I don't really want to spend my days and nights in front of a computer screen with my eyes crossing over lines of code. And I definitely don't care enough about math to immerse myself in the inner workings of computers.
Still, sometimes I really wish I were a computer programmer. I get very frustrated with computer applications and my lack of ability to improve them. I'd love to develop open source library systems that were actually streamlined, adaptable, and functional in the real library environments in which I've worked.
Vendor-driven software always has its code hidden away from its users. Instead of librarians creating their own systems, we now have our workflows dictated by our integrated library systems. Vendor-driven software develops at a frustratingly slow pace, meaning that the "next gen" features library users desire are often painfully absent from library computer products. Vendor-driven software rarely works "out of the box." It requires the library to hire systems staff to customize and troubleshoot the software, often using poor documentation and technical support resources provided by the vendor. It seems like the energies of library systems staff could be better employed developing their own software.
Though exciting, the existing open-source library software projects are far too basic for the automation needs of an academic library. Evergreen, for example, is a basic cataloging and circulation system - with no functionality for acquisitions, serials, interlibrary loan, course reserves, etc.
Where does that leave me? Not sure. I'm at least hoping to deepen my knowledge of library software so that I have a better sense of how the problem might be solved.
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Take a look at KOHA if you want Open Source Software.
ReplyDeleteUS http://koha.liblime.com/
world http://www.koha.org/
Hans de Man
hansdeman@librarysoftware.info
sorry,
ReplyDeleteUS http://koha.liblime.com/ changed to
http://liblime.com/products
Ok so you left me a little confused here, Karl. I thought the point of open-sournce ILS' were so that each individual library can manipulate the ILS any which way the want. So if that were the case, couldn't your library (it's ABMS, correct?) easily create the functions for acquisitions, serials, ILL, course reserves, etc.?
ReplyDeleteIs it just too difficult to do, to start creating and manipulating Evergreen's features? I am only heard about it, never seen, nor used it, so I apologize if my comments and questions seem rudimentary!
Creating the additional functions means actually developing software. This is a lot of work. Libraries, unfortunately don't usually have time to do this - which puts us in a bind.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm aware of Koha and Evergreen. I think they're good at what they do, but they are not necessarily advanced enough yet to meet the needs of academic libraries.
I'm holding out hope for the future, but the problem hasn't been solved yet. In the meantime, I think we librarians might be able to help ourselves by becoming tech geeks.
The pros and cons of vendor-supplied software versus open source really depend upon the individual's perspective and circumstances. In some cases libraries are better served by buying something off the shelf and customizing it, but other libraries with more money and resources definitely benefit by doing development in house.
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