1. Open Source for Libraries
NEXT GENERATION LIBRARY TECHNOLOGIES
-- A conference sponsored by the
Southeastern NY Library Resources Council
Open Source for Libraries
Making rational choices between open source and traditionally licensed software
Marshall Breeding Director for Innovative Technologies and Research
Vanderbilt University

2. Program Description
Marshall Breeding will set the tone by examining the opportunities as well as the challenges that are encountered when embracing open source technologies.  In the last couple of years, open source has entered the library automation scene in a big way.  Breeding will talk about the major issues that libraries need to consider as they weigh open source and traditionally licensed ILS products, exploring the relative cost and risks of each alternative.  He will give a brief overview of the products and companies that comprise this new sector of the ILS industry.  

3. Open Source Software
Broad Trends

4. Open Source Infrastructure

5. IT Infrastructure
Linux
Apache
Lucene
Solr
MySql
PostgreSQL

6. Web Server deployment
Source: Netcraft

7. Operating System Market Share
IDC figures for OS on new server shipments 3Q 2007:
Windows Server: 67.1%
Linux: %
Slight gain for Windows/loss for Linux over previous quarter

8. Trends
Open Source Software well established in for general IT infrastructure
Linux emerging as the dominant flavor of Unix
Commercial options continue to prosper

9. Open Source Library Software
(non-ILS)

10. General Infrastructure Components
Index Data
YAZ toolkit
Z39.50
SRU/W
Zebra XML Search Engine
Metaproxy
“metasearching proxy front end server for integrating access to multiple back-end Z39.50-compliant databases”
MasterKey federated search engine

11. Open Search Federated Search

12. LibraryFind Open source federated search Built-in OpenURL resolver
3-teired caching
Customizable interface
Developed by the University of Oregon Libraries

13. dbWiz Open source federated search utility
Developed at Simon Frasier University

14. Masterkey Developed by Index Data
Highly optimized, multithreaded searching of many databases
Faceted browsing of results
Demo: masterkey.indexdata.com

15. Open source software from OCLC
Several OAI utilities
OAIcat
OAIHarvester
SRU/W
OpenURL 1.0
Pears: text storage and indexing

16. Digital Repository Applications

17. Fedora Open source digital repository engine
Not an out-of-the-box solution
Many organizations have developed their own interfaces and applications built on top of Fedora
VTLS Vital product based on Fedora
Supported by Fedora Commons

18. Dspace Institutional Repository Application
Originally developed by Hewlett Packard and MIT
Widely deployed by Universities for institutional repository projects

19. Keystone Developed by Index Data
Open source digital repository application
Digital content management
Federated search
OAI harvesting
Link resolver services

20. Open source discovery products
AKA: Next Generation Catalogs

21. VUFind – Villanova University
Based on Apache Solr search toolkit

22. eXtensible Catalog University of Rochester – River Campus Libraries
Financial support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Just received a second round of funding from Mellon
$283,000 (April 2006)
$749,000 (October 2007)
Wider institutional participation

23. Fac-Back-OPAC Initially developed Dan Scott Laurentian University
Further work by Casey Durfee at the Seattle Public Library
Based on:
MARCXML
Solr
Django (Python-based Web application framework)

24. Scriblio
Formerly WPopac
OPAC based on WordPress

25. Open Source in the ILS arena
Products and trends

26. Open Source ILS enters the mainstream
Earlier era of pioneering efforts to ILS shifting into one where open source alternatives fall in the mainstream
Off-the-shelf, commercially supported product available
Still a minority player, but gaining ground

27. Tracking the Open Source Movement
Through Marshall’s articles and columns

28. March 2002: Open source ILS: still a distant possibility
“I do not, however, expect to see such victories of Open Source software over commercial products in the integrated library system arena. Both broad historical and recent trends argue against a movement toward libraries creating their own library automation systems—either in an Open Source or closed development process.”
Early open source efforts included Avanti, Pytheas, OpenBook, and Koha
3 out of 4 now defunct
Source: Information Technologies and Libraries, Mar 2002

29. Oct 2002: An update on Open Source ILS
“the open source systems such as the three mentioned above are but a small blip on the radar. Compared to the thousands of libraries that acquire automation systems from commercial vendors each year, the handful that use open source systems cannot yet be noted as a trend. “
Discussed Koha, LearningAccess ILS, Avanti MicroLCS
Source: Information Today, Oct 2002

30. … then the world changed

31. Mar 2007: On update on Open Source ILS
“As I look back at my 2002 column on open source ILS, I see that I mentioned both Koha and the Learning-Access ILS. Over this 4-year time period I have seen Koha usage increase from a single library system to two or more library systems plus a few individual public libraries and a large number of other small ones. The LearningAccess ILS is used in 15 libraries. Evergreen currently represents the largest group of libraries sharing a single open source ILS implementation.
Over the same time period, well over 40,000 libraries have purchased a commercial ILS. So, relative to the entire library automation arena, those using an open source ILS still represent a minuscule portion of the whole.
That said, conditions are ripe for a more rapid adoption of open source ILS than we have seen in the past. “
Source: Computers in Libraries, Mar 2007

32. Mar 2008: Making a business case for Open Source ILS
We’re living in a phase of library automation characterized by an increased interest in open source-not just in back-end infrastructure components but also in the mission-critical business applications such as the integrated library system. Open source library automation systems, including Koha and Evergreen, have been propelled into the limelight. Recent survey data fails to corroborate broad interest that libraries are ready to adopt open source ILS. The success of early adopters of open source ILS now serve as a catalyst for others. Paths now exist with more mature systems and professional support options. As the open source movement matures, these system will need to compete on their own merits and not solely on a philosophical preference.
Source: Computers in Libraries, Mar 2008

33. Apr 2008: Automation System Marketplace
“Last year marked the launch of the open source ILS into the mainstream; it received major attention in the press and at library conferences. From a business perspective, open source ILS contracts represented a very small portion of the library automation economy. The success of early adopters' implementations has already diminished skepticism. Many indicators suggest that open source ILS contracts will displace larger percentages of traditional licensing models in each subsequent year.
Source: “Automation System Marketplace: Opportunity out of Turmoil”
April 1, 2008

34. An industry in turmoil
Disruptions and business decisions to narrow options have fueled the open source movement
Benefit to libraries in having additional options
Traditionally licensed and open source ILS alternatives will coexist in the ILS arena

35. Open Source vs Traditional licensing
Taking sides?
Both viable options
Avoid philosophical preference
Which best supports the missions of libraries?
Which approach helps libraries become better libraries

36. Current Open Source ILS Product Options

37. Koha: first Open Source ILS
Koha + Index Data Zebra = Koha ZOOM
Components:
Perl
Apache
MySql
Zebra: search engine option for larger installations

38. Libraries committed to Koha
Horowhenua Library Trust
Nelsonville Public Library
Athens County, OH
Crawford County Federated Library System
10 Libraries in PA
Howard County, MD
Service area population:
4.7 million circulation transactions in 2006
1 million volumes
Central Kansas Library System
Santa Cruz Public Library
Central, 9 branches
2 million volumes
Near East University Library
1.5 million volumes

39. Koha

40. Evergreen Developed by the Georgia Public Library Service
Small development team
June 2004 – development begins
Sept 5, 2006 – live production
Streamlined environment: single shared implementation, all libraries follow the same policies, one library card

41. Libraries using Evergreen
Georgia PINES
Georgia PINES:
1 Installation
54 Public Library Systems
260+ library facilities
Does not include municipal systems: Atlanta-Fulton County, Cobb County
Province of British Columbia in Canada – Northern PINES
Kent County, MD
Under consideration by academic libraries in Canada

42. Evergreen

43. OPALS Open source Automated Library System
Developed and Supported by Media Flex
Harry Chan
Original developer of Mandarin
Installation ($250) and Hosting services ($750)
South Central Organization of (School) Libraries
consortium of K-12 school libraries in NY

44. Libraries using OPALs
Dutchess County BOCES School Library System Union Catalog
Rockland County BOCES School Library System Union Catalog
manage as many as half a million unique titles and close to a million holdings.
South Central Organization Of (School) Library Systems
1.7 million titles and more than 3 million holdings for 300 schools
24 school libraries in Rockland County use OPALS open source software to manage the daily operations of their libraries
In New York State, 15 BOCES School Library Systems provide interlibrary loan services and building level management services to 900 school libraries using OPALS open source software
Source: Harry Chan. MediaFlex

45. SCOOLS

46. NextGenLib ILS designed for the developing world
Originally traditionally licensed, introduced 2003
Transition to Open Source in Jan 2008
122 Installations (India, Syria, Sudan, Cambodia)
Collaborative project:
Kesavan Institute of Information and Knowledge Management
Versus Solutions
Versus IT Services Pvt. Ltd

47. Learning Access ILS Learning Access Institute Turnkey Open Source ILS
Designed for underserved rural public and tribal libraries
Project continues but not expanding rapidly

48. LearningAccess ILS

49. ILS Deployments Unicorn 1704 Horizon 1612 Millennium 1289 Voyager 1183
Aleph 500
1970
Library.Solution
700
Koha (Total)
Koha (LibLime) 90
Evergreen
272
OPALS
58 / 170

50. Commercial Involvement
Companies formed to support open source library products

51. The Open Source Business Front
Index Data
Founded 1994; No ILS; A variety of other open source products to support libraries: search engines, federated search, Z39.50 toolkit, etc
LibLime
Founded Provides development and support services for Koha ILS. Acquired original developers of Koha in Feb 2007.
Equinox.
Founded Feb 2007; staff formerly associated with GPLS Pines development team
Care Affiliates
Founded June 2007; headed by industry veteran Carl Grant.
MediaFlex.
Longstanding school library automation company. Latest generation ILS developed in open source model

52. LibLime Small, but growing, private company formed in early 2005
Devoted to support of Koha and other open source software
Launched by individuals involved with the Koha implementation at the Nelsonville Public Library
Acquired the Koha activities of Katipo Communications (Feb 2007)
Total of 20 FTE – Hiring industry veterans exiting from traditional ILS companies

53. Equinox Software Small company
Devoted to facilitating libraries implement Evergreen the open source ILS developed for PINES
Launched by individuals related to the development and implementation of Evergreen at the Georgia Public Library System
Contracts to GPLS and other libraries for the ongoing development and support of Evergreen

54. Care Affiliates
Recently formed company to provide support for Open Source library automation products.
Carl Grant – Former COO of VTLS, President of Ex Libris (USA), Innovative Interfaces, DRA, etc.

55. Other Open Source Development efforts
Duke University leading effort to develop an open source or community source project to develop a new ILS for higher education
Sponsoring project to design/build an enterprise level automation system for libraries in higher education
Project currently in the grant development phase, with likely start date of Summer 2008

56. Open Source Issues
Explosive interest in Open Source driven by disillusionment with current vendors
Seen as a solution to:
Allow libraries to have more flexible systems
Lower costs
Not be vulnerable to disruptions that come with mergers and acquisitions
Beginning to emerge as a mainstream option
TOC (Total Cost of Ownership) still roughly equal to proprietary commercial model

57. Cost issues Costs shifted from traditional software licensing models
No initial purchase of license or annual license fees
Hardware costs (same as traditional)
Vendor support costs (optional)
Hosting services
Conversion services
Local technical support (may be higher)
Development costs – vague models for next-generation development

58. Risk Factors Open Source still a risky Alternative
Dependency on community organizations and commercial companies that provide development an support services
Commercial/Proprietary options also a risk
Opinions vary, but:
“the traditional ILS market is no longer a haven for the risk adverse.”
(Northern PINES talking points

59. Open source ILS Benchmarks
Most decisions to adopt Open Source ILS based on philosophical reasons
Open Source ILS will enter the main stream once its products begin to win through objective procurement processes
Hold open source ILS to the same standards as the commercial products
Hold the open source ILS companies to the same standards:
Adequate customer support ratios, financial stability, service level agreements, etc.
Well-document total cost of ownership statements that can be compared to other vendor price quotes

60. Measuring Interest in Open Source ILS
Source: Perceptions 2007: an international survey of Library Automation

61. Open Source Market share
Open Source ILS implementations still a small percentage of the total picture
Initial set of successful implementations will likely serve as a catalyst to pave the way for others
Successful implementations in wider range of libraries:
State-wide consortium (Evergreen)
Multi-site public library systems (Koha)
School district consortia (OPALS)

62. Open Source perspective
Are open source ILS products taking library automation in a new direction, or are they open source versions of what we already have?
Will current slate of companies be able to support increasing numbers of libraries without the same difficulties as the incumbent ILS vendors?
The ILS landscape is forever changed by the open source alternatives
Open Source ILS catching up with the Legacy ILS. Both moving headstrong into the past.
Urgent need for a new generation of library automation designed for current and future-looking library missions and workflows.

63. Questions?