Welcome everybody. Great to see so many people joining this group already. Sorry for the delay in getting things started. We are pleased to now share with you a concept note called 'Towards a commons for HIV and AIDS related information'. You can find this in the documents section of the group.

Please have a look to get a fuller understanding of the scope of the consultation. If you are new to the group, please use the other discussion thread to post a quick intro, saying who you are and why you are interested in this topic.

This consultation process broadly seeks to understand how we can better link and/or bring together HIV related information held on different websites and databases. We will initially restrict the consultation to only one type of information - contact information for organisations (involved in the response to HIV). See http://www.aidsspace.org/organization/2/ for an example from this site.

There are many other databases and websites holding information on HIV organisations. Many of you will know of the database that NAM manages on www.aidsmap.com There are similar databases held by networks of AIDS service organisations and on several other websites. We also manage a database of over 1000 organisations on www.aidsportal.org

Through this consultation we would like to understand what the value might be in linking these different databases. To be clear, this is not a process to try and create one centrally managed database. As the concept note makes clear, there is clear value in the existing databases. The key question is would there be added value if they could be linked?

To start the discussion, please let us know your thoughts on the following questions:

• Do you host a database of NGOs?
• What are the challenges you face in keeping it up to date?
• What are the opportunities you see in the developing social networking technology to move forward in this area?
• What next steps would you envisage to move the technology forward, such that global databases of NGOs responding to HIV might be available through one search engine?
• What would be the advantages, disadvantages and applications of this approach?
• Who else should be a part of this conversation?

We look forward to your inputs.

1. Ya we do.
2. Lack of use of ICT.
3. To network with like minded peoples and move ahead.
4. Get hold of major search engines or public events and call for submission/entry.
5. Advantages are many. disadvantages are too many. (E.g. SPAM users, SPAM communication, less or lack of authentication of the user, privacy, etc.)
6. All the small and major stakeholders should be part.

1. Our online database has info on more than 450 Cristian, HIV projects and programmes.
2. Human resources
3. Incredible opportunities - started 'baby steps' with a 'Friends of CABSA' Face Book page page and Tweeting from HIV conferences as lyn4caris. Internet connectivity access and cost is a problem in Africa
4. Good idea! Would support it as far as possible
5. Advantages - synergy, greater exposure etc etc. With good security and positive intentions I think the possible disadvantages could be overcome.

I would love to stay part of any developments and initiatives around this!

Hi Lyn,

Thanks for your comments and great to hear that you would like to be part of this. We hope to follow up with some interviews with those that are running databases of HIV organisations. This will enable us to collect some more structured information about needs and possible next steps.

If you are aware of others with databases like this then please let us know.