Title of Assignment: ABC Libraries Liaison (Part-Time)

Name of unit/sector: ABC Secretariat, Copyright Management Division (CMD)

Place of Assignment: Teleworking from home.

Expected places of travel (if applicable): As needed and requested by the Head, ABC.

Start date: To be discussed

Maximum duration of assignment: until February 28, 2029 – Framework agreement contract

1. Organization Context

The Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) was established in June 2014 to implement the goals of the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled.  ABC is a public–private partnership led by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) that brings together key stakeholders. The Marrakesh Treaty benefits persons who are blind, have low vision, are dyslexic or have mobility impairments that impact their ability to read the printed word (“people who are print disabled”).

ABC’s goal is to increase and make available books in accessible formats (such as braille, audio and e-text) through three main activities:

• the ABC Global Book Service (“the Service”), which is a centralized catalogue of over 870,000 accessible format books in 80 languages available for cross border exchange under the framework of the Marrakesh Treaty;
• training and technical assistance provided in developing and least developed countries for the production of accessible format books;
• the promotion of inclusive publishing practices with publishers.

ABC has an Advisory Board that is currently comprised of the representatives of 16 organizations, which meet with the ABC Secretariat regularly.

2. Assignment

The ABC Secretariat seeks the part-time services of an Individual Contractor (ICS) under a Framework Agreement for a five year period, if and when required. The Framework Agreement enables on-demand utilization of services with the ICS and defines the unit cost and types of services that can be rendered.  The ICS will be responsible for the outreach to and business coordination of participating authorized entities (AEs) in the ABC Global Book Service as set out in section 4 below.

3. Background

WIPO entered into an agreement with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) of India for a library management system that ABC will offer to AEs in developing and least developed countries. TCS – WIPO Access Infinity is expected to facilitate and improve the services provided by AEs to people who are print-disabled in their countries.

ABC has also signed a partnership agreement with Dolphin Computer Access Ltd, a UK-based software developer specialized in accessibility technology, to allow people who are print disabled  with ABC Global Book Service credentials to access the ABC catalogue on their devices from within the Dolphin EasyReader mobile app. This solution will greatly facilitate the ability of people who are print disabled to search, download and read books from the ABC catalogue all within a single, familiar application directly on their mobile device.

4. Tasks/Activities under the Framework Agreement

The Contractor shall provide business development and management coordination/liaison services to the ABC Secretariat for the effective use of the ABC Global Book Service, the TCS – WIPO Access Infinity software, as well as Dolphin EasyReader. Specifically, the ICS shall undertake the activities listed below:

a) Promote and deploy TCS – WIPO Access Infinity software to AEs in developing and least developed countries;
b) Provide coaching and training on the use of this software;
c) Gather critical feedback from AEs to guide future development of TCS – WIPO Access Infinity software;
d) Provide support and guidance to AEs to promote the usage of Dolphin EasyReader;
e) Explore the possibility of connecting other reading applications to the ABC Global Book Service;
f) Provide general expertise and services to the ABC Secretariat on access to reading to people who are print disabled;
g) Address the needs of participating AEs and people who are print disabled by improving the efficiency and quality of the services offered by ABC through proposing any necessary changes to the various applications, operating procedures or any other elements, including collaborating on metadata enhancement work;
h) Assist with establishing collaborations with other possible partners;
i) Collaborate with the IT technical team supporting ABC and related applications, when required;
j) Keep the ABC Secretariat informed of best practices in the domain of access to reading for people who are print disabled;
k) Participate in any conferences or seminars as requested by the Head, ABC, to promote the Accessible Books Consortium; and
l) Any other related tasks as required by the Head, ABC.

5. Reporting

The ICS provider shall report to the Head, ABC.

6. Profile

The ICS provider requires the following:

a) A university degree in information science, information technology, data science, business, marketing, library sciences or related field;
b) At least six years of experience in the area of business analysis or business development or product management or project management or management of a library /authorized entity;
c) Knowledge of the ABC Global Book Service;
d) Extensive understanding of challenges faced by authorized entities and people who are print disabled;
e) Knowledge of reading devices for people who are print disabled, including both software and hardware, as well as accessible format standards and the technologies required to produce accessible format copies of books; and
f) Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

7. Payment

Services shall be provided within the context of a Framework Agreement at a daily rate for a maximum of 170 days per calendar year.  The ICS provider shall submit a monthly invoice for services rendered, together with a time sheet.
Applicants are requested to provide an indication of their remuneration expectations of a daily rate in either Swiss francs, Euros, British Pounds or USD.

8. Additional information

ICS providers fall outside the coverage of employment contracts for WIPO Staff members and are not subject to the WIPO Staff Regulations and Rules. The ICS provider has no entitlement to vacation or sick leave (except for WIPO official holidays), or to medical insurance or a staff pension.