Collection roles reference

Each role represents a set of responsibilities and tasks that contribute to the collection’s success. A role can be filled by one or multiple people or organisations, and one entity can fulfill multiple roles. All roles can be either volunteer or paid positions, depending on the collection’s resources and needs.

Roles 🔗

Host 🔗

Ensures the availability of the infrastructure required for the collection’s operation.

Responsibilities 🔗

• Maintain reliable and secure infrastructure for collection operations
• Ensure infrastructure meets technical requirements for collection operation
• Provide necessary access and documentation for system administration

Tasks 🔗

• Set up and maintain server infrastructure (self-hosted or rented)
• Implement and maintain security measures
• Configure server for required outbound requests
• Provide server access credentials to administrator
• Document access procedures
• Coordinate maintenance windows with administrator

System administrator (sysadmin) 🔗

Manages the technical operation of the collection’s engine, ensuring it runs smoothly, stays updated, and remains secure.

Responsibilities 🔗

• Maintain reliable and secure operation of collection engine
• Ensure timely and accurate terms publication
• Keep collection engine and server up-to-date and secure

Tasks 🔗

• Update and maintain collection configuration files (metadata, deployment, engine)
• Update Open Terms Archive engine and deployment system
• Monitor and restart engine if needed
• Investigate and resolve technical issues through log analysis
• Ensure that snapshots, versions and datasets are published
• Report bugs and suggest improvements to engine repository

Curator 🔗

Defines the purpose and scope of the collection and ensures all included content aligns with it.

Responsibilities 🔗

• Define and maintain the collection’s strategic direction
• Ensure collection content aligns with defined purpose

Tasks 🔗

• Define and document collection scope
• Define and document level of openness to third-party contributions
• Answer any questions related to scope that emerge from maintainers and contributors
• Communicate scope updates to maintainers and contributors
• Ensure collection’s alignment with original purpose

Maintainer 🔗

Ensures the integrity, quality, and accuracy of the collection’s terms. Manages incoming contributions.

Responsibilities 🔗

• Ensure quality of collection terms
• Manage and facilitate contributions

Tasks 🔗

• Review and validate new service declarations
• Verify service declarations against scope criteria
• Ensure service declarations follow Open Terms Archive guidelines (service names, service IDs, terms types, filters, history, …)
• Validate completeness of extracted terms
• Facilitate discussions in issues and pull requests
• Provide feedback to contributors
• Refer issues identified in contributions to the most relevant actor (scope conflicts to curator, tracking issues to system administrator, bugs to the core team…)

Contributor 🔗

Expands and maintains the collection’s coverage by contributing and updating service terms within the defined scope.

Responsibilities 🔗

• Expand collection coverage within defined scope
• Maintain accuracy of service declarations
• Support collection’s growth and quality

Tasks 🔗

• Research and identify new services to track
• Create and update service declarations
• Report issues affecting contributions to maintainers

Analyst 🔗

Analyses terms changes to identify significant changes and produce reports in various formats.

Responsibilities 🔗

• Identify and analyze meaningful terms changes
• Produce insights from changes

Tasks 🔗

• Monitor and review terms changes
• Identify significant changes
• Produce reports
• Report issues affecting analysis to maintainers

Diffuser 🔗

Promotes collection and disseminates analysis to relevant audiences.

Responsibilities 🔗

• Maximize collection visibility and impact
• Ensure effective communication of findings
• Build and grow collection’s community

Tasks 🔗

• Create and manage communication channels
• Publish and distribute analysis reports
• Maintain social media presence
• Track communication metrics
• Engage with community

Sponsor 🔗

Provides non-operational support such as funding or resources to facilitate the collection’s success.

Responsibilities 🔗

• Ensure long-term financial sustainability
• Provide necessary resources for operations
• Enhance collection’s reputation and reach

Tasks 🔗

• Provide and manage funding
• Support collection promotion
• Leverage network for visibility
• Advocate for collection adoption