Publisher's Synopsis
The open source software movement has entered the library automation industry. This Library Technology Report is an overview of this new aspect of the library automation industry and provides detailed information about the major open source integrated library systems and the companies that support them. In this issue, Marshall Breeding details the differences between using an open source approach to that of using conventional proprietary software for automated operations. Breeding's report can help answer that question as well as defines open source and provides an overview of the various open source options currently available to libraries, including Koha and Evergreen.Topics Covered in this Issue Include:Open source defined and a look at open source versus traditional licensing."The Commercial Angle," including total cost of ownership, vendor/product independence, and information about collaborative and sponsored development.An overview, including history and background, of major open source ILS products, with information about Koha, Evergreen, OPALS, and NewGenLib.Trends in open source ILS adoption, including geographic impact, licensing, and distribution.An overview of commercial support firms — including LibLime, Equinox Software, Media Flex, Versus Solutions, and Index Data — for open source ILSSpecifications for the technology components of an open source ILS, including the server operating system, Web servers, database engines, programming environments, and client environments.Information about standards as well as features and functionality of open source ILS, including the scope of the ILS; support for consortia; and information about the online catalog, circulation, cataloging, acquisitions, and serials control in the ILS.
