28 Library Technology Reports www.techsource.ala.org May—June 2007 ing toWilliams. what ‘everyone’ has, wants, and can find help for,” that’s accord “because terminals Windows-based implement to chose manylibraries cost, acquisition on only based OSS against products Comparing libraries. the to es licens Microsoftdonated when sourcesolutions open- at seriously look to begun just had group the and Maintenance Technology Low Project to those efforts, support Cost, Low the founded Williams technology. their of sustainability the on focus to began systems library al familiar tomany. Texasin funding technology of is Williams’s Robert story of givenover technology been lots past the decade. Consultant have programs, federal and state of variety a and were backthen.” libraries Carnegie-built as today down turn to afford not massive a donation of time, energy,“as and products youis can software open- says he 1900, in building a without library a run could you than today software out ago. acentury braries O Using OpenSource That’s when Williams and in others Texasthe region tended, and funding effectively ended in 2003. access.Unfortunately, that legislation was not ex public for especially technology, state-of-the-art gain to ableTexaswas in librarysmall every So funding). (LARGE technology implementing for viding grant funds for public libraries and schools The State of Texas passed legislation in 1995 pro grants Foundation Gates to thanks libraries, But with library a run more no can you that Explaining Chapter 8 Chudnov, who likens it to the gift of Carnegie li Carnegie of gift the to it likensChudnov, who Dan developer software and librarian to cording ac ignore, to valuable too is software pen-source 3 1 2 ------Springs, Illinois. The scanning was done in-house, using in-house, done was scanning The Illinois. Springs, ing their collection of photos of the community of Western Western Springs Historical Society began work on digitiz and easy. free was it because OSS workingwith began time, the at moretasks.” andmore difficult tackle to confidence the developed we systems own our rolling comfortable more became we fit. “As good found a OSS but 1990s, late the in small started Pa., Crawford County, System, Library Federated County Crawford the for administrator system and Pa., Meadville, Library, easy.can bequite OSS can be difficult for some. And yet, for many it others, to leap discovered,the Williams making as But, up. dries open-source evaporate money when software—doesn’t the individuals willbenefit.” which “schools and a lot of organizations community and from solution a term, long overthe “the solution” viable only as source open to points Williams make, libraries investments training the also but technology, the taining costnot justof main the Citing can’t sustain. they ments invest technology with stranded again libraries leaving osity, like Texaswon’t last the grants, forever, technology http://lclmt.com Technology Project Low Cost,Maintenance But Williams also worries that the Microsoft’s gener the that worries also Williams But n 05 te hms od eoil irr and Library Memorial Ford Thomas the 2005, In FordThomas Library Memorial with Aaron Schmidt, John Brice, executive director of the Meadville Public Licensed Public General software—GNU “free” Truly 4 5

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And in March 2006, a resident sent in his own history own his in sent resident a 2006, March in And I just ran into this site, and it was very interest Springs Western different a know I Although ing. (I lived there from 1992 as a newlywed at 4724 Lawn to 2003 and am now in Hinsdale), I could almost see the town as you have described it. It With the success of the first site, Schmidt began work work began Schmidt site, first the of success the With Schmidt’s a bit shy to admit that he’s also happy And the with community responded appreciation. “We were able to give people in the community a In one comment, a patron began, “My grandparents Western Springs Newspaper Obituary Springs Newspaper Index Western http://fordlibrary.org/obits 12 Figure 2: Figure voice,” voice,” Schmidt says, pointing to some of the houses in the Western Springs History site and the conversations that have sprung up in the comments there (see figure 4). thatMerle owned and Fred Rose house . . . ,” withpatrons responded their memories of the place. of the town for publication on the site, garnering even more comments and history from the community. the this: site discovered and offered former resident One to Google’s maps, he notes “that’s part of the magic of a matter just APIs, it’s of connecting the right pieces.” papers local twothe in obituaries catalogingsite new a on leverages WordPress, on built also site, This 3). figure (see make to features browsing and searching application’s the it easy for users to explore the 3,100 entries input so far 2007). (early about how the two sites draw considerable Internet traf having is library the success the of sign a library, the to fic in making the information available. Map showing locations of historic houses in Western Springs. Map showing locations of historic houses in Western ------8 10 7 6 9 Schmidt also liked the opportunity to experiment. He experiment. opportunitytheto liked also Schmidt And going And from going idea to solution was easy too: it “All But among the top reasons Schmidt cited for using The database-driven architecture also made it easy to architecture The database-driven “Western Springs is an active community, and I know know I and community, active an is Springs “Western The result, online now, represented each of the homes the of each represented now, online result, The Schmidt immediately thought of using WordPress, an WordPress, using of thought immediately Schmidt Western Springs History Western www.westernspringshistory.org and streets visually (see figure 2). “Right after this site launched the Google maps API came out and it how seemed out afternoon figuring an spent I So fit. natural a like to best utilize it, and came up sitewith theWordPress thein connectdata to this.” was it easy how Emphasizing it strengthened the partnership with the historical society with the the historical partnership it strengthened community. the to services interactive new, offered and had originally given the site a custom design, but “grew aftertheme current the implemented later and it,” of tired also He source. open as available those among it found he the explore houses and see to users allowing map, a built scribe it,” according to Schmidt. scribe it,” according took was getting the domain and hosting, and I was able to start creating the pages.” Schmidt didn’t need to get approval before starting work, and once it was way the running, for site the like to grew quickly administration the WordPress was how easy it was to manage. “I didn’t have “I didn’t have to manage. easy it was how was WordPress appli an finding admits,so he thework,” of all do timeto impor was use and learn cationthatquickly others could thatboth use, of public ease to delivered tant.WordPress users and to library and historical society staff posting new content. “‘Email things to the web,’ was how I’d de more more details than we had in the historical society files,” explained Schmidt on the importance of the comments. search and explore the site, con and because WordPress engines search other and Google browse-able, easily is tent there. users to available it making content, the index can that people would have content to add. I knew they’d have have they’d knew I add. to content have would people that solved many of the many face.” issues I would solved ad street per page page—one own its on community the of dress—and included all the info the historical society had comments. as a formabout the for as well address, tools to put those online. images open-source content management application, to display the photos. was the“WordPress obvious choice,” in part an was it because and senses),” both (in free is “it because open-source application, he “figured people had already a “fancy new copy machine/printer/scanner” the library had leased. Aaron Schmidt had assembled thenents to compo deliver archival TIFF images from the photos, as well as a inworkflow Adobe Photoshop toWeb- make files TIFFs, but from ready those large the libraryhad no 30 Library Technology Reports www.techsource.ala.org May—June 2007 The obituaryindex isbrowsablebylastname. Figure 3: what’s see always can parents and students “so Moodle, in classes his all for assignments homework his all posts our students.” She offers of story the a teacher math who with communication improved It’s convenient. “very it’s says “I love it, it’s adding wonderfulthat for our district,” use itquickly.” could they so imported, students the all get to able was day.a in running and “Andgetup to Moodle wasable he who administrator, network the to it mentioned she so another LMS, havean didn’t Sanborn from requestedit. system school it with familiar was who teacher a when submit to online(see figurehomework 5). assignments students allow and quizzes and tests, sions, discus class online offer as well as online, content tional deliverinstruc teachers helps that LMS, or system, ment open-sourcean Moodle, using is system manage learning source.school open The with getstarted to found easy it also Hampshire, New southeastern in Schools Regional it. maintaining spendlesstime works, they is up to speed on how it staff working,” the and now that were things sure making and comments approving week per hours two maybe spent “we launched, first was site the When maintained.” easily is it but going, site the get and WP install to around be to needed skills Web with brary, the projects are continuing without him. “Someone ih h poet o i is eod er Sheehan year, second its in now project the With software the at looking started she says Sheehan Maureen Sheehan, technology integrator for Sanborn li the from on moved since has Schmidt Though had aboutwhatusedtobewhere. I questions many answered have you and time, simpler much a in place simpler a like sounds

16 14 15 - - - - The Western SpringsHistorypageforthehouse at4620 for time spent training the teachers. the spenttraining for time havebeen costs only the far so that notes who Sheehan, wasgavefreeit moreme confidence,”that says fact “The product. commercial a buy to having from it save will and ments requirenew wellforit the positioned has out, turns it as source, open to leap earlier system’s school The system.” “e-portfolio an as Moodle use to planning is district the says Sheehan work, their of portfolios maintain students in Moodle. online reading their of discussions in-class continue to students asks who teacher English an of story well the as as worksheets,” the download and assigned, been Grand Figure 4: on Koha 2.2),Koha ZOOM (basedonKoha 3.0). availableversions,is Koha for(based Classic two support Koha solutions. hosted and turnkey as well as solutions, self-managed for support offering ILSs, open-source two an open-source from 2001to2003. ILS to move library’s the led he where Ohio, Library, Public Nelsonville at administrator systems as experience his on with that need. Ferraro established LibLime in 2005 based familiar is Ferraro Joshua LibLime’sway. the along port sup some need may do who number a even and source, http://moodle.org Moodle And the price was one of the biggest selling points. points. selling biggest the of one was price the And an upcoming requirementNoting that state from the Today, the company supports Koha and Evergreen, and Koha supports company the Today, open into leap to quick so is everybody not But . 17 18

19 - - Library Technology Reports www.techsource.ala.org May—June 2007 31

- pair have - - The

and 1990s. 2001, late late 24 in the in it 22 with conference 23 OSS We first got involved with OSS about eight about with OSS involved got first We first their 25 Both answered questions about Meadville’s use of When did you get startedWhen get did you with open source? Murdock: years years ago. I’d always had a knack for working with computers but very little formal or experience, so John hired a retired meteorology professor who had been working with OSS as me a the basics. We hobby worked together on to a number of show our early projects—replacing our NT-based Web and it to you. What you pay for is the service of creat of servicethe is for pay you What you. to it ing, and of delivering it. The long term effect is that because the is reduced, the cost cre overall ation is process only paid once. Additionally, for it typically results in a support model, which means competition purely forms services-based around the best value added than the around software services, itself. rather Though Ferraro likes to point out how easy it is to Speaking on the real value of OSS to libraries, with thatis OSS difference [The] the software is license to someone pay don’t You free. ultimately presenters at conferences since. been regular Q: of Open Source John Brice, executive director of Public Library the (see figure Meadville 6) and (Pa.) system administratorCounty Library Federated the(Pa.) System, for Crawford network Meadville administrator Murdock, for Cindy and Public Library and Crawford County Federated Library System, have been strong advocates of OSS since they began experimenting OSS. held In Detail: Meadville’s Embrace In Detail: Meadville’s marketing effortsmarketing fail, the product is orphaned,” but with OSS the library can continue on its own, even “hiring a maintain to programmer it.” migrate to or from OSS, he’s also proud to point to his company’s growth. LibLime recently aquired the original developers of Koha and has “seen a recent surge in the number of libraries looking to move to open systems.” And the company offers a full range of services to make solu support, hosting, turnkey including easier, themove tions;datamigration,extraction, verification;import, and strongest our thesay I’d theof end training.and day, “At qualityserviceof theis point timeunderstand to take we each client’s needs, and effort we put into helping them improve their workflow, reduce cost, andtechnology realize goals.” their notes: Ferraro

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be obtained from withone vendor; OSS, anyone the service.can provide open-source the of strengththe to points also Ferraro they thehave opportunity to look for elsewhere support. With a proprietary product, support(customization, feature development, servicesand often even maintenance and tech support) can only One of the advantages of OSS is that the part deal of is “no vendor lock-in.” So if offeringtheisn’t LibLime services best customers, our to veloped several profiles that meet the specialized the meet that profiles several veloped needs of each library type. In this way, all can take advantage of the core system while main taining individuality. The company happily responds to “OSS friendly Working with Working public, academic, and special libraries, Because our products are so flexible,we’ve de Figure 5: Figure A Moodle page for a physics class. that have embraced it and are supporting its development. development. supportingits are and it embraced have that But comparing OSS to , he explains “vendor’s a when because lower thattheis withrisk OSS community as a feature of communitytheir as a feature offerings, explaining that libraries of thenumber on largely based is success Koha’s RFPs,” though a growing number of going libraries the are RFP for process and contracting for service. short-term Ferraro Ferraro says he “can’t really identify a single type of li brary than other”open source. ready any that’s for more 32 Library Technology Reports www.techsource.ala.org May—June 2007 http://meadvillelibrary.org Meadville PublicLibrary Q: environment for circulation and public catalogs. Windowsalonger need no will sinceweclients, thin ableto convert anumber of our older computers into be willKohawethereafter. soonto migrate weOnce followlibrariestoeight other our with Aprilearly in ies to the Koha ILS; we should be migrating Meadville OpenOffice. and Thunderbird, Firefox, as such tools OSS utilize weWindows, use still do we where and alone Linux workstations for both staff and the public, librarieswell.stand-fewWehavealsootherasaour Internet access. Soon we’ll be using them in several of we’reusing clientsthin based LTSP onthe for public pf, squid, squidGuard, and DansGuardian). At Meadville Internet firewalling, proxying, and filtering (OpenBSD’s Toolkit, etc.), e-mail (qmail, squirrelmail,Portal WordPress,Scout(Apache, sitesthe Web SpamAssassin),our environment. computing our over control extensive more us give to also but savelicensingcosts to only avoidcommercialto whenever productspossible, not not just Linux but also OpenBSD and FreeBSD. Wesourceopenoperatingsystems, of variety wide try a use Murdock: the library? How isOSSserving upgraded tobroadband connections. libraries the when [newer systems] with them placed well for about three or four years, when we slowly re worked computers The drive. floppy the off up boot cards whole thing network and modems and had the some installed drives, hard the out ripped each, $20 for 486’s Compaq old ten purchased We computer. new one of cost the than less for project whole the He suggested we could do station. his home weather who had been using Linux for about five years torun professor college retired a to married was librarians rural my of One solution. source closed a use to get bud a have not did we libraries, rural seven our for Brice: back in2000. stations for Internet public server project] server nal together our wasect firstputting LTSP [Linuxtermi proj OSS-based “solo” first My filtering. Internet for our smaller libraries, and learning to use squidGuard at connections dialup sharing routers as old computers reusing Linux, running one with server e-mail Our biggest project to date is migrating our librar for tools source open using we’reCounty-wide, Back around 1999 we needed a router/firewall OSS is serving us in quite a lot of ways. We - - - - -

The homepageoftheMeadvillePublicLibrary. Figure 6: Q: Q: now. We actually preferred another possible another preferred actually Wenow. years four about for Koha at looking been haveWe Brice: Tell me more aboutthe switchto Koha. tookalmostbased Kiosksystem ayear. Web- the while weeks few a just took server backup likethe projects Some rule. fast hardand a not This system. completed a production into get and debug test, beta hardware, appropriate acquire prototype, research, to year a to months six between takes ally Itusu another. begin we before project one finish Brice: were the landmarksWhat along the way? sometime in the next month or so. we are planning to migrate to Koha circulation system reallylike thatprogram). The big news though is that magazinebarcodes andMARC records (ourlibrarians generate firewall, can special programthat OSS a an haveWetoo). solution developed (Cindythatnology client thin on based is that design kiosk filtering solution using OSS programs. We have a Web in all nine of our libraries. We have developed our own source apps. We have an OSS wireless router running we will slowly move the other staff computers to open nextyearthe staff. Inmydesktop IT does the soand on Linux use personally I Amanda. called Maryland ofUniversity the from softwareusing night each up Web hosting, etc. off OSS. All of the servers are backed Brice:

Well,we have a LAMP server so we run e-mail, Well, you can write a book about using Koha.using about Well,book a youwrite can e o n poet t tm ad e r to try we and time a at project one do We oss os tech circ - - Library Technology Reports www.techsource.ala.org May—June 2007 33

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Yes, Yes, I am more comfortable with that. We We build upon success. We view our Open Well let’s Well look at how a commercial company With open source we make sure that the pro In our experiences we have found OS software Crawford County Federated County Federated Crawford Library System http://ccfls.org or a bug, you usually can contact the person wrote who the program or someone writing who code is for the currently next upgrade. the In problem can be most fixed through an cases e-mail or two. to be more reliable and we receive than faster commercial. However, you supporthave to realize that product? Murdock: gained from so using much OSS that We’ve want we to give something back, and getting the out by word doing presentations and helping others on mailing can do that. we lists two are ways A common criticism of OSS is no thatcom there’s supportingpany it. What’s on that? take your Brice: supports their software. Usually a software company has a special department of individuals who answer data a on usually, answers, their base They questions. program the by developed was that questions of base have you If questions. answered previous on and mers has usually problem that then bug a or problem new a to go through customer service department over to programmers the where department programming the do. to else anything have don’t they when it to get may gram we use has an active community with list FAQ that is updated on a regular basis. Most you problems will have can be answered lic through FAQ the lists. If pub you have an uncommon problem It sounds like you’ve become very comfortable withverycomfortable become you’ve like sounds It view risksOSS. How so? Do you the differently? Brice: Source Projects as building infrastructure. startWe nec not implementingprojects by small thated were comfort more became we critical.As mission essarily the developed systems we confi our own able rolling and more tackle to cockiness) say would (some dence difficult more tasks. You’ve both made a number of presentations, and I’ve seen a number of messages from you on mail that withthe comfortabledoing more you Are lists. not promoting that a commercial knowledge you’re Q: Q: Q:

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I made the decision to use WordPress. It’s It’s working out rather well. I replace the Most Most of our librarians have taken to managing We had We been using static pages, Web and I was Koha had what is a common problem called scal called problem common a is what had Koha

regrets; regrets; I’ve been pretty happy with the decision to use WordPress. Our on-staff programmer has even created a plugin for it so the librarians can update their library hours without help. my the only person who knew how to edit to up informationthem, keep to so consuming timerather was it librarianscould our WordPress to switching date.By create their own Web content othertime my pursuits. for freed it and HTML, know without having to any had I’ve that say can’t I well. rathercontenttheir If I recall, I began sites converting our (not libraries’ just Web Meadville’s, but the the county main site library for each of the other libraries) to WordPress. system, http://ccfls.org, and maintenance; once the server is configured I rarely have to do anything to it, and there are no worries about viruses, and other , such annoyances. The library site Web runs on How WordPress. was thatdecision made, and when? Murdock: server about every two years, but I’m still using our original thin clients from eight years ago. Presently we have nine thin clients for public Internet more access, twelve adding be I’ll Koha to switch we once but for circulation and public catalogs. They’re very low libraries from our current circ system (Winnebago) to Koha. thinThe clients are a many libraries.step for huge out in Meadville? How’d it work Murdock: 2005 we decided to go the open source route and selected Koha. However, before implementing it we hired LibLime to create a version of Koha that used increase significantly to technology indexing different the speed of the transactions. The new index ware soft became operational at the beginning of 2007 and we are just about ready to begin transitioning was was about 75 percent the size of acceptable. barely just Nelsonville speed was our system and ability. What worked fine for a library with 50,000 books would not work for 300,000. a After we evaluated library in system with system called OpenBook but that became . thatbecame but OpenBook called system We originally did not like Koha because it did not use MARC, but Nelsonville, Ohio, paid to add MARC in 2002. When we visited Nelsonville in 2002 we be came concerned about the system speed. Nelsonville Q: Q: 34 Library Technology Reports www.techsource.ala.org May—June 2007 Q: Q: Q: Q: and most weOSS of that the use is fairly standard, it open, nature by is OSS since but not), or software proprietary more used we whether transition, such my successor (I think that would be the case with any to ropes the show to have certainly would I leave to were I If systems. our with familiar is who one only the not I’m least at so department, IT our in person haveWeanother do though. question, Good :) soon. Murdock: happensifyou leave? What outhow the environment. figuring toconfigure time haps had bothered to document it), so I spent a lot of few haddoneso(orper ofitin2000,very stallation in first our On LTSPterminals. the forenvironment desktop the down locking example, For thing. same the do to wanted or done had that there out few others were there because do to do wanted to I how something researching time of lot a spend to had Murdock: Any goals. different with thoughts? people in brings also but community, user software’s the of size the es increas That libraries. to specific is using you’re software the of none Koha, of exception the With on. carry to want don’t developers original the if project the forking or over taking else someone of prospect the least at is there OSS, with least At upgrade? the for pay to want don’t and using you’reversion the with happy you’re the but using, for you’re software support of version drops company a when happens Murdock: market up? dries company’s that if what but commitment, long-term and support of veneer a offers commercial product a Buying sustainability? about What frustrating!!! Murdock: software? vs.proprietary tive produc more it supporting spent time makes OSS using people of community larger the feel you Do library. inthe tions solu based Linux support and develop, to order in someone us) to but teach it does have to be in house This structure. is a skill that can be learned (we hired directory file the and commands line command Unix or Linux understands who member staff a need you Yes, that’s Theretrue. have been times I’ve We’ve had exactly that happen. Also, what We’ve happen. Also, that had exactly Yeah, that is certainly true. And far less far And true. certainly is that Yeah, I’m not planning on doing so anytime anytime so doing on planning not I’m - - - - -

Q: Q:

o i te eiinmkn ad prvl process approval and decision-making the is How to get ittowork for us. unable was company the and database, our of track serve up our on collection the Internet. It kept losing wecatalog purchased from severalthem years ago to Web-based a is example Another lock-in. vendor of mercy the at be wouldn’twe that Koha,so chose we reason one That’s Circ/Cat. with staying up wound and it with dissatisfied were but product, Sagebrush newer a to migrating tried We all. at it supporting is Sagebrush) (now Winnebago that believe don’t I years, the over workhorse the quite been it’s While from is Winnebago Circ/Cat, a DOS-based circ system. Murdock: Can you say more? before. supported longer no vendor the that soft ware proprietary with stuck been you’ve say You take over. Nobody’s irreplaceable. ;) to able be would and tools OSS in well-versed was that else someone find to difficult too be not would to deal with county or city purchasing department. orcity county to dealwith rein. We are a nonprofit so corporation free we don’t haveme gives board my then minimal, is difference with open source results as compared to commercial and cost the same the produce can I If orientated. year or more without any support needed by the staff. a for running and up been have servers our of Most and works without the need for constant maintenance. system is developed, the software year.just works every and works money company another pay to nothave do we and upgrade to want we when upgrade can we and it, support we it, know we us, to longs be solution the completed When costs. ongoing the however,in big, saveis we Where solution. software commercial a of cost the to close pretty usually you ing of first class hardware and incidentals other costs purchas time, development staff in invest you time purchasing really good and reliable hardware. By the in difference the reinvest usually we though source goingopen by savewelittle cases a most in price, at look We practices. our fit to software alter to want we needs, software fit to practices work our alter to have to want not do we words other In work. to it want we way the work not does it because mercial com at balk we cases most In wheel). the reinvent most cases, before we decide to use open source (why Brice: to software? proprietary compared OSS use that projects for different As for the approval process, my board is results results is board my approvalprocess, the for As the Once reliability. is advantage huge Another We actually look at commercial software, in software, commercial at look actually We The circulation system we’re migrating migrating we’re system circulation The - - - -

Library Technology Reports www.techsource.ala.org May—June 2007 35

- - - sponse to “4620 Grand” on the Western Springs History Web site, www.westernspringshistory.org/4620-grand (ac 19, 2007). cessed Mar. Tom Massouras, comment posted Mar. sponse 9, 2007, to in re “Memories Kennedy” on the Western Springs History Web site, www of Western .westernspringshistory.org/memories-of-western-springs Springs by Don 19, 2007). (accessed Mar. -by-don-kennedy Schmidt interview. Maureen Sheehan, phone interview by the author, March 6, 2007. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Joshua Ferraro, e-mail interview by the author, March 6– 10, 2007. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Cindy Murdock, e-mail interview by the author, March 8– 14, 2007; Briceinterview. Dan Chudnov, “FLOSS for Libraries: For Administrators” (presentation, TechConnections 7, Dublin, 12–13, Ohio, 2006), June available online .net/talks/2006-06-12-tech-connection-floss-for-libraries at http://onebiglibrary 19, 2007). (accessed Mar. Robert Williams, e-mail interview by the author, Mar. 8, 2007. Ibid. Ibid. John Brice, e-mail interview by the 2007. author, Mar. 8–14, interviewtheauthor, by messenger instant Schmidt, Aaron 9, 2007. Mar. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Leta Merle Behling, comment posted July 30, 2005, in re 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. Notes 10. 11. 12. 13.

------Right now we’re mostly self-supporting. I find it difficultcompare to the costs of OSS you whatever do can you house, your own you If Due to the openness of OSS more informa I should also mention that our county library yours, yours, and the freedom to do what you want to with it. So OSS is like owning the house and using com software renting. mercial is like the plumbing breaks and you’re fortunate to enough you’re theand breaks plumbing have a good landlord, he’ll send someone to fix it. want to it, but you’re responsible for either the doing work yourself or paying someone else to do it. you However, have the knowledge that the house is hard work to do it yourself, the but way, and you there’s learn also the along satisfaction of it doing yourself. Actually, it’s more like renting a house vs. buying one, and both have their advantages and do can’t usually renting, you you’re If disadvantages. much to the house; your landlord isn’t likely to let you tear walls down or build additions. However, if to the vet. With OSS you may have opers to hire to devel make the give software your staff time suit (or hire your extra staff) to needs, learn it. or vs. proprietary software; it’s like hiring someone to remodel your house vs. doing it yourself. Yes, it’s engine into Koha, so that Koha can support library large databases. OSS is they not are without different costs costs, than but proprietary it’s software; like a free kitten. I first came think up with Eric that analogy. The Lease kitten Morgan may be free, but there are costs to house it, feed it, take it tion is available to chased the a end year user. of We support we have will from be pur LibLime, needing it because as we migrate, to and we want further support developers the are Koha among project; those LibLime’s that develop Koha. system funded the integration of the Zebra indexing be applied elsewhere. There is considerable mentation docu available on the web for most and projects, support is available through lists, and forums, IRC channels where you can connect mailing with other users and usually the developers themselves. What about costs? Murdock: One of the best aspects of OSS is that edge the you knowl gain from implementing one project can Q: