2021-10-04 Meeting notes

One of our key goals for this fiscal year is Community Building. Let's discuss what that means and what specific actions we should be taking. 

Community Building 

What are the FOLIO community values - this is an important thing to be able to communicate when reaching out to new members

What is our message? How can we revise how we present ourselves?

The Onboarding group- reviewing the website to see what opportunities there are to revise content, messaging so that it is easier for newcomers to understand our community, how to get involved

New Membership group - what resonates with potential members? This group could look at what the onboarding group has identified and provide feedback.

Idea- to have FOLIO messages go from symbolic  and aspirational to concrete- lets make it easier for FOLIO to be installed and use. How can we break down those barriers?

• • The current version of FOLIO is difficult to install in its current configuration in a vagrant box. 
    • Should we create functional “slices” of FOLIO for libraries to install and tinker? 
      • Core functions 
      • ERM
      • Physical materials management
    • Create a core version of FOLIO? (identify a subset of apps)

Transparency as a way to attract new community members. Make clear:

• What is/are the business model(s)?
• Open source software- there are different ways to implement and to support a FOLIO Installation
• What are the unique features? What sets us apart?
• Potential architectures possible?
• What makes it appealing?

Address sustainability-

A person who is interested in FOLIO is looking to fulfill a need- a need for a new LSP. We should present FOLIO as an alternative to other LSPs (Alma, etc)

• Point out the differences, benefits
• This is what libraries are thinking about when they are exploring FOLIO- does this address our need for a LSP?
  • how will it be maintained?
  • is it trustworthy?

Extensibility

• The ability to bring our disparate data together
• Libraries can implement something that is not monolithic

We’ve been talking about FOLIO the platform … what about FOLIO the Community- what are the benefits of taking part in the community?

• Professional development?
• Ability to discuss issues with others facing similar challenges
• Philosophical compatibility with home institution/with the individual
• For some people community is a selling point, for others its an additional burden- we need to keep this in mind and speak to both angles

Strengthening Community

Communications: 

Quarterly forums- great idea. Keeps the communication flowing in our community.

Something done in the past that was successful: Videos that have leaders of our community talk about what has been achieved, celebrate the hard work and devotion of our community.

Include in videos, quarterly forums, etc reflections on what we need to do better or different along with celebration of successes.

Idea- Monthly profile of a community member (institution, individual)- help build a sense of teamwork, highlight the work that they are doing.

• What channel(s) is this most appropriate?
• Could this be a community led effort? ex- a Slack recognition channel
• This way no one person has to curate- we all contribute.

Implementers- highlight these groups

• In our communications
• In SIG meetings- give implementers space to share with others