During its 7th Session (2002) the IODE GE-MIM recommended (Recommendation MIM-VII.1) the nomination of IODE National Coordinators for Marine Information Management, in addition to IODE National Coordinators for Ocean Data Management. IOC Circular Letter No. 2125 (21 August 2005) invited IOC Member States to nominate suitable experts. The objective of this decision was to obtain a more balanced representation between ocean data and information management at IODE Committee Sessions. The Role of IODE National Coordinators for Marine Information Management (MIM) was defined (in 2006).

The most recent revision of the Terms of Reference of the IODE National Coordinators for Marine Information Management was adopted by the 22nd Session of the IODE Committee (March 2013) through Recommendation IODE-XXII.3 (based upon a recommendation of GE-MIM-XII):

1. Act as a point of contact for marine librarians and marine information managers in their country, in order to liaise with the IODE community (via the GE-MIM) on matters of importance to MIM;


2. Act as a communicator of IOC activities and initiatives to the national MIM community and beyond;


3. Provide assistance and support to the GE-MIM on IODE programme activities at the national or international level;


4. Establish a national working group that will create a national network of marine related libraries/marine information centres for their country or participate in existing related networks;


5. Highlight and identify issues and participate in discussions of national importance relating to MIM with the GE-MIM and the national MIM community (such as capacity building and professional standards, technological innovations and policy, communications and collaboration, national and international MIM resources);


6. Liaise with the IODE national coordinators for data management, the NODCs and ADUs, taking into account the role and expertise of marine information managers in data management;


7. Provide reports to the IODE Committee (or IODE Officers), highlighting needs and issues that should be addressed by GE-MIM, for consideration by the IODE Committee or IODE Officers. The Committee or IODE Officers can then instruct the GE-MIM to deal with these needs and issues;


8. Participate in Sessions of the IODE Committee.

1. Responsible for a major marine library and information service


2. Should have a senior position in a marine related library or information centre


3. Should have librarian qualification or equivalent experience in a library


4. Interested in new developments in library and information science


5. Should be allowed by their parent institution to attribute time to the fulfilment of the role of IODE NC for MIM


6. Should be provided with necessary financial support to enable participation in Sessions of the IODE Committee