Open Source for Your ILS - Not Entirely Free

Perhaps you are considering a new ILS for your library either as a replacement for an old one or maybe it’s time to finally let go of the card catalog and automate. In the past libraries have relied upon commercial vendors for interface products. These vendors can sometimes be slow in offering products that utilize cutting edge technology that is up to par with the commercial web presence. “In this new age, the incumbent companies might face competition not just from other vendors in the same niche, but also from companies from related industries and especially from libraries and other organizations creating their own alternatives, using both open source and proprietary toolkits” (Breeding, 2007, p. 35). Open source products such as Koha, Evergreen, and Fac-Back-OPAC are gaining in popularity among libraries. These open source systems allow for the library to customize the interfaces and systems as they see fit. This is a freedom not offered by traditional vendors. Another major benefit of open source products is their price tag. Open source software by definition is free of charge. This is an incredible boost to cash strapped libraries.

However, there are also major considerations in adopting an open source system, as pointed out by the creators of Fac-Back-OPAC. “These include obtaining the technical expertise to provide implementation and support, hardware costs, and some “must-have” functionality that some proprietary ILS vendors offer but that Fac-Back-OPAC doesn’t currently support” (Beccaria & Scott, 2007, p. 54). If technical personnel aren’t available then one will have to be hired or a staff member will have to learn the skills necessary to run the system. There is also the need to purchase the appropriate hardware needed to run the program. These systems have been tested on Linux and Windows, but can be run on any operating platform in theory. The appropriate servers will need to be purchased and the amount of RAM needed will depend largely on collection size. These are two costs that are often overlooked when a library considers the switch to open source library systems. It is apparent that while open source products provide a great alternative to the current commercial offerings it is an area not to enter into lightly. A great deal of consideration must be given to the pros and cons of turning away from traditional interface products. Open source integrated library systems can be wonderful things for library budgets, but only if the required staff expertise and hardware are available.

References:
Beccaria, M., & Scott, D. (2007). FAC-Back-OPAC: An open source interface to your library system. Computers in Libraries, Oct, 6-8, 53-56.

Breeding, M. (2007). The Birth of a New Generation of Library Interfaces. Computers in Libraries. Oct., 34-37.