It Takes a Village (ITAV) – Developing Practical Tools for OSS Program Sustainability
What does it take to make sure open-source software (OSS) programs are sustainable? In 2017, the It Takes a Village (ITAV) project produced a Guidebook that serves as a reference source to help OSS programs serving cultural and scientific heritage organizations plan for long-term sustainability, ensuring that commitment and resources will be available at levels sufficient for the software to remain viable and effective as long as it is needed. In 2020, IMLS funded a new phase of It Takes a Village work, ITAV In Practice, to create and pilot an adaptable set of tools for practical use in planning and managing sustainability for open-source software (OSS) initiatives. This session will share the ITAV framework and facets (Technology, Governance, Resources, and Community Engagement) and explain how the toolkit can be used to develop sustainability plans regardless of where a program currently sits within its life cycle. We will also highlight how individuals and programs can participate in ongoing testing of the toolkit’s activities.
