1. mail: goutambiswas8@gmail.com DLIS, University of Kalyani, West Bengal
NewGenLib, THE FIRST INDIAN OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE: A STUDY OF ITS FEATURES AND COMPARISON WITH OTHER SOFTWARES By
Goutam Biswas
mail:
 Dibyendu Paul
DLIS, University of Kalyani, West Bengal
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

2. PRESENTATION PLAN SOFTWARE COMPARED WITH… FEATURE FOR COMPARISON
INTRODUCTION
RECOMMENDED FEATURES….
REASONS FOR CHOOSING OSS
SALIENT FEATURES OF NewGenLib…
SOFTWARE COMPARED WITH…
FEATURE FOR COMPARISON
FINDINGS BASED ON PROJECTED SCORE
CONLCUSSION.
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

3. INTRODUCTION LMS has significant roles in library automation.
Basic points of considerations regarding LMS are:
availability
available features and functional modules
standards and compatibility in data format and data exchange
cost of procurement
Options: commercial or free software?
Availability in India: Most of are commercial software
The open source ILMS originated in India: NewGenLib Open Source
We attempted to highlight:
features
advantages and disadvantages
Comparison with others
Back2Plan
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

4. RECOMMENDED FEATURES….
Core modules: acquisition, cataloguing, circulation, serial control, article indexing…
Enhanced services: customized report generation, reservation facility, interlibrary loan, union cataloguing, authority file, retro-conversion…
Binary or source code
Standards/Formats: MARC21, CCF, MARC-XML, ISO-2709, Z39.50…
Developer:
Institution is first preference
Reputed company is the next
Individual (s) may deviate from continuity.
Revision
Back2Plan
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

5. REASONS FOR CHOOSING OSS
Price
Unrestricted use
Community involvement in development and maintenance
Issues of copyright etc
Interoperability: customizable according to the needs and standards
Back2Plan
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

6. SALIENT FEATURES OF NewGenLib… Back2Plan
Licensing
Source Code & User Manual
User’s Feedback
Architecture & Backend
Functional Modules
Data Create & Exchange Format
Mail Server
Open Access Compatibility
Unicode Compatibility
RFID Technology
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

7. SOFTWARE COMPARED WITH…
Back2Plan
Koha
LIBSYS
SLIM++
EASYLIB
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

8. FEATURE FOR COMPARISON
General Features
Functional Modules
OPAC
Circulation
Cataloging & Information Services
Back2Plan
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

9. GENERAL FEATURES Back2Plan
Authority file & controlled vocabulary
Client server architect
Complete web based functions
Customized report generation
Give technical support after installation
GUI and color
Interlibrary loan system
Intranet support
Retro conversion
Standard report administration
Support International metadata standard
Support multilinguality
Support network environment
Ability to build digital library
Ability to build repository
Article Indexing
Associate component found in open source
Digital library integration
Linux and Windows OS compatible
No restriction of use
Power search facility
Scalable and high speed
Union cataloguing
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

10. COMPARATIVE FEATURES OF FUNCTIONAL MODULES Back2Features
Acquisition
Budget Control
Cataloguing of Monograph
Cataloguing of Electronic Documents
Circulation
Inter Library Loan
Library Statistics
OPAC
Reports Generation
Cataloguing of Website
Import/Export
Serial Control
Stock Taking
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

11. COMPARATIVE FEATURES OF OPAC Back2Features
Multimedia
Library Map
Website Cataloguing
Electronic Documents Cataloguing
Reservation Through OPAC
Can Staff Modify Index Field?
Can Staff Modify Display Format?
Facility for WEBPAC
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

12. COMPARATIVE FEATURES OF CIRCULATION Back2Feature
Issue & Return
Renewal
Reservation
Use of Barcode Technology
Fines as per different users and documents
Reservation (for specific time period)
Report Generation
Use of RFID
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

13. COMPARATIVE FEATURES OF CATALOGING & INFORMATION SERVICES Back2Plan
Printing of Catalogue in AACR Format
Printing of Catalogue in CCC Format
Exporting /Importing of Data
Report Generation
SDI Service
CAS Service
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

14. METHOD OF SCORING …
One point each has given for the features available for
zero each for the features not available in any software
It must be noted that all features are not equal in significance
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

15. FINDINGS BASED ON PROJECTED SCORE
NewGenLib is much advanced
It has five more features in general than Koha and much more than the commercial software under study
In functional modules it remain advance than Koha but more or less equally featured with commercial software
NewGenLib has also more features in number in all other aspects like:
OPAC
Circulation
Cataloguing and Information Services
Go2Chart
Back2Plan
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

16. PROJECTED SCORE OF COMPARATIVE FEATURES Back2Plan
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

17. CONCLUSION Back2Plan
In this very brief study it is clear that this software would be applicable in Indian libraries as far as its different features are concerned. It supports all the functional modules as well as the web interface needed for a library. In a developing country like India, the first Indian origin open source software is incredibly useful. In the new paradigm of information society, software like NewGenLib open source software is a basic requirement as a primary resource
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

18. Thanks
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

19. Table 01: Comparative General Features of Selected Software … (Back)
NewGenLib
Koha
LIBSYS
SLIM++
EASYLIB
Authority file & controlled vocabulary 1
Client server architect
Complete web based functions
Customized report generation
Give technical support after installation
GUI and color
Interlibrary loan system
Intranet support
Retro conversion
Standard report administration
Support International metadata standard
Support multilinguality
Support network environment
Ability to build digital library
Ability to build repository
Article Indexing
Associate component found in open source
Digital library integration
Linux and Windows OS compatible
No restriction of use
Power search facility
Scalable and high speed
Union cataloguing
Score 23 18 15 16
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

20. Comparative Features of Functional Modules
Functions
NewGenLib
Koha
LIBSYS
SLIM++
EASYLIB
Acquisition 1
Budget Control
Cataloguing of monograph
Cataloguing of electronic documents
Circulation
Inter Library Loan
Library Statistics
OPAC
Reports Generation
Cataloguing of website
Import/Export
Serial Control
Stock taking
Score 13 09 12
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

21. Comparative Features of OPAC
OPAC Features
NewGenLib
Koha
SLIM++
LIBSYS
EASYLIB
Multimedia 1
Library Map
N.F
Web site cataloguing
Electronic documents cataloguing
Reservation through OPAC
Can staff modify index field
Can staff modify display format
Facility for WEBPAC
Score 07 05 06 02
Back to plan
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

22. Comparative Features of Circulation…
Circulation Features
NewGenLib
Koha
SLIM++
LIBSYS
EASYLIB
Issue 1
Return
Renewal
Reservation
Use of barcode technology
Fines as per different users and documents
Reservation (for specific time period)
Report generation
Use of RFID
N.F
Score 09 08
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

23. Comparative Features of Cataloging & Information Services
NewGenLib
Koha
SLIM++
LIBSYS
EASYLIB
Printing of catalogue in AACR format 1
Printing of catalogue in CCC format
Exporting /Importing of data
Report generation
SDI service
CAS service
Score 06 00 04 05
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer