Free/Open Source Integrated Library Management Systems Comaprative Analysis of Koha, Phpm Ylibrary and Openbiblio

Free/Open Source Integrated Library Management Systems Comaprative analysis of Koha, PhpM ylibrary and OpenBiblio

Vimal k u mar A s ian S c h o o l o f B u s in e s s T e c h n o p ark T riv an d ru m v imal0 2 1 2 @ y ah o o .c o m Presentation w ill cover

• N eed for Free/Open Source softw are. • W hat is Free/Open Source softw are? • Features of free softw are • Features of open source softw are • Integrated Library M anagement System (ILM S) • Free/Open Source ILM S • Koha, PhpM ylibrary and OpenBiblio • Findings • Suggestions N eed for Free/Open Source softw are

• Cost of commercial softw are's is very high • Commercial developers do not reveal the source code of their programs W hat is Free/Open Source Softw are?

Free/Open Source softw are is , softw are that users have the ability to run, distribute, study, and modify the program for any purpose. H istory of Free/Open Source Softw are

• 1984 Richard Stallman formed Free Softw are Foundation (FSF). • 1991 Linus Torvalds developed Linux • 1994 Red H at (commercial Linux) company founded. • 1998 “Open Source Initiative” w as formed Features of Free Softw are

• G N U public license (G PL). • Anybody can do anything w ith public domain w orks. • 73 % of free softw ares registered under G PL Licencse. Features of Open Source softw are

• H istorically evolved from free softw are. • Open source grants 4 freedom (run, study, distribute and modify). • Open Source Initiative License (OSI). • Open Source has a copyright holder. Integrated Library M anagement System (ILM S)

“an automated library system that is capable of managing the operations of more than one basic library functions” -U N ESCO M odules of library processes in an ILM S

• Acquisition • Cataloguing • Circulation • OPAC M ain objective

• Evaluation and examination of free/open source ILM S. • To find a less costly and efficient library softw are. Popular commercial ILM S

N ame A ppoximate Price

Libsuite Rs. 4,50,000

LibSys Rs. 4,50,000

SOU L Rs. 50,000

Alice for W IN DOW S Rs. 3,50,000 Free/Open Source ILM S

• Avanthi Circulation • W EBLIS System • OpenILS • Emilda • PhpM yBibli • FireFly • G N U TECA • Koha • PM B • PhpM ylibrary • Learning Access ILS • OpenBiblio • FireFly Koha

OpenBiblio

PhpMyLibrary License: T h e G N U G e n e ral P u b lic L ic e n s e Developer: H o ro w h e n u a L ib rary T ru s t, N e w Z e alan d Operating System: L in u x , W in d o w s . Programming Language: P e rl Functional Modules: A c q u is itio n C atalo g u in g , C irc u latio n , S e rial C o n tro l Home Page: www.koha.org Koha features w e b -b as e d O P A C , c irc u latio n an d man ag e me n t in te rfac e s , M A R C 2 1 an d U N IM A R C s u p p o rt, Z 3 9 .5 0 s e rv e r, O n lin e R e s e rv atio n s & R e n e w als , E-mail O v e rd u e N o tific atio n s . Virtu al S h e lv e s B arc o d e G e n e rato r Developer: Dave Stevens License: G N U G e n e ral P u b lic L ic e n s e (G P L ) Operating System: L in u x , W in d o w s

Programming Language: P H P

Functional Modules: A c q u is itio n , C atalo g u in g , C irc u latio n H o me P ag e : h ttp ://o b ib lio .s o u rc e fo rg e .n e t/ OpenBiblio features B arc o d e in p u t w e b -b as e d O P A C , c irc u latio n an d man ag e me n t in te rfac e s , M A R C s u p p o rt, O n lin e R e s e rv atio n s & R e n e w als , B arc o d e G e n e rato r R e p o rt G e n e rato r In te rfac e c u s to miz atio n Developer: P o le rio B ab ao License: G N U G e n e ral P u b lic L ic e n s e (G P L ) Operating System: L in u x , W in d o w s

Programming Language: P H P , P L /S Q L , P y th o n Functional Modules: A c q u is itio n C atalo g u in g C irc u latio n Home Page: w w w .p h p my lib rary .o rg PhpMyLibrary features w e b -b as e d O P A C , c irc u latio n an d man ag e me n t in te rfac e s , M A R C s u p p o rt, C D S /IS IS c o n v e rs io n O n lin e R e s e rv atio n s & R e n e w als , R e p o rt G e n e rato r In te rfac e c u s to miz atio n M ethodology of the study

• Selection of free/open source ILM S • Installation and running the softw ares entering sample data • Data collection using a checklist • Scoring of softw are performance • Computation of the performance of free/open source ILM S Data collection list 3 .P U B L IC A C C ES S C A T A L O G U E 5 S ER IA L C O N T R O L 1 . A C Q U IS IT IO N N o rm a l s e a rc h F u n d c o n tro l S e le c tio n o f Ite m s A d v a n c e d s e a rc h O rd e rin g D u p lic a te c h e c k in g S e a rc h s tra te g ie s R e c e ip tin g S e le c tio n o f V e n d o rs S ta tu s e n q u iry C la im in g O rd e rin g P rin t p ro v is io n B in d in g C la im in g P ro m p ts & H e lp m a s s a g e s 6 .M an ag e me n t R e c e ip tin g D is p o s itio n o f re trie v a l d a ta in fo rm a tio n F u n d c o n tro l In te rn e t a c c e s s T o o ls fo r th e a n a ly s is o f R e p o rts & s ta tis tic s O th e r c a ta lo g u e fo rm s s ta tis tic a l in fo rm a tio n 2 . C A T A L O G U IN G 4 .C IR C U L A T IO N 7 .S y s te m main te n an c e R e c o rd in g C re a tio n P a tro n & Ite m s file s U s e r a s s is ta n c e D u p lic a te c h e c k in g S e ttin g p a ra m e te rs (Is s u e , re tu rn , (M a n u a l/ lite ra tu re ) R e c o rd e d itin g re n e w a l fe e s , fin e e tc ) S e c u rity o f re c o rd s a n d A u th o rity c o n tro l Is s u e a n d R e tu rn file s C a ta lo g u in g c o p ie s F in e s & o v e rd u e n o tic e U p - g ra d a tio n K e y w o rd / th e s a u ru s g e n e ra tio n H o ld s & re c a lls C u s to m iz a tio n Im p o rt & e x p o rt o f d a ta R e s e rv a tio n s R e n e w a l S h o rt te rm lo a n s In te rlib ra ry lo a n s R e p o rts & s ta tis tic s Scoring Scheme

Excellent 5

Very good 4

G ood 3

Average 2

Poor 1

N ot available 0 Acquisition –Analysed data

Sub-functions Score Koha PhpmyLibrary OpenBiblio

Selection of Items 4 0 0 Duplicate checking 3 0 0 Selection of Vendors 5 0 0 Ordering 4 0 0 Claiming 4 0 0 Receipting 4 0 0 Fund Control 4 0 0 Reports & Statistics 4 0 0 Total 40 32 (80% ) 0 (0% ) 0 (0% ) Cataloguing – Analysed data

Sub functions Score Koha PhpMyLibrary OpenBiblio

Record creation 5 3 3 Duplicate checking 3 0 0 Record editing 4 3 3 Authority control 3 0 0 Cataloguing copies 4 2 4 Keyw ord/ thesaurus 4 3 3 generation Export & Import Data 3 4 3 Total 35 26 15 16 (74.29% ) (42.86% ) (45.72% ) Circulation- Analysed data Sub- functions Score Koha PhpmyLibrary OpenBiblio Patrons & Item files 4 3 3 Setting parameters (Issue 5 4 4 return, renew al, fees, fine, etc. Return 5 4 4 Fines & overdue notices 4 3 4 H olds & recalls 3 3 4 Reservations 5 3 4 Renew al 4 3 4 Short term loans 3 0 0 Interlibrary loans 4 0 0 Reports & statistics 3 3 2 Total 50 40 26 29 (70% ) (52% ) (58% ) Serials Control: Analysed data

Sub- functions Scores

Koha PhpMyLibrary OpenBiblio

Fund control 5 0 0

Ordering 5 0 0

Receipting 5 0 0

Claiming 5 0 0

Binding 5 0 0

Total 25 25 0 0 (100% ) (0% ) (0% ) Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC): analysed data

Sub- functions Scores Koha PhpMyLibrary OpenBiblio

N ormal search 5 3 2 Advanced search 4 3 0 Search strategies 4 3 0 Status enquiry 5 5 5 Print Provision 3 4 0 Prompt & help messages 2 1 1 Disposition of retrieval 2 4 0 data Internet access 5 5 5 Other catalogue form 4 3 0 Total 45 34 31 13 (75.56% ) (68.89% ) (28.89% ) M anagement of information-Analysis of data

Sub- functions Score

Koha PhpMyLibrary OpenBiblio

Tools for analysis of 1 0 0 statistical information

Total 5 1 0 0 (20% ) (0% ) (0% ) System maintenance facilities- Analysis

Sub- functions Scores

Koha PhpMyLibrary OpenBiblio

U ser assistance (manual/ 3 1 1 literature)

Security of records & files 4 3 3

U p- gradation 5 3 3

Customization 5 3 4

Total 20 17 10 11 (85% ) (50% ) (55% ) Summary of Findings

Scores Functions/ sub- functions Koha PhpMyLibrary OpenBibli o Acquisition 32 0 0

Cataloguing 26 15 16 Public Access Catalogue 34 31 13 (OPAC) Circulation 38 26 29 Serial Control 25 0 0 Information management 1 0 0

System M aintenance Total 17 10 11 Total 173 82 69 (78.63% ) (37.27% ) (31.36% ) Findings

• Koha satisfies all the functional requirements of a library management system. • Acquisition and serial control are not available in PhpM yLibrary and OpenBiblio. • PhpM ylibrary and OpenBiblio are suitable for libraries w ith small collection. • Free/Open Source softw ares does not need the initial costs of commercial softw are. • It enables libraries to have greater control over their computer environment. • Free/Open Source ILM S have all the features of commercial system available in the market. • M ost of the free/open source ILM S are OS independent. • Installation is the most difficult part in free/open source softw are. • Documentation is not sufficient for free/open source library systems. Suggestions

• N eed for librarians to try w ith free/open source softw ares. • N eed for constituting a committee consisting of librarians and computer professionals. • Library professionals should be involved in the free/open source ILM S development projects Thank you

Vimal kumar Asian School of Business Thiruvananthapuram [email protected]