[Koha] building a community

[paul POULAIN]

Pat Eyler wrote:

>Hello,
>I thought I'd take a moment to share some success that we've had (and some
>less than successful efforts we've made), and ask what other methods
>people have used and how they've worked.
>
>We started french and german language mailing lists for Koha
>tranlsation/development effort in August.  The french list has taken off
>(growing to ~30 subscribers with ~25 posts/week); the german list has not
>(~4 subscribers, ~2 messages/week).  We've also had on again/off again
>interest in a couple of other languages.
>
>I think that the keys to the french language success have been:
>  translating publicity -- my bi-weekly newsletter is being translated
>    into french and distributed by members of the mailing list.
>  getting the word out -- some of the french speaking folk are actively
>    talking up Koha within their milieu
>  working together -- I wish I could read french ... I see several
>    threads of discussion running on the list.  It certainly looks like
>    they're working together to solve problems.
>
>The Koha project has also been growing as well.   As with the french
>group, I think the key has been building a community.  My biggest role as
>Kaitiaki has been trying to get in front of people.  So far, we've been
>fairly successful in parlaying Press Releases and my newsletter into
>mentions on blogs, bigger articles in on-line magazines (LinuxPlanet,
>Gnu-Friends, and Biblio-Tech), and interest from people who'd not seen
>koha before.  We're hoping to make a succesful jump into conferences,
>expos, and users group presentations over the next 3-6 months.
>
>Which of these things have you been using?  How have they worked for you?
>What other methods have you been using that I've missed?  Is there a way
>that we can share the fruits of these efforts?  I'd certainly be happy to
>use Koha announcements to shine some light on MARC::Record, or other
>OSS4Lib efforts.  I'd hope that other projects would be willing to
>cooperate as well.
>
>What do you think?
>  
>
Hi,

Here is Paul, french-developper of koha.
I agree with what Pate said, and just wanted to add some testimony.

I'm the first being impressed by the success we have with koha.
In fact, I think we had a big chance :
* 1st, a developper (me !) that really wants to get involved in the 
project and has time for this.
* 2nd, a librarian, very well knowing the spirit of free-software and 
interested in koha.

I started to work alone on koha, for a christian library (and for free), 
and Nicolas has found me by himself...
and the community growed...
Thanks to him for lobying action, and "advertising" on some friends and 
french-ml, and thanks to me that is ready to answer french questions, 
and be careful with french developement.

About the french mailing list : we speak of 3 things :
* Answer to questions about koha v1.2.x (actual ones)
* Ideas for the 1.4 version (the MARC one, note i'm the release manager 
of this version)
* Asking and Assigning work on french version (for example : french 
website has been translated and is being reread by members of the list, 
and 4 differents persons are working on french UNIMARC parameter tables)

Note : at the moment, our biggest goal is to try to convince ENSSIB to 
get involved in koha. What is ENSSIB ? It's the french national school 
for librarians...
If we succeed, 1st, we will get some funds (I hope ;-) ), 2nd it will be 
a BIG recognition for koha in France.
--
Paul
koha Release Manager 1.4