Sreedevi.v.s

Open Source Movement in Indian Libraries: An Analytical Study

SREEDEVI V.S

Holy grace Academy of Engineering for Women.

Mala

Agenda

Open Source Software (OSS)Why OSSOSS in Indian LibrariesOpen Source Library Management SoftwareOpen Source Digital Library/Institutional Repository SoftwareOpen Source Content Management SoftwareOpen Source Knowledge Base in IndiaOSS Hopes and challenge

What is Open Source Software ?

• Source Code• Free Redistribution• Derived Works• Non-Discriminatory• Non-Restrictive

Why OSS?

• Cost Effectiveness• Availability of Source Code• Open Standard and Vendor independence• Reduced Maintains Cost• Better Quality Control• Localization• Legally Free• Easy Evaluation

Open Source and Libraries: The Principles and Philosophy

• Sharing Information Freely with no restriction• In terms of user stratification both represent

culture of collaboration and problem solving to fulfill internal and external needs.

• Both depends on human interaction to improve their respective services.

• Open access is the main philosophy behind both libraries and OSS

Widely Used OSS Application

Operating System Linux

Web/ Proxy Server Apache/Squid Cache

Web Browsers Firefox,

Blogs Wordpress,Blogspot

Wikis Media Wiki, TikiWiki

Open Software Openoffice.org, PDF Creator

Content Management System Drupal, Joomla

Instant Messengers Gaim, Pidgin

Open Source Library Application Software

Integrated Library Management System

1. KOHA

2. Evergreen

Digital Library and Repositories

1. Dspace

2. Eprints

3. Fedora

4. Greenston

Continue…..

Metasearch Resolver

1. LibraryFind

2. CUFTS

OPACs

1. Vufind

2. SOPAC

3. Backlight

Open Source Software in Indian Library

• Greenstone (Digital Library)• Dspace (Institutional Repository)• Eprints (Institutional Repository)• Koha (Library Automation and Management)• Joomla (Content Management)• Drupal (Content Management)

These are the few software which are playing a great rule in library automation and management

And last…………

• NewGenLib

First Indian open source library automation and management software

Open Source DL/IR Software

Greenstone Digital Library Software

Suite of software for building digital library collection Developed by University of Waikato, New

Zealand in cooperation with UNESCO and the Human Info NGO

License under GNU General Public License

www.greenstone.org

Greenstone in India

• There are a good number of libraries are already using Greenstone , few of them are

• Archieve of Indian Labour• Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode• Indian Institute of Science Publication Database• Electronics Thesis and Dissertation , IITB

Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode provide support for Greenstone in South Asia

details you can visit through http://greenstonesupport.iimk.ac.in/

Open Source DL/IR Software

Dspace

Is a ground breaking digital institutional repository that captures, stores, indexes, preserves and redistributes the intellectual output of a university’s research in digital format.

Developed jointly by MIT libraries and Hewlett Packard

License under BSD distribution www.dspace.org

Dspace in India

• More than 25 libraries are using Dspace for IR.• A good number of workshop and advocacy

programming running through out in India to support Dspace in india

Organization like DRTC, INFLIBNET are supporting Dspace in India.

Open Source DL/IR Software

Eprints

It is an open source software to build high quality high value repository for research article, thesis , scientific data, multimedia artefacts.

Developed by School of Electronic and Computer Science, University of Southampton, UK

Eprints Continue…….

Eprints in India

More than 8 institution are using eprints as Institutional Repository.

Few of them are IISC, Bangalore , NAL Bangalore, National Center for Catalysis Research, IIT Madras

IISC, Bangalore is one of the fastest growing repository in India and World, having collection near about 12,000.

Open Source Integrated Library Software

KOHA

Is an integrated library management system for managing all major functions of a physical library

Developed in 1999 by a small team of programmer, designer and librarian in New Zealand to fulfill the needs of Horowhenua Library Trust

KOHA Feature

• Faceted Navigation• Browse by Most Popular• Rss Feeds• Amazon Reviews• Virtual Shelves Book List• Enriched Content- Images• Virtual Shelves Book List

KOHA in India

More than 15 Institutes are using Koha

A good number of workshop have been conduct to promote koha.

Large Academic and research libraries are also look in to koha for their library management.

Delhi Public Library is the chain of public library using koha.

And Big news is kerala govt declaration of using koha in all govt. library.

Open Source Integrated Library Software

NewGenLib

It is an integrated library management system developed jointly by Kesavan Institute of Information and Knowledge Management (KIIKM) and Verus Solution Pvt. Ltd. (VSPL).

Continue…..

NewGenLib Feature:

Web based functional module

Compatibility with different standard

Z39.50 client for federated searching

Unicode 3.0 complaint

RFID integration

Support Multi user and multiple security level

NewGenLib Continue……

122 libraries are using NewGenLib.

Not only in India its used outside India also.

Banaras Hindu University, Goa University, Osmania University, Bangalore University are few of them.

Open Source Content Management Software (CMS)

What is CMS:

• Content Management System is a computer application used to create, edit, manage and publish content in a consistently organized fashion .

• It has multifunctional application. It is capable to create a powerful portal website in a matter of minute.

• Create web content without knowing any code.• Content stored in a database back-end and edited/create

with web programming language. Joomla (http://www.joomla.org/) Drupal (http://drupal.org)

Drupal

Drupal is a free software package that allows an individual or a community of users to easily publish, manage and organize a wide variety of content on a website

• Community web portal• Discussion sites• Corporate web sites• Internet Application• Personal Websites• E-commerce application• Social Networking Sites • Library Websites

OSS Knowledge Base In India

• Workshops• Conferences• Training programmes• LIS Courses• Projects

OSS Benefit

• Access to source code and ability and right to modify it

• No License Fee• Flexibility and Customization• No Vendor lock in• Low risk of discontinued services• Integration with other systems• Support Choices• OSS Community• Documentation

Benefit

• Empowering Indian Libraries in the cutting edge of library budget due to its low start up cost

• Libraries of all kind and size can use open source software like koha, newgenlib, library manager

• Indian Libraries can maintain their local variation

Hopes

• Small libraries will take full advantage of library automation and management software

• Large libraries are now taking interest on open source

• Kerala govt declare to automate all the govt. libraries with koha library automation software. there are will be more in pipeline….

• More and more libraries are bending towards open source solution

OSS Challenge

• Steep learning curve• Risk of discontinued community involvement• Nobody is really responsible in case any problem

OSS Challenge

• Library Professional should have to acquire adequate knowledge to acquainted with open source software

• May be initial cost is zero supporting the software over life time may involve considerable cost.

• There is no customer support although there are forum

Conclusion:

• ILS adoption make its almost Inevitable that it will represent an increasing portion of the library automation landscape on coming year.

Set of companies came out and support of open source e.g Liblime, openlx (india) for koha

• OSS provide direct and active role to librarian to reshaping their libraries.

• GSDL, Dspace, GNU E-prints, KOHA are the most Popular open source software used in Indian Libraries.

• There is a need of more workshops to help library professional to learn OSS, seeing the vast scope of OSS in Indian Library Market.

• Libraries of all kind and all sizes are beneficiaries of the open Source Software.

• OSS needs a well planned direction, standard practices, appropriate policies and legislations for its growth in Indian Libraries

In India open source software will have to come and stay in a big way for the benefit of our billion of people. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

Thanks & Regards

Librarian Holy grace Academy of Engineering for

Women. Mala, PIN 680735

[email protected]