16 June 2015
Role and Functions of a Host Institution
Draft Document for Discussion
For IIIF to be successful and sustainable over the long-term, it will need several critical activities:
- data modeling, specification & API editorialization (define, maintain, extend)
- interoperability advocacy (marketing & outreach to spur awareness and adoption by repos, by software providers, by scholars, by like groups)
- software for key tools (such as manifest creators, data converters & validator utilities; reference implementations; integrations & tools of broad common interest)
- training & implementation support (data modeling & software implementation advice, consulting, classes, workshops, online and in person engagement)
- community management (support for community fora such as Github, email lists, working group meetings, response to inquiries, etc.)
These activities will need to be supported through a combination of resourcing strategies: volunteers, Members’ in kind contributions, contract or staffed positions. The IIIFC Host Organization will provide critical support for these activities by providing financial, legal, staffing and contracting needs. Specifically, the Host Organization could:
a. invoice member institutions for annual contributions; b. disburse IIIFC funds as requested by IIIFC Executive Group; c. employ staff member(s) recruited by IIIFC Executive Group (with participation by host) for roles and duties specified by IIIFC Executive Group; d. contract for services on behalf of IIIFC, as specified and funded by IIIFC Executive Group; e. provide annual financial and functional reports as well as biennial audits reports that include IIIFC funds; f. provide legal services as requested and funded by the IIIFC Executive Group, such as registering and holding trademark for IIIFC; g. potentially serve as primary recipient for grants and disburser of funds to partners / subawardees; h. work flexibly with IIIFC Executive Group as the organization matures and needs change.
Suggested Characteristics of a Host Organization:
- Not one of Core Founders
- Not for profit
- Not supported by a government
- Multi-national presence and activities
- Ability to accept and pay funds in many currencies
- Demonstrated capacity to host community-building & maintaining staff
- No service or capacity competing with IIIF
- Deep engagement with digital programs in libraries, archives and museums
- Transparency of governance & biennial audits
- Willingness to accept representative of IIIF Core Founders on governing board.
- Incurs minimal, reasonable expenses associated with hosting and supporting IIIF organizationally (in terms of administrative overhead, indirect costs and/or VAT / sales taxes)