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Integrating with Open Source
Nick Dimant – Managing Director, PTFS EuropeJonathan Field – Technical Director, PTFS Europe
Who we areCurrent frustrationsIs open source the answer?Open source support companiesImplementing an open source solution Conclusion
Integrating The Open Source Option
Encouraging you to see open source software as a valid, sustainable option
Purpose of presentation
Nick DimantManaging Director, PTFS Europe
Jonathan FieldTechnical Director, PTFS Europe
Who we are
The leading provider of digital archiving solutions in North America
• Formed in 1995 - desktop imaging, integrated library systems and custom search systems
• First release of ArchivalWare digital archiving solution – 2000
• June 2008 – Support of open source library management software
A company formed in 2007 to distribute and support open source library products and the software products of PTFS, Inc
• Local presence• Local expertise• Local training• Local support• Focused on European context• Backed up by major US presence
PTFS Europe
Representative of open source support companies
PTFS Europe
Current state of the Library Management System market
• Stagnant, mature market• A few main vendors• Domination of private equity companies • Confusion over product direction– Discontinuation of systems
• Slow pace of development• Functionality lag– Lack of Web 2.0 capability
• Obsolete technologies• Declining levels of customer service• Increasing costs
Current LMS Frustrations
Is open source the answer?
What is Open Source Software (OSS)?• A worldwide community develops and maintains it• You can download, instal and modify it yourself• There are companies whose business model is to help you
implement and support it, e.g.:– Biblibre– Equinox– PTFS– Alpha G
• Free from lock in with single supplier• Tend to use next generation technologies• The software is free
Kittens are Free
There is a cost of ownership
• Staff time• Support costs• Infrastructure
So, it’s not free, but ....
• Lower implementation costs• Cheaper on-going costs• Freedom to move between vendor• Freedom to develop what you want• Freedom to collaborate and share• Freedom to move quickly
Market share
• OSS LMS is now largest single source of new name installations in North America – outstripping proprietary vendors
• Good presence in Indian market• Good presence in France• Minimal presence in UK until recently
Open Source LMS software
• Koha for special, government, legal, college libraries?
• Evergreen for university and public libraries?
Where is OSS successful?
Where there are capable local support bases:– USA– Canada– India– France– Australia and NZ– Growing in the UK
How an open source support company can help
• Expertise with open source LMS software• Experience in library automation• Commercial organisation with proven track record
Procurement
Procurement can be a major obstacle;PTFS Europe can make contractual commitments• Tender response• Functionality• Timescales• Cost• Support contract
Financial benefitsFinancial benefits• No software license costs• Major savings on annual maintenance• Significantly lower hosting costs• Lower daily rate for professional services– Implementation– Training– Custom work– Software development
• Unanticipated Efforts• Lack of coordination• Inadequate technical support• Customisation needed, lack of technical skill• How to implement, train, support?
Addressing Disadvantages of Open Addressing Disadvantages of Open Source SoftwareSource Software
There are companies whose business model is to help you implement and support open source software
Addressing Disadvantages of Open Source Software
What to look for from a commercial What to look for from a commercial organisation offering assistanceorganisation offering assistance
• Knowledge of library environment• Commitment to library sector• Support organisation already in place• Implementation package• Ongoing support• Hosting (SaaS)• Software development capability
What to look for from a commercial What to look for from a commercial organisation offering assistanceorganisation offering assistance
• Installation and configuration of LMS• Data extraction from current LMS• Data conversion and loading into LMS• Training
Implementation package
• Ensure there is a solid, resilient support infrastructure in place
Ongoing support
• Server managed for you• You still manage and control your LMS• LMS upgraded for you• Annual fee
Hosting
Software development
• When is a bug not a bug?• Refine the workflow• Develop functionality• Provide whole new capabilities• Integration and interoperability• FAST development and lead times
• A survey November-December 2008• Carried out by Ian Haydock, Keele University
The use of Open Source software by UK Higher Education libraries
• We are unaware of what software is available• We need software which is not currently available via Open
Source• We don't have time or staffing to set up these applications• We don't have time or staffing to maintain these applications• Paid-for systems offer better support in a crisis• Our institution restricts use of Open Source software
Why doesn't your Library make more use of Open Why doesn't your Library make more use of Open Source software?Source software?
• We are unaware of what software is available (9)• We need software which is not currently available via Open
Source (4)• We don't have time or staffing to set up these applications
(19)• We don't have time or staffing to maintain these
applications (23)• Paid-for systems offer better support in a crisis (8)• Our institution restricts use of Open Source software (4)
Why doesn't your Library make more use of Open Source software?
