Open Source Integrated Library Systems

What is Open Source? (Presentation)
Evergreen Resources
Koha Resources
Nebraska Pioneer Library Consortium (Using Koha)
Presentations (from the May 22, 2008 Statewide Open Source ILS Symposium)

WHAT IS OPEN SOURCE?

• What is Open Source? - Michael Sauers, Technology Innovation Librarian, Nebraska Library Commission (April 22, 2008)
  An introduction to the concepts behind open source, examples of some of the most influential OSS packages being used today, and a discussion of why libraries should be paying attention to this model.
  View Recording. 
  Presentation Slides

Evergreen Resources:

• Evergreen - Home of the Evergreen Open Source ILS
  • Evergreen-ILS Blog
  • Evergreen Demo System
  • Evergreen Libraries - Libraries known to be running Evergreen in production or who have installed or plan to implement Evergreen.
     
    
• Equinox - The company founded by the software team that developed Evergreen.  Equinox develops Evergreen and sells various services to libraries implementing Evergreen.
  • Equinox Blog
     
• Resource Sharing Cooperative of Evergreen Libraries (RSCEL) - The RSCEL website was created to support the work arising from the IMLS grant, "Empowered by Open Source," that was awarded to King County Library System (KCLS) and their grant partners.
  • Evergreen Initiatives - A list of Evergreen initiