Despite Government policy encouraging Local Authorities to use Open source,
outside of APLAWS (Content Management/Local authority website) I don't see a
lot happening in terms of full blown *applications*. In Further and Higher
Education the 'Moodle' course system is taking the sector by storm (it now
has the majority market share in FE) and is displacing commercial solutions.
Talis (UK Library System Vendor) does offer some Open Source software for
libraries --see their developer network on their web site
http://www.talis.com/tdn/
There is now a couple of what might be considered fully functional Open
Source Library Management Systems. See:-
www.open-ils.org
www.koha.org
Interestingly some commercial companies have emerged very recently to
provide support and additional development for these Open Source
solutions.-kinda like the Redhat/Linux model. In the US some very major
public and other libraries have selected Open Source LMSs. In the UK --as
far as I can tell so far Open Source LMSs are little used though I've been
told that the Royal Homeopathic Hospital, London, had Koha, as did the
Buddhist Society Library.
It's still early days and it will be interesting to see if Open Source LMSs
get traction or are just a short lived fad...
My CILIP article should be published at the end of the month and I'll pick
up on some of these themes
Ken
Ken Chad Consulting Ltd. www.kenchadconsulting.com 07788 727 845
>From: Mohammed Awkati <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Mohammed Awkati <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Open Source LMSs
>Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2007 13:00:38 +0100
>
>Personally I am very much in favour of open source software solutions. I
>only use Linux at home. The open source movement is gaining support
>rapidly in the UK I believe. However, in a local authority setting in
>particular, the provision of IT services is often done centrally through
>established routes that are vendor locked down. This makes it very
>difficult for libraries to consider open source solutions. At a time
>when resources are scarce and budgets are tight I would have thought
>open source solutions would look very attractive indeed.
>
>The other aspect is that no one will take the plunge and move into open
>source until they see someone else who has gone down that route and see
>how they got on. A chicken and egg situation!
>
>Also, very few people have heard of Linux and opensource software. But I
>am sure they will be hearing a lot more in the future.
>
>Do you know of any libraries related open source solutions that
>libraries in the UK can use? I know Redhat and the likes of SUSE Linux
>provide enterprise solutions, but not aware of any library specific
>solutions for managing borrowers, issues, etc.
>
>
>Hope this helps
>
>
>Mo Awkati
>Performance and Management Information Team Manager
>Directorate of Adult, Community, and Housing Services
>Dudley MBC
>Ednam House
>St James's Road
>Dudley
>DY1 3JJ
>Tel: 01384 815824
>
>(these points of view do not reflect the Council's views or policies)
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ken Chad
>Sent: 08 August 2007 16:43
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Open Source LMSs
>
>
>I'm just completing an article for CILIP Library+Information Gazette on
>Open
>Source--and more particularly Open Source LMSs. In the US especially, a
>number of major libraries, (inc. large publics, research and academic
>libraries as well as smaller libraries) has gone this open source route
>but
>I haven't detected anything here in the UK (yet?). Have I missed
>something?
>If you are looking at (or even interested in) Open Source solutions for
>your
>LMSs I'd be really interested to know.
>
>In the US there is *very* vocal dissatisfaction with the LMS vendors.
>The
>consolidation, changes of ownership, private equity stuff, paradoxically
>
>seems to be much more strongly resented there. There is a strong feeling
>in
>some quarters that the market model has failed libraries and a new
>paradigm
>is needed. A growing community is springing up dedicated to the support
>and
>further development of Open Source LMSs. Commercial companies are
>emerging
>(cf Redhat and Linux) to support and develop Open Source LMSs
>
>I don't detect the anything like the same depth of feeling here in the
>UK.
>Is this true or are we in true Brit fashion just less demonstrative
>('mustn't grumble')? Or maybe the LMS vendors simply do a better job
>here in
>the UK? Or could it be that the sector is so wedded to the traditional
>procurement model (RFP/Tender), which organisations like OSS watch in
>the UK
>think are not appropriate for Open Source
>
>Of course some LMS vendors (VTLS and Talis --others? ) do offer Open
>Source
>solutions that they make freely available but they have not yet gone the
>
>route of offering the complete LMS in this way.
>
>Any view on the role of Open Source in the UK LMS marektplace?
>
>Ken
>
>Ken Chad Consulting Ltd. www.kenchadconsulting.com
>Tel 07788 727 845
>
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