ICA AtoM is a web-based archival description software that is based on International Council on Archives (ICA) standards. ICA AtoM is free, open-source software. It is multi-lingual and supports multi-repository collections. "AtoM" is an acronym for "Access to Memory". More information about the software features can be found in the ICA AtoM online user manual: http://ica-atom.org/docs. Recently, the Flying Reporters had the opportunity to talk to Peter van Garderen, the project lead, to ask him a few questions about the sustainability of open-source software such as ICA AtoM.

Ineke: ICA AtoM is free open-source software, but are there any additional costs?

Peter: Open source software is free to download and use from the website. However, archives who want to use ICA AtoM may need to seek out the services of a technical specialist who can customize the product and work with the code to create additional functionalities, plug-ins, modules, migration of data from previous systems, provide the technical and end-user support, etc. Depending on the organization, the technical skills needed to work with the code may be available from within the organization itself, or it may need to be procured from outside vendors or consulting groups. Another interesting model that is inherent in open-source software is something called the "bounty-model." Essentially, this is where other organizations who are using ICA AtoM may have created some special code written for a particular functionality that they need. This new code would then be contributed back into the main set, which everyone has access to: meaning that everyone will have access to this enhanced functionality. It's an ad-hoc approach, but it still enriches and improves the product over time. The archival community can, in this way, develop the product according to their own specific requirements, and take control and ownership of the system functionality. I really believe that this is a way to build an international community of best practice in the field of archival description and archives technology. For it to be successful we all need to contribute to it for the benefit of the archival community.

Ineke: How do you see the ICA AtoM product being sustained over the coming years?

Peter: This is a very good question, and it's important to be very open and transparent about possible ideas for the future. Tomorrow, the ICA Steering Committee is meeting to address this question, and it would be great if one of the Flying Reporters could attend this important meeting. In short, the ICA AtoM governance structure was devised in Amsterdam earlier this year and it is being put in place to keep the project going. The details of the governance structure have yet to be finalized, and ICA needs to decide if it wants to formally assign people to work in the roles defined in the governance structure as it stands right now. You can find information about the governance structure on the ICA AtoM website under the "About" section.

In addition to this brief interview, the Flying Reporters were invited to observe the ICA AtoM Steering Committee meeting, which took place in Kuala Lumpur on July 24th. The primary purpose of the meeting was to inform the Steering Committee about the progress made with ICA AtoM since the last meeting in Amsterdam earlier this year. During the May / June period, the major accomplishment was the completion of the 1.0 Beta version, which is available for download on-line at http://ica-atom.org or from a Demo CD, which was distributed and launched at the ICA Congress this week. Over 30 institutions from all over the world have already agreed to test the Beta version over the coming months, and other institutions have pledged to support the project by providing additional translation of the product and its on-line manuals into French, Spanish, Portugese, Dutch, Arabic, Farsi, German and Greek. Over the next several months, beta testers of ICA AtoM can receive end-user and technical support by using the on-line discussion list or by requesting help through the website.

There are many ideas for the future, including a version 1.2 release that will incorporate several new functionalities. Although the project is quite young, interest in ICA AtoM by archival institutions is growing rapidly. At the same time, plans to provide resources for future ideas are not completely defined. What can be said, is that the new incoming president of ICA, Mr. Ian Wilson (National Archivist and Librarian of Canada) is dedicated to pursuing ICA AtoM and supports it enthusiastically. His primary concern is maintaining the project's current momentum considering the funding required to proceed to version 1.2 is needed sooner rather than later, but this will be discussed over the coming weeks.

Ineke Deserno and April Miller