OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE FOR INTEGRATED LIBRARY SYSTEMS RELATIVE APPROPRIATENESS IN THE INDIAN CONTEXT Thesis Submitted to the Mahatma Gandhi University for the award of the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Library and Information Science by Mr. GIREESH KUMAR. T. K. Research Guide Dr. R. RAMAN NAIR Centre for Advanced Research in Library and Information Science (CARLIS) SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala September 2016 ‘In India Open Source Software will have to come and stay in a big way for the benefit of our billions of people’ -Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I received immense support and inspiration from numerous sources I had approached in connection with my research work which I record here with a deep feeling of gratitude. I remember with deep gratitude my research supervisor Dr. R. Raman Nair, Centre for Advanced Research in Library and Information Science (CARLIS), Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala whose valuable guidance and advice, inspiration, immense patience, constructive criticism and constant support at every stage helped me do this work to the best of my abilities. I am very thankful to eminent professors like Prof. Marshal Breeding; Prof. B. Ramesha, Bangalore University; Dr. Badan Barman, KKOUS University and other professional friends from India and abroad for extending their valuable suggestions, advice and positive criticism on building a precise online questionnaire covering all aspects of the objectives of the study. I extend my sincere thanks to Centre for Advanced Research in Library and Information Science (CARLIS) and School of Social Science, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala for accommodating me to pursue my research work, National Science Library and other library professionals in the country and abroad for sharing their valuable resources related to the study. I am grateful to Dr. G. Sundararajan, Director, ARCI and Prof. (Dr.) G. Gopakumar, Vice Chancellor, CUKerala for extending permission to pursue my research studies during my change of career and sincerely express my gratitude to the respective staff and faculties for their encouragement, facilities provided and support extended thorough out the work. I express sincere gratitude to the present Director Dr. Raju and the previous Director Dr. Ram Mohan of School of Social Science, MG University, Kottayam and Dr. Sainul Abideen, Librarian, IISER Thiruvananthapuram for providing me advice and suggestions in choosing an appropriate and relevant area of research study. I also acknowledge Smt. Laila T. Abraham, University Librarian, Mahatma Gandhi University, providing me library facilities and online access to resources and support continuosly during the period of my research. I wish to thank Sri. Vimal Kumar, Technical Assistant, MG University, for sharing his experiences and expertises on Koha software, which enabled me to build a focus oriented questionnaire and also to get details of select libraries using Koha software in India. This acknowledgement will be incomplete without thanking my dear friend Sri. Muruli, Librarian of National Thermal Power Centre, Bengaluru for his constant motivation and he was always a source of inspiration throughout the study. I am grateful to Dr. Egbert De Smet, Professor, University of Antwerp, Belgium who is associated with BIREME (WHO-Brazil) to develop ABCD Integrated Library System, for his remarkable suggestions and contributions. Also, thank Dr. Egbert and Mr. Suresh Ramachandran Nair for fine-tuning the contents of this research work. I take this opportunity to thank the Open Source Community who developed the versatile OSILS solutions for libraries which plays a major role in bridging the digital divide. My sincere thanks to ICADL 2013 Doctoral Student Consortium participants, from India and abroad who have directly and indirectly helped me by suggesting constructive modifications on the contents of the questionnaire which enhanced the quality of the work. I express my sincere gratitude to the library professionals in the country who actively participated in the online survey which enabled the findings presented and also formulating recommendations. I thank all my professional friends and colleagues within India and abroad who helped me at various stages of the research work directly and indirectly. I have no words to express my sincere gratitude to my wife Mrs. PraseethaGireesh, who was an immense source of support and motivation throughout the work which enabled me to complete the work in time. I thank my daughter Kumari Adithri for her presence and childish mischief which I took as encouragement for this academic endeavour and also for sparing my time which really was the time meant for attending her. I also thank my beloved Father (he is no more), Mother, Sisters, In-laws, and other family members for their constant support and inspiration. Last but not least, I humbly bow my head and extend my deep sense of gratitude to God Almighty for providing me strength and courage throughout the period of study. Without His grace and blessings this work would not have been accomplished successfully. Kasaragod Gireesh Kumar T. K 07th September 2016 CONTENTS Contents Page No Table of Contents ................................................................................................... i List of Tables ................................................................................................... x List of Figures ................................................................................................... xi List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................... xv CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1. Background .......................................................................................... 1 1.2. Library Automation .......................................................................................... 2 1.2.1. Definitions of Library Automation………………………………………. 3 1.2.2. Advantages of Library Automation……………………………………… 6 1.3. Library Automation in India ............................................................................. 7 1.3.1. Generations of Library Automation in India…………………………… 8 1.3.2. Development of Library Automation Software in India………………… 10 1.4. Integrated Library System (ILS)............................................................................. 12 1.4.1. Definitions of Integrated Library Systems……………………………… 13 1.4.2. General Features of Integrated Library Systems………………………… 13 1.4.3. Types of Integrated Library Systems…………………………………… 15 1.5. Open Source Software (OSS)................................................................................. 17 1.5.1. Definitions of Open Source Software……………………………………. 19 1.5.2. Benefits of Open Source Software………………………….…………… 23 1.5.3. Challenges of Open Source Software……………………………................. 24 1.5.4. Open Source Vs Free Software……………………………...................... 24 1.5.5. Open Source Software Movement in Indian Perspective…………………. 26 i 1.6. Categories of Library Automation Systems……………………………………..... 27 1.6.1. In-house Systems…………………………………………..…………… 27 1.6.2. Developed by Individuals ………………………………………………. 27 1.6.3. Commercial Integrated Library Systems………………………………… 27 1.6.4. Open Source Integrated Library Systems (OSILS) ………………………. 29 1.7. Selection of OSILS for Library Automation…………………………………….... 31 1.7.1. General Features of OSILS…………………………………………… 34 1.7.2. Major Features of OSILS……………………………………………… 38 1.7.3. Major Processes Involved in Adopting OSILS…………………………… 39 1.8. Nature Scope and Method of Study……………………………………............... 40 1.4.1. Definition of Terms…………………………………………………… 40 1.4.2. Objectives of the Study ……………………………………………........ 41 1.4.3. Hypothesis………………….………………………………………… 42 1.4.4. Methodology Used…………………………………………………… 42 1.4.5. Samples Used………………………………………………………… 42 1.4.6. Scope and Limitations………………………………………………… 43 1.4.7. Significance and Expected Outcomes of the Study……………………… 44 1.4.8. Organization of the Present Work………………………………………. 45 1.9. Identifying Right ILS……………………………………..................................... 45 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………….. 47 2.2. Open Source Software (OSS)……………………………………………............. 48 2.3. Open Source Software for Integrated Library Systems…………………................. 50 2.3.1. International Scenario…………………………….……………………. 50 2.3.2. Indian Scenario………..……………………………………………….. 71 2.4. Problems of Specific to the Region: A Virgin Area for Study................................... 86 ii CHAPTER 3: DATA, SAMPLE AND METHODOLOGY 3.1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………….. 88 3.2. Sample Population…................…………………………………………............. 88 3.3. Method of Sample Selection…......................................………………................ 89 3.4. Sampling Procedure............................................................................................... 90 3.5. Data Collection..................................................................................................... 90 3.6. Organization of the Questionnaire.......................................................................... 91 3.6.1. PART -I: Common Questions for Libraries using any Integrated Library System (ILS) ............................................................... 92 3.6.2. PART –II: Questions for Libraries using any Open Source Integrated Library System (OSILS) ........................................................... 94 3.6.3.