Opportunity:• Benefits of open source software and next
generation technologies• High quality implementation and support services• Reduced cost• Increased autonomy• Opportunities to collaborate• Fast development• Low risk
Conclusion
You don’t have to do it yourself!
Technical Integration
Jonathan Field
Anyone use Facebook?..Anyone use Facebook?..
• Do you use Facebook?• Do your children use Facebook?• Do your grandchildren use Facebook?!• Why does this matter to libraries?
– 300 million people around the world are now actively using Facebook and almost half of them are using Facebook every day
– If Facebook were a country, it would be the eighth most populated in the world, just ahead of Japan, Russia and Nigeria
– Facebook hit 150,000,000 just about two months after reaching 120 million and about four months after reaching 100 million. The site hit 140 million in the middle of December 2008 and has 300 million at September 2009.
• Facebook is a huge success story in Web 2.0– It has made it mainstream
• How does your LMS compare with Facebook?• How many Web 2.0 features can you find in
your current LMS or OPAC?
Web 2.0
• Characteristics of Web 2.0– Social networking– Folksonomies (Tagging)– Software application through a browser (no client software)– Interfaces and applications based on technologies such as Ajax– Content syndication– Plugins and extensions– Authoring (comments, suggestions etc.)– XML and RSS– Web APIs
Open Source LMS’s are leading the way in bringing Web 2.0 to libraries
• No access to source code• “hooks” often not there• Lack of publicly available documentation for DB
schema/API etc.• Lack of modern integration tools• Slow take-up of standards• Cost – You may have to pay your provider to develop
what you need• Lack of interest in third party applications / projects
Integration Barriers of traditional LMS systems
Examples of how an Open Source LMS can be integrated with these technologies and bring
Library 2.0 to your library
Koha ILS (www.koha.org)Evergreen ILS (www.open-ils.org)
Tagging
Hey! I got tagged (mediated by me)...
Patrons tag items...
We build up a “tag cloud” or
folksonomy...
Tagging from LibraryThing (Mashups) ...
With tagging it’s hard to build meaningful
data from small communities, so..
Software Application through a browser
My whole application through the browser...
No client software to load...
Software Application through a mobile device
Content Syndication
Integration with Enriched ContentGoogle Books, Amazon etc.
Integration with Enriched ContentGoogle Books, Amazon etc.
Integration with Enriched ContentGoogle Books, Amazon etc.
Integration with Enriched ContentGoogle Books
Integration with Enriched ContentAmazon Reviews
Plugins and extensions
Integration with Enriched ContentAmazon Descriptions
Integration with CitationsZotero (http://www.zotero.org/)
Integration with CitationsZotero (http://www.zotero.org/)
Authoring
Hey! I got commented on (mediated by me)...
Staff mediated comments
XML and RSS
Integration with Output Formats
Integration with Output FormatsMARCXML
Integration with OAI-PMHOpen Archives Initiative
(http://www.openarchives.org/)
Integration with RSS
All my news comes via my RSS Reader...
Integration with RSS
Integration with RSS
Integration with RSS – Reading Lists
Integration with RSS
Integration with xISBN(FRBR)
• ThingISBN• xISBN – (WorldCat)
• PINES OISBN
Web APIs
Integration with Digital Archive
Integration with Federated Searching - Commercial
• Authentication– LDAP
• Well documented, open, proven, tools. LDAP Perl module
• SIP2– Self Checkout machines– PC Reservation
• z39.50• SQL• EDI
Of course we can still do all the standard integration (the “old” stuff!)
But that’s so last century!
• Developers working in disparate locations• Projects can just “die”• Support issues• Not knowing that someone else in the world
has the same requirement as you
Disadvantages
• Availability of source code• Forum for democratic action• Lots of opportunities for Mashups• Parallel development programmes (e.g. Koha
currently has at least 2 Acquisitions modules)• Opportunities to leverage Web 2.0 trends • Fast development• Exciting!
Advantages
Integration can make all the difference to the success or failure of an open source project
• Corporate integration enables open source software to sit comfortably within the overall corporate context
• Technical integration ensures the system inter-operates with other resources and maximises the potential offered by the technologies used
Conclusion
Integrating with Open Source
Nick Dimant – Managing Director, PTFS EuropeJonathan Field – Technical Director, PTFS Europe
