As a community, let’s establish the Code4Lib Open Source Software Award.
Lot’s of good work gets produced by the Code4Lib community, and I believe it is time to acknowledge these efforts in some tangible manner. Our profession is full of awards for leadership, particular aspects of librarianship, scholarship, etc. Why not an award for the creation of software? After all, the use of computers and computer software is an essential part of our day-to-day work. Let’s grant an award for something we value — good, quality, open source software.
While I think the idea of an award is a laudable one, I have more questions than answers about the process of implementing it. Is such a thing sustainable, and if so, then how? Who is eligible for the award? Only individuals? Teams? Corporate entities? How are awardees selected? Nomination? Vote? A combination of the two? What qualities should the software exemplify? Something that solves a problem for many people? Something with a high “cool factor”? Great documentation? Easy to install? Well-supported with a large user base? Developed within the past year?
As a straw man for discussion, I suggest something like the following:
- Regarding selection, I suggest there be a committee who solicits nominations and selects the awardee(s). As the years go by an individual from the committee drops off and the/an awardee becomes a member.
- Regarding who is eligible, I suggest it be individuals, teams, or corporate entities. Awardees must be willing to serve on the next year’s nominating committee.
- Regarding what is eligible, I suggest the software be open source, directly library-related, and developed within the past two years.
- Regarding the timing, I suggest this be an annual award given at each Code4Lib conference.
These are just suggestions to get us started. What do you think? Consider sharing your thoughts as comments below, in channel, or on the Code4Lib mailing list.
Tags: Code4Lib
I worry about putting the name Code4Lib on it, and implying that somehow Code4Lib collectively approves the awardee. Code4Lib can’t do much of anything collectively. But the name seems to have acquired a cache among people who may not understand what it is. People within Code4Lib will have different opinions of what is a good project and what is an awful project, and that’s fine, Code4Lib can include diversity and disagreement, which is why I’m not sure it can put it’s stamp of approval on a project.
It might be a good idea, but maybe not with the Code4Lib name. But I worry in general we don’t collectively know enough about what makes good software to give a Software of the Year honor reliably.
I see where Jonathan is coming from but at the same time, no organization has clout of any kind until they decide to have clout. So I say the organization needs some clout.
And if Code4Lib can’t say what the best open source software of the year is in the library community, then who can? Besides, maybe the award winner can do one of the keynotes on one of the days.
[…] Loose ends make me feel uncomfortable, and one of the loose ends in my professional life is the Code4Lib Software Award. […]