Download Open Source software for libraries

Open Source
software for libraries
By Katharina Penner
What is Open Source?

A specific set of software license

allow others to freely redistribute the
software
 source code for the software must be
available
 allow derived works based off of the
software


A practical method of developing software
A community of developers and users who
support #1 and #2
Free?
free as in „beer“
 free as in „free speech“
 free as in „free kittens“

Phipps, S. 2002
Advantages
Reliability
 Better support
 User driven
 Innovation
 Cost

Adapted from http://liblime.com/open-source
Disadvantages




Many libraries do not have the in-house
expertise to support open-source software
Don't have the ability to train staff on the use of
the new technologies
Open source alternatives weren't perceived as
feature-rich enough to handle the complex
needs of libraries
Hidden costs (staff time)
Koha Open Source Library System








http://www.koha.org/
A full featured modern integrated library system (ILS):
circulation, cataloging, acquisitions, serials, reserves,
patron management, branch relationships, and more.
Linux, Unix, Windows and MacOS platform
Can be fully integrated into the library website; Web
based OPAC system
Copy cataloguing and z39.50
MARC21 and UNIMARC for professional cataloguers
Use as a document manager or digital library; manage
online and off line resources with the same tool
RSS feed of new acquisitions
Greenstone





Tool for digital library
Publish on internet or CD-ROM
Windows, Unix and Mac
Interoperability
Two interfaces: librarians and readers
Metadata formats





Dublin Core
Marc
XML
OAI
DSpace
Document formats









PDF
Word
RTF
HTML
Plain text
ZIP archives
Excel
PPT
Email
Languages






English
French
Spanish
Russian
Kazakh
Some in Vietnamese
NVU (new view) – web design
 complete Web design system
 Linux, Windows and Macintosh
 open source alternative to FrontPage
and Dreamweaver
 create web pages
 manage a website with no technical
expertise or knowledge of HTML
 available in different languages (I use
German)
Used sources








Phipps, Simon. „Free speech, free beer and free software.“
c/net news.com available at http://news.com.com/20101071-954384.html?tg (accessed March 1, 2007).
Muir, Scott P. „An introduction to the open source software
issue.“ Library Hi Tech 29/4 (2005): 465-468.
http://www.koha.org/
http://liblime.com/open-source
http://greenstonewiki.cs.waikato.ac.nz/wiki/index.php/Gree
nstoneWiki
http://www.greenstone.org/cgi-bin/library?e=p-en-homeutfZz-8&a=p&p=examples
http://www.nvu.com/index.php)
http://www.gtalbot.org/NvuSection/NvuWebDesignTips/