[Koha] Users and developers (was KUDOS - ALA Proposed Agenda)

[Jim Minges]

Hello,

I would like to add a few comments to the debate about the KUDOS bylaws.

The Koha community has struggled with the problem that it does not have, in
the U.S. or worldwide a legal entity that can take action, seek funding,
register trademarks, etc. for the good of the community. Well, in order to
do that we need to move forward and get KUDOS recognized by the IRS as a
nonprofit corporation. This is not rocket science and does not require a CPA
or attorney, but I think we need to move forward on it. The bylaws can be
changed at any time as desired, but we have to have initial bylaws ASAP in
order to file the application with the IRS.

There was extensive discussion at the ALA KUDOS meeting about the importance
of NOT excluding developers. The bylaws were revised to include any
installation of KOHA, which certainly could include a developer who has
installed the software. There was general agreement that conflict of
interest issues could be dealt with through the conflict of interest policy,
and that KUDOS was in general an organization with institutional membership
(both users and developers). I do know that the committee that wrote the
bylaws and those at the meeting that hashed out revisions were not in any
regard exclusionary.

If KUDOS is going to be taken seriously, we need to move forward with the
incorporation and sort out the philosophical debates and incorporate them
into bylaws revisions later if needed.

Let's take a deep breath, and get moving.

Jim

-- 
Jim Minges, Director
Northeast Kansas Library System
4317 West 6th Street
Lawrence, KS  66049
Phone: 785-838-4090      FAX: 785-838-3989
jminges at nekls.org
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