Carl Grant, President of CARE Affiliates, gave us a wonderful presentation: Gone Open Yet? on open source software.
Grant gave us an introduction to open source software. He explained that open source software has its code widely available under a special license that allows users to change, improve and customize the software. It can then be redistributed to the community and shared to make the software better for everyone. It seems that most people who use computers use some sort of open source software, whether they realize it or not. Word Press, Open Office, FireFox, Apache, MySQL, Thunderbird, and Jabber are some of the most utilized open source software. As for libraries, open source is just beginning to rise in popularity. It seems like just in the past few years, we see open source as a viable option in libraries. The two most recognized open source names in the library field are probably Evergreen and Koha. Both are used by over 300 libraries. But what is it about these open source ILS? It seems that with all of the vendor consolidations and the commodity/infrastructure technology that people are naturally looking for different alternatives. Open source software are easier to procure, they are more reliable products, and there is no vendor lock in. They seem to have better functionality and are able to support a wide range of applications that are now available.
Since Grant came to the open source from the vendor world, he really has an understanding of both sides. Many vendors and skeptics will give libraries a list of disadvantages of open source. Grant tries to de-myth some of those.
Is open source really free?
-No, though the initial cost of a vendor ILS isn’t there, there are other costs associated with open source. Grant believes that in the long run open source will cost about the same as a commercial option, however, the open source ILS will be more of what you as the libraries want, and more of what your user expectations are.
What will it cost to add functionality?
-The great thing about open source is that adding functionality is easy. There may be a cost in staff time, but since all the code is open you can decided which function to add and what you can afford to add. In a vendor situation, you must just do without or purchase the package they have compiled and pay what they want you to pay.
Open source companies lack maturity and have no product road map.
-Grant says that this is absolutely not true, that open source companies have a much more defined road map than many of the vendors. The developers of open source love libraries and could be making more money elsewhere, but are devoted to making great software for libraries. They are not out for profit.
Is there really support?
-Open source is based on community. Most open source software companies have a large community website where developers share ideas. These sites have FAQs, wikis, blogs, and multiple facets for support. Since the code is open, there is often new features and code source on these websites too
Is open source viable over the long term?
-Open source software is no more or less viable than the commercial options. Other presentations have talked about vendor abandonment. Grant believes that because of the community aspect of open source, that there is less of a chance of fading away.
Grant concludes that open source has a very real, applicable place in libraries. It might not be the solution to every single library, but open source will really make the whole ILS market a better place.
