Open Source Software in Libraries An Infopeople Webcast

1
Open Source Software in LibrariesAn Infopeople
Webcast
Tuesday, January 27, 2004 1200 noon to 100 PM

• Presenter Eric Lease Morgan
• eric_morgan_at_infomotions.com

2
Technical Housekeeping

• Use Chat window to ask questions or post to group
• Click IM button to send a private message
• For technical problems, send IM to HorizonHelp
• Evaluation pops up during QA please fill it out
• Webcast is being archived will be available on
  Infopeoples website tomorrow

3
Topics To Be Discussed

• Think of a question
• Definition
• Similarities to librarianship
• Types of OSS
• Library-specific applications
• Empowering computer philosophy
• Infopeople online workshop
• Questions

4
Try To Answer This Question

• What problems are you having in your institution
  that might be addressed with computer technology?
  
• Put another way, if you could have a particular
  computer program written, then what would it do?

5
Open Source Software (OSS) is

• free as in free speech, not free beer.
• free as a free kitten.
• not shareware.
• not like homegrown systems.
• not in the public domain.
• an effort to retain control of computers.
• a philosophy of computing.

6
OSS and librarianship both

• value free data/information.
• put a premium on accessibility.
• represent gift cultures.
• exist to improve the state of society.
• use peer-review to determine/improve quality.
• endorse open standards.

7
Types of OSS

• Database applications
• HTTP servers and clients
• Programming languages and libraries
• Web browsers
• SMTP servers and clients
• Operating systems
• XML processors

8
Library-like OSS

• MARC record readers/writers
• Z39.50 servers and clients
• Online public access catalogs/ILSs
• Internet resource list managers
• Portal applications
• Indexers/search engines
• OAI data repositories and harvesters

9
More Library-like OSS

• Digital asset managers
• Citation managers
• Online reference applications
• Bibliographic data managers
• Preprint servers
• E-reserves systems
• Proxy servers

10
Simple Card Catalog
11
Home Page
12
Author Index
13
Title Index
14
Subject Index
15
Free-text Search Result
16
Detail Record View
17
Too Much Detail
18
OSS Empowers Libraries

• Open source software
• enables librarians and libraries to have more
  control over their computer technology.
• provides the means to explore and implement ways
  of doing librarianship without the reliance on a
  software vendor.
• illustrates how librarianship can facilitate
  library services and collections that go beyond
  book lending.
• enables libraries to meet the quickly changing
  information needs, desires, and expectations of
  users.

19
Infopeople Online Workshop

• Introduces students to the world of open source
  software
• Includes exercises using MARC data, databases,
  indexers, and XML
• February 24 - March 23, 2004http//infopeople.org
  /WS/workshop/Workshop/157/

20
Questions

• What sorts of computer applications would you
  like to see implemented in your particular
  library?
• Are there any other questions from the
  participants?

21
Full Text/Image Library
22
A Knowledge Manager
23
Database-driven Website
24
The End

• Eric Lease Morgan
• eric_morgan_at_infomotions.com
• http//infopeople.org/WS/workshop/Workshop/157/
• http//infomotions.com/musings/ossnlibraries-works
  hop/