The Digital Commonwealth

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Digital Commonwealth Guidelines

Section 1: Introduction and General Provisions 

The name of this organization shall be the Digital Commonwealth of Massachusetts, herein to be referred to as the Digital Commonwealth.

Section 2: Statement of Purpose 

The purpose of the Digital Commonwealth is to promote the creation of digital library resources by libraries and other cultural organizations in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and to provide public access to these resources.

To achieve this purpose, the Digital Commonwealth shall provide web portal access to digital library collections in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a repository for digital collections created by member organizations, and training in the creation of digital collections. The Digital Commonwealth shall also seek to establish stable funding for the creation and maintenance of digital collections by member organizations.

Section 3.  Membership

Section 3.1 Membership Types

The Digital Commonwealth has three types of members:

1. Voting Members

2. Non-Voting Members

3. Group Member Sponsoring Organization

3.a. Group Members

All memberships are approved by the Executive Committee according to the following criteria:

Member must be a cultural institution (or a group of cultural institutions)

Member must be located primarily in Massachusetts

Member must sign a membership agreement

Member must pay the current membership fee (see section 3.2)

All Members are eligible for the following:

1.      To have metadata harvested for inclusion in the central index when member metadata is in a compatible standard format

2.      Listing in the online membership directory of the Digital Commonwealth

Voting Members are eligible for the following:

1.      To participate in the Digital Commonwealth harvesting and linking to promote access to digital assets.

2.      To select a representative eligible to vote in the Council of Members elections.  

3.      To select representatives eligible to run for and hold Executive Committee positions.

4.      To select representatives eligible to sit on a Subcommittee.

5.      Support and training provided by the Digital Commonwealth.

Non-Voting Members are eligible for the following:

1.      To participate in the Digital Commonwealth harvesting and linking to promote access to digital assets.

2.      To select representatives eligible to sit on a Subcommittee.

3.      Support and training provided by the Digital Commonwealth.

Group Member Sponsoring Organizations are eligible for the following:

1.      To participate in the Digital Commonwealth harvesting and linking to promote access to digital assets.

2.      To select a representative eligible to vote in the Council of Members elections. 

3.      To select representatives eligible to run for and hold Executive Committee positions.

4.      To select representatives eligible to sit on a Subcommittee.

5.      The sponsoring organization is eligible for support and training provided by the Digital Commonwealth.

Group Members are eligible for the following:

1.      Group member participants are eligible for support, training, and representation from their sponsoring organization.

1.      To participate in the Digital Commonwealth harvesting and linking to promote access to digital assets.

3.      To select representatives eligible to sit on a Subcommittee.

Section 3.2 Membership Fees

Membership fees are determined by a vote of the Members’ Council. 

Membership fees do not include costs of contracted services, e.g., image and metadata creation, processing, or storage.  Contracted services are performed by a separate agreement between institutions and contractors.

Section 4. Council of Members

Section 4.1 Composition of Council of Members

There shall be a Council of Members which shall be comprised of: one designated representative from each eligible voting member as described in Section 3. Members. 

Section 4.2 Powers and Rights

The Council of Members, by majority vote except where noted, shall have the right to elect Executive Committee members and officers of the organization as provided in Section 6.  The Council shall also have the right to approve and revise the Plan of Service and the Annual Budget for funding approval.

Section 4.3  Meetings

The Council of Members shall hold annual meetings and may elect the time and place for other meetings.  Meetings of the Council may be called by a written request of ten percent of the Council, the President of the Executive Committee of the organization, or by a majority of the Executive Committee members then in office, by giving written notice (including electronic notice) of the date, time, place, and purpose of such meeting to the Council of Members at least thirty (30) days in advance of such meeting.

Section 4.4 Quorum and Action at Meetings

Twenty-five (25) percent of the Council of Members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Council. At any meeting of the members at which a quorum is present, the vote of a majority of those present shall decide any matter, unless a different vote is specified by the guidelines.

Section 4.5 Action without a Meeting

Any action required or permitted to be taken at any Council of Members meeting may be taken without a meeting if a statement of approval of specific action is signed electronically or in writing by a quorum of the directors.  Such consent, which may be signed in counterparts (i.e., by each member), shall have the same force and effect as a vote of the Council of Members.

Section 5. Executive Committee

The Executive Committee represents the Council of Members on all matters pertaining to Digital Commonwealth. The Executive Committee presents a plan of service to membership at the annual meeting of the Council of Members. The Executive Committee makes policy, budget, vendor, personnel, and service decisions consistent with the approved Plan of Service and By-Laws

The Executive Committee is composed of ten (10) voting members, four of which who shall server as Officers and six as Directors of the Digital Commonwealth (see section 6).   Executive Committee members serve two year terms. The President, Vice-President, and Secretary will serve three-year terms. Terms will be staggered, so that no more than five (5) terms will expire in a given year. (In its first year of operation, the President, Vice-President, Secretary and two at large members will serve three-year terms.  The other five members will serve two-year terms.

As many as three (3) ex-officio advisory/non-voting members may serve on the Executive Committee.  Agencies providing contracted services and or financial support to Digital Commonwealth may be nominated as ex-officio members by the Executive Committee and elected by membership.

The Executive Committee includes representation from the different types of member institutions: public, academic, school and special libraries; historical societies, museums, and other cultural institutions.  The Executive Committee represents the diverse geography and varying size of participating institutions. Representatives of institutions providing contracted services or financial support to Digital Commonwealth are prohibited from serving as voting members of the Executive Committee.

