libraries. As FOLIO takes the next steps as a platform for innovation, the new membership structure provides a clear way for new libraries to participate and help the project grow.”
About FOLIO
FOLIO is a collaborative effort among libraries, vendors, developers and consortia that leverages open source technology and a community-based effort to redefine library services and innovate based on library futures. By building on what libraries need and by leveraging library expertise as well as vendor capacity and velocity, FOLIO is designed to move libraries forward, build on the services they provide and redefine the role libraries play within their institution. FOLIO also levels the playing field and makes open source technology available to all institutions regardless of size or staffing. FOLIO brings vendors together to innovate and host services for customers and introduces open source as a service to libraries. To sign up to participate or receive more information go to www.folio.org