Open Index Initiative, intends to develop an exhaustive online database containing bibliographic details of journal articles, book reviews and conference papers published in Indian Social Science Journals. However, based on the OII model, there is great scope to develop database in other subject areas. Contributors are requested to provide data either in ISO2709 format or as MS Access. The data structure will be provided by the coordinator, who at present is IGIDR library.

Any, Library and Information Scientist or an institution ( Library ) can provide data in ISO2709, MS-Excel, MS-Access or dBase format. However, ISO2709 is the most preferred format. The tags in case of ISO2709 format, which happens to be CCF, would be provided by the coordinating agency. The data thus provided and compiled becomes `Common Property' and can be mirrored by any academic and research organization of the country, participating in this initiative, for non-commercial purpose. Therefore, it is implicit that access is open, but no one owns it. In other words, it would be a virtual index. Due credit will be given to the contributors, whether institutions or an individuals, by including their names in each record contributed by them, which ultimately gets displayed at the time of retrieval.

1. The data needs to be only from Indian Social Science Journals.
2. Individuals will be assigned two-three journals of their choice, if already not assigned to others
3. Similarly, an institutional library can contribute data for at least 5 journals.

1. IGIDR library will undertake collection and processing of data and hosting of online database on voluntary basis, with or without any funding. The Chief Librarian or Head, IGIDR library will be the coordinator for OII and related activities. However, later, the coordination work may be transferred to any other any other Indian academic and research institution.

2. Contributors will provide data in the format prescribed by the coordinator, who at present happens to be IGIDR Library, Mumbai

3. Contributors will provide data voluntarily and free of cost to the coordinating agency.

4. Data thus contributed will become 'Common Property'. The OII coordinator will hold all the rights to compile and host it for non-commercial purpose and any one can access the compilation on net, free of cost. However, any other participating institution will be allowed to mirror the database for non-commercial purpose.

5. Indian academic and research institutions who wish to mirror the site, need to contribute data at least for 10 Indian Social Science Journals, including contributions from their library staff.

6. If any contributor does not provide data for more than one year then the OII coordinator may allocate the same journals to any other individual or institution for data contribution. In such case, the data contributed by the earlier contributors will continue to be part of OII.

7. In future, if the coordination and compilation work is handed over to any other institution, then the institution which takes over the compilation and hosting of database, would continue to provide service free of cost with same terms and conditions and also would permit the other contributing institutions to mirror the database for non-commercial purpose. Such institution which takes over collection and compilation in future, will continue to enjoy the same rights as mentioned in term no.4

8. Institutions who wish to mirror the database will get data in ISO2709 format and such institutions are required to make their own arrangement for required hardware and software.

9. As the OII model believes in participatory approach, additional terms and conditions may be incorporated later, if suggested by the contributors.