Section 5.1 Sub-Committees

There are four initial standing sub-committees: Administrative Committee, Nominating Committee, Technology and Standards Committee, and Outreach and Training Committee.   The Executive Committee may form and dissolve sub-committees and Task Forces as needed. Subcommittees are established to address long-term issues. Any subcommittee shall consist of at least three people. Task forces may be convened by the Executive Board to consider specific issues for a designated period of time.  Inasmuch as possible, all Administrative Committee, Subcommittee, and Task Force appointments shall reflect the diversity of the institutional participants of the Digital Commonwealth.

Administrative Committee

The Administrative Committee makes recommendations to the Executive Committee on vendor, contract, staffing, personnel, and budget issues. The Committee drafts an annual Plan of Service, budget, and fee structure for the Executive Committee’s consideration.

Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee recommends a slate of officers for the Executive Committee and for Subcommittee and Task Force positions not filled by members of the Executive Committee.

Technology and Standards Committee

The Technology and Standards Committee: 

1) Selects metadata standards for use in the Digital Commonwealth repository, establishes metadata policies and practices for creating, revising and adding metadata, and works with programmers to develop tools to create and administer metadata.

2) Establishes digitization standards for Digital Commonwealth and its content contributors.  Provides guidance to cultural heritage organizations in the selection of third-party vendors to provide digitization and cataloging services; however, participating institutions are free to select a vendor of their choice.

3) Identifies, evaluates, and approves content for the Digital Commonwealth. Develops policies and documentation for digital content, including the Digital Commonwealth Collection Development policy, as well as guidance for cultural heritage institutions in selecting content to digitize.

4) Monitors performance of portal portal server and software and the digital repository server.  Forms a Subcommittee to recommend system upgrades when needed.

5) Promotes and adheres to appropriate online standards and practices.

Outreach and Training Committee. 

The Outreach and Training Committee:

1) Provides training for cultural heritage organizations wishing to contribute digitized collections.   

2) Designs, organizes, and provides an educators' workshop to develop educational activities and lesson plans utilizing Digital Commonwealth collections and primary sources.

3) Publicizes and promotes the Digital Commonwealth to all of its constituent groups - cultural heritage professionals, educators, students, and Massachusetts citizens.

Section 6.  Officers

The President, Past-President, Vice-President/President-Elect and Secretary of the Executive Committee will serve as officers the Digital Commonwealth.  The Executive Committee shall appoint initial officers and when vacancies occur between Council of Members meetings.  Such other officers as may be deemed necessary may be recommended by the Executive Committee and approved by Membership at its annual meeting.

2a. The role of the President is to issue calls, establish agendas, and preside over Executive Committee and Council of Member meetings. The President chairs the Administrative Subcommittee. In addition, the President ensures effective representation for Digital Commonwealth in other meetings and activities as appropriate.  The President signs all bonds, contracts, and other instruments authorized by the Executive Committee and/or Council of Members.

2b.The role of the Vice-President is to oversee Digital Commonwealth finances (accounts, deposits, and expenditures) and provide a financial report for monthly Executive Committee meetings and the annual Council of Members meeting. In addition, the Vice-President serves on the Administrative Subcommittee.

2c. The role of the Secretary is to record minutes of meetings of the Executive Committee and the Council of Members and to maintain all records of Digital Commonwealth activities.

Section 7.  Management of Operations

The role of the Executive Committee is to focus on policy and planning for the Digital Commonwealth.  The Executive Committee shall select a contracting agency to oversee the management of the Digital Commonwealth under the direction of a project coordinator.   The contracting agency and has authority on all matters relative to the operation of the Digital Commonwealth, except as specifically reserved to the Executive Committee or the Council of Members.

Section 9. Contracts

The Executive Committee shall have the sole authority to enter into consensual, binding contracts on behalf of the Digital Commonwealth and its Council of Members.  The Executive Committee must review and approve basic contract terms and approve the contract before it is executed.  An Executive Committee member who is in any way, directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or proposed contract shall disclose his or her interest at a meeting of the Executive Committee.  The Executive Committee shall be responsible for all contracts that have been authorized and approved by the Executive Committee, including agreements made with its employees.  The Executive Committee shall authorize the President or Executive Committee to sign contracts.  The contracting agency will manage all contracts according to the advice of the Executive Committee.

Section 10 - Books and Records

The Digital Commonwealth shall keep at the principal office of the organization correct and complete books and records of account; minutes of the proceedings of the Executive Committee; and a register of the names and addresses of the Directors of the organization. Any director, or agent or attorney thereof may inspect all books and records of the Digital Commonwealth, for any proper purpose at any reasonable time.

Section 11. Amending By-laws

These By-Laws (guidelines) may be amended at any meeting of the Council of Members by a two-thirds vote provided that the amendment has been submitted with the call for the meeting. Alternatively, amendments may be ratified by the Council of Members through a mailed or electronic ballot in which at least half of the Council members return ballots, and two-thirds of those voting approve the amendment. The Executive Committee may also amend these By-Laws (guidelines) by a two-thirds vote at any meeting of the Executive Committee, provided that the proposed amendment has been submitted with the notice of the meeting. The Executive Committee shall give written notice of such amendments to the Council of Members before the next meeting of members. Any amendment adopted by the Executive Committee shall be valid only until acted upon by the members at the next regular meeting or by mail/electronic ballot.