Open Source Movement in Indian Libraries: An Analytical Study

1
Open Source Movement in Indian Libraries An
Analytical Study

• Mallikarjun Dora
• Vikram Sarabhai Library
• IIM, Ahmedabad
• Bulu Maharana
• Lecturer, Sambalpur University
• And
• Shasikanta Jena

2
AgendaOpen Source Software (OSS)Why
OSSOSS in Indian LibrariesOpen Source Library
Management SoftwareOpen Source Digital
Library/Institutional Repository SoftwareOpen
Source Content Management SoftwareOpen Source
Knowledge Base in IndiaOSS Hopes and
challenge
3
What is Open Source Software ?

• Source Code
• Free Redistribution
• Derived Works
• Non-Discriminatory
• Non-Restrictive

4
Proprietary to Open Source
Traditional Approach ( Brooks law) Open Source Approach ( Linus Law)
Hierarchy Network
Experts Peers
Teams Communities
Cathedral Bazaar
Perfection Improvements
Construction Evolution
5
Why OSS?

• Cost Effectiveness
• Availability of Source Code
• Open Standard and Vendor independence
• Reduced Maintains Cost
• Better Quality Control
• Localization
• Legally Free
• Easy Evaluation

6
Open Source and Libraries The Principles and
Philosophy

• Sharing Information Freely with no restriction
• In terms of user stratification both represent
  culture of collaboration and problem solving to
  fulfill internal and external needs.
• Both depends on human interaction to improve
  their respective services.
• Open access is the main philosophy behind both
  libraries and OSS

7
Widely Used OSS Application

• Operating System Linux
• Web/ Proxy Server Apache/Squid Cache
• Web Browsers Firefox,
• Blogs
  Wordpress,Blogspot
• Wikis Media Wiki,
  TikiWiki
• Open Software Openoffice.org, PDF
  Creator
• Content Management System Drupal, Joomla
• Instant Messengers Gaim,
  Pidgin

8
Open Source Library Application Software

• Integrated Library Management System
• KOHA
• Evergreen
• Digital Library and Repositories
• Dspace
• Eprints
• Fedora
• Greenston

9
Continue..

• Metasearch Resolver
• LibraryFind
• CUFTS
• OPACs
• Vufind
• SOPAC
• Backlight

10
Open Source Software in Indian Library

• Greenstone (Digital Library)
• Dspace (Institutional Repository)
• Eprints (Institutional Repository)
• Koha (Library Automation and Management)
• Joomla (Content Management)
• Drupal (Content Management)
• These are the few software which are playing a
  great rule in library automation and management

11
And last

• NewGenLib
• First Indian open source library automation
  and management software

12
Open Source DL/IR Software

• Greenstone Digital Library Software
• Suite of software for building digital library
  collection
• Developed by University of Waikato, New Zealand
  in cooperation with UNESCO and the Human Info NGO
• License under GNU General Public License
• www.greenstone.org

13
Greenstone in India

• There are a good number of libraries are already
  using Greenstone , few of them are
• Archieve of Indian Labour
• Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode
• Indian Institute of Science Publication Database
• Electronics Thesis and Dissertation , IITB
• Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode
  provide support for Greenstone in South Asia
• details you can visit through
• http//greenstonesupport.iimk.ac.in/

14
Open Source DL/IR Software

• Dspace
• Is a ground breaking digital institutional
  repository that captures, stores, indexes,
  preserves and redistributes the intellectual
  output of a universitys research in digital
  format.
• Developed jointly by MIT libraries and Hewlett
  Packard
• License under BSD distribution
• www.dspace.org

15
Dspace in India

• More than 25 libraries are using Dspace for IR.
• Few of them are IITK,IIMK, NCL, NIO, ISI etc.
• A good number of workshop and advocacy
  programming running through out in India to
  support Dspace in india
• Organization like DRTC, INFLIBNET are
  supporting Dspace in India.

16
Open Source DL/IR Software

• Eprints
• It is an open source software to build high
  quality high value repository for research
  article, thesis , scientific data, multimedia
  artefacts.
• Developed by School of Electronic and
  Computer Science, University of Southampton,
  UK

17
Eprints Continue.

• Eprints in India
• More than 8 institution are using eprints as
  Institutional Repository.
• Few of them are IISC, Bangalore , NAL
  Bangalore, National Center for Catalysis
  Research, IIT Madras
• IISC, Bangalore is one of the fastest growing
  repository in India and World, having collection
  near about 12,000.

18
Open Source Integrated Library Software

• KOHA
• Is an integrated library management system for
  managing all major functions of a physical
  library
• Developed in 1999 by a small team of
  programmer, designer and librarian in New Zealand
  to fulfill the needs of Horowhenua Library Trust

19
KOHA Feature

• Faceted Navigation
• Browse by Most Popular
• Rss Feeds
• Amazon Reviews
• Virtual Shelves Book List
• Enriched Content- Images
• Virtual Shelves Book List

20
KOHA in India

• More than 15 Institutes are using Koha
• A good number of workshop have been conduct to
  promote koha.
• Large Academic and research libraries are also
  look in to koha for their library management.
• Delhi Public Library is the chain of public
  library using koha.
• And Big news is kerala govt declaration of using
  koha in all govt. library.

21
Open Source Integrated Library Software

• NewGenLib
• It is an integrated library management system
  developed jointly by Kesavan Institute of
  Information and Knowledge Management (KIIKM) and
  Verus Solution Pvt. Ltd. (VSPL).

22
Continue..

• NewGenLib Feature
• Web based functional module
• Compatibility with different standard
• Z39.50 client for federated searching
• Unicode 3.0 complaint
• RFID integration
• Support Multi user and multiple security level

23
NewGenLib Continue

• 122 libraries are using NewGenLib.
• Not only in India its used outside India also.
• Banaras Hindu University, Goa University, Osmania
  University, Bangalore University are few of them.

24
Open Source Content Management Software (CMS)

• What is CMS
• Content Management System is a computer
  application used to create, edit, manage and
  publish content in a consistently organized
  fashion .
• It has multifunctional application. It is capable
  to create a powerful portal website in a matter
  of minute.
• Create web content without knowing any code.
• Content stored in a database back-end and
  edited/create with web programming language.
• Joomla (http//www.joomla.org/)
• Drupal (http//drupal.org)

25
Drupal

• Drupal is a free software package that allows
  an individual or a community of users to easily
  publish, manage and organize a wide variety of
  content on a website
• Community web portal
• Discussion sites
• Corporate web sites
• Internet Application
• Personal Websites
• E-commerce application
• Social Networking Sites
• Library Websites

26
OSS Knowledge Base In India

• Workshops
• Conferences
• Training programmes
• LIS Courses
• Projects

27
OSS Benefit

• Access to source code and ability and right to
  modify it
• No License Fee
• Flexibility and Customization
• No Vendor lock in
• Low risk of discontinued services
• Integration with other systems
• Support Choices
• OSS Community
• Documentation

28
Benefit

• Empowering Indian Libraries in the cutting edge
  of library budget due to its low start up cost
• Libraries of all kind and size can use open
  source software like koha, newgenlib, library
  manager
• Indian Libraries can maintain their local
  variation

29
Hopes

• Small libraries will take full advantage of
  library automation and management software
• Large libraries are now taking interest on open
  source
• Kerala govt declare to automate all the govt.
  libraries with koha library automation software.
  there are will be more in pipeline.
• More and more libraries are bending towards open
  source solution

30
OSS Challenge

• Steep learning curve
• Risk of discontinued community involvement
• Nobody is really responsible in case any problem

31
OSS Challenge

• Library Professional should have to acquire
  adequate knowledge to acquainted with open source
  software
• May be initial cost is zero supporting the
  software over life time may involve considerable
  cost.
• There is no customer support although there are
  forum

32
Conclusion

• ILS adoption make its almost Inevitable that it
  will represent an increasing portion of the
  library automation landscape on coming year.
• Set of companies came out and support of open
  source e.g Liblime, openlx (india) for koha
• OSS provide direct and active role to librarian
  to reshaping their libraries.
• GSDL, Dspace, GNU E-prints, KOHA are the most
  Popular open source software used in Indian
  Libraries.
• There is a need of more workshops to help library
  professional to learn OSS, seeing the vast scope
  of OSS in Indian Library Market.
• Libraries of all kind and all sizes are
  beneficiaries of the open Source Software.
• OSS needs a well planned direction, standard
  practices, appropriate policies and legislations
  for its growth in Indian Libraries

33
In India open source software will have to come
and stay in a big way for the benefit of our
billion of people. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

34

• Thanks
• mallikarjun_at_iimahd.ernet.in