ASIS&T Announces Management Partnership with DCMI
The Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI, http://dublincore.org/ ), an internationally renowned organization advancing innovation in metadata design and best practices, will become a project of the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) upon DCMI’s wrapping up activities at it’s current location in Singapore.
On June 30, 2013, DCMI Ltd. will cease operations as a company limited by guarantee in Singapore and became a project of ASIS&T. This change for DCMI from independent, non-profit company status in Singapore to a partnership with ASIS&T marks a significant milestone in DCMI’s history. The decision was motivated by the desire of DCMI’s governing Oversight Committee to shape a more flexible and progressive institutional structure, while retaining its mission, goals and objectives and its commitments to an open, consensus-driven community.
Andrew Dillon, President of ASIS&T, stated that the partnering of ASIS&T with DCMI makes excellent sense for both parties. “There is a considerable overlap in participation and subject matter interest in both groups, and information science as a practice and as a discipline will be strengthened by the partnership,” said Dillon. “We look forward to regular cross fertilization through meeting sessions, workshops, webinars and other forums,” Dillon continued.
The change in DCMI institutional structure was guided by extensive investigations by DCMI’s Oversight Committee into alternative structures and potential partnerships that might better serve DCMI’s global community of metadata researchers and practitioners. Mutual and unanimous decisions were reached by the governing bodies of both DCMI and ASIS&T that DCMI become a project of ASIS&T effective July 1, 2013. Going forward, DCMI will maintain its autonomy as a global community through maintenance of the DCMI “brand”, its governance structure and its programmatic commitments and membership programs while actively engaging with ASIS&T as a partner in mutually beneficial activities.
Thus, DCMI and ASIS&T are committed in the coming months and years to seek out joint activities where both organizations can leverage their strengths to the benefit of both communities. Both DCMI and ASIS&T bring to the new partnership their histories as strong, successful organizations serving research and practice communities.