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Previous Action Items

Notes

Future Planning for Fedora

• Staffing:
  • David leaving for another Lyrasis opportunity
  • PM needs to be paid, FT, not just volunteer. What do we want to change about this position as we prepare to fill it?
• Budget questions/issues: do we have the funds to pay for a FT PM? We’ve been propping up the budget with the IMLS grant.
• See Quarterly Fedora Leaders Meeting Report, Future Planning timeline, page 4 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bRsg4auvAFLshuMlp7qkmW1LUDItssJ5cNa9hTzfxb4/edit
• Laurie presented budget scenarios.
  •  Framing:
    • 2 years ago budget was impacted by Covid
    • IMLS grant papered over some financial issues which helped last year and this year’s budget
    • there are lots of variables to consider in thinking about hiring replacement for David
  • Scenarios here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MbSRcriB0LzlpzHWVyEij50SKIwByekrGGt9vUZLhIQ/edit#gid=265417003
    • Row 8 = current + forthcoming that we’re sure about
    • All current Fedora expenses and revenues are included here (e.g., no other paid staffing outside of this spreadsheet)
    • Note possible numbers for both a program manager (PM) and a technical resource (TR)
    • we don’t have enough revenue currently to pay for two FT positions based on numbers Laurie used.
    • for this fiscal year (through 6/30/22) IMLS will pay for Danny, Mike, Arran
  • Discussion:
    • Robert: “Wants tend to be aimed toward the institutions…needs tend to be aimed at the community…this is where the leadership team can help weigh in…we found this with ASpace as we grew their community from 150 to 500 in the past 4 years” I.e., need to determine how program is focused, which drives development (individual institutions vs. community)
    • On competition:
      • we need to take into consideration the competition within the repository space. ASpace doesn’t have competitors like Fedora does.
      • What does growth look like given this competition?
      • how do we get vendors to move onto Fedora 6. Unless vendors move to 6 some of us using those services can’t get to 6.
      • note that the org home overhead is equivalent to the two positions.
    • Outreach: Analogy of DSpace situation: Robert called all member institutions, key stakeholders to explain the product, the path forward. Telling them that we were “all in” and inspired confidence. Fedora Leaders need to clarify the product, the landscape, etc. for Lyrasis leadership.
    • On progress: How will we make progress if we can’t even fund two FTE? There’s lots of new activity on Slack. Is this a new opportunity for Fedora? How to leverage?
    • Discussion about hiring a PM, which we need more than a tech lead right now
• Propsal:
  • continue with info gathering interviews in next few months
  • do fedora planning/roadmap early next year
  • but commit now to hiring a PM to help with roadmap, maintain community confidence < general agreement among Leaders to hire a PM
• Instilling confidence in the community:
  • let community know that we’re committed, prepared to invest in it, partnering with Lyrasis, not let us flounder, and that it’s a good product - their data will be protected.
  • Finances: can use financial milestones to tell the story when we speak to members/potential members who may want to know what reserves look like before investing. No reserves will also make it hard to hire someone.
  • eventually we should try to bank 2 years of salary, but that’s not the right place to put the money now because we need to shore up membership and finances.
• Next steps:
  • review position description for PM
  • exit interview with David
  • Fedora roadmap in early 2022

Information Gathering Session Take-Aways

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