Open Source Library

Automation

Nicole C. Engard, Open Source Evangelist, LibLime

nce@liblime.comhttp://liblime.com

Outline

•LibLime

•What is Open Source?

•Koha 3 OPAC and Staff

The leader in open-source solutions for libraries

Athens County Public Libraries

First Library in the US to Adopt an Open Source ILS:

Koha

Intensely Frustrated

•Libraries slow to adopt open source

•‘No Support’ was the most common objection

•An OSS Company seemed the most practical approach

It all started with an idea: open access to ideas and

information not only builds better libraries, it builds

better software too.

Integrated Library Systems

Digital LibraryMeta-Search

It’s all Open Source!

•You steer development!

•Features can be implemented in days and weeks, not years and decades

•You can share your solutions with other libraries

Growth Patterns

•400% growth three years running

•Incorporated January 2005, 1 full-time employee, 1 customer

•June 2008, 20+ employees, over 300 customers

Our Customers supports hundreds of libraries around the globe. Our customers include: library consortia, academic and research institutions, public libraries, museum and special libraries, K-12 schools, enterprise corporations and government and non-profit organizations.

Our Customers supports hundreds of libraries around the globe. Our customers include: library consortia, academic and research institutions, public libraries, museum and special libraries, K-12 schools, enterprise corporations and government and non-profit organizations.

Consortia that have selected Koha include:

•MASSCAT (110 libraries, MA)•WALDO (19 academic, NY)•Central Kansas Library Consortium (35+ public libraries, KS)•North-East Kansas Library System (19 libraries, KS)•Indiana Shared Library System (35+ mixed, IA)•Crawford County Federated Library System (9 library public consortium, PA)

Strategic Partnerships

What is Open Source?

“Open Source software is computer software whose source code is available under a license that permits users to use, change, and improve the software, and to redistribute it in modified or unmodified form”--Wikipedia

The Cathedral

• Development occurs behind walls • Source code is usually not provided - kept locked up

The Bazaar

• Code developed over the Internet with several others in public view• Source code open to all users• “Given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow”

http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/cathedral-bazaar/

Open Source in Busines

“55% of US Companies use OSS for Mission Critical applications” --

Forester Research

What is Open Source?

Why So Popular?

Why so Popular?

Reliability through Peer Review

Reliability through Peer ReviewNo Vendor Lock-in

Why so Popular?

Reliability through Peer ReviewNo Vendor Lock-inUser-centric Development

Why so Popular?

Reliability through Peer ReviewNo Vendor Lock-inUser-centric DevelopmentFreedom to Innovate

Why so Popular?

Reliability through Peer ReviewNo Vendor Lock-inUser-centric DevelopmentFreedom to InnovateZero License Fees

Why so Popular?

How much didwould you pay for a

Horizon 8.0 license?

The Value of Software Hinges on

Maintainability

Open Source in Libraries

Open Source hasn’t beenas widely adopted in libraries

as in the business world.

Why not?

Open Source in Libraries

Libraries and Open Source Both...

• Believe that information should be freely accessible to everyone

• Give away stuff

• Benefit from the generosity of others

• Are about communities

• Make the world a better place

-- Horton, G. http://tinyurl.com/3jvumn

Open Source in Libraries

•Is there support? Do I have to know how to program?

•Do I have to skimp on features?

•Isn’t Open Source risky?

•Can I do it myself?

Common questions libraries have:

Open Source in Libraries

•LibLime

•Equinox

•CARE Affiliates

Is there support?

Do I have to know how to program?

•Local students

•Freelance developers

Open Source in Libraries

•Open Source developers follow the rule of “Release early and release often”

•Users vote with their dollars and time

•Freedom to develop on your own

•Developers love their products

Do I have to skimp on features?

Open Source in Libraries

Casey Coleman, chief information officer for the GSA (U.S. General Services Administration), said in a speech ... that the GSA heavily relies on open source to drive down costs, increase flexibility of IT dollars, and reduce risk.

‘You get much more transparency and interoperability, and that reduces your risk,’ she said.

Isn’t Open Source Risky?

http://blogs.liblime.com/open-sesame/archives/61

Open Source in Libraries

Can I do it myself?

•Absolutely, with the right in-house skills

•Linux server management

•Web programming

•Perl / PHP / MySQL

•Systems knowledge

The Koha ProjectNPL goes live in 2003

with a bold claim:

“Within the next few years, our web site will offer some of the best online library services available anywhere in the world.”Stephen Hedges, Director

2003

Lets take a look!

•http://search.athenscounty.lib.oh.us

Demo

Open Source Blogs

• Open Sesame http://blogs.liblime.com/open-sesame

• OSS & Libraries (Yahoo Pipe) http://tinyurl.com/5aohv9

• ZDNet Open Source http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source

• The Open Road http://www.cnet.com/openroad/• New York Times - Open http://open.nytimes.com

Thank You

Nicole C. Engard, Open Source Evangelist

nce@liblime.comhttp://liblime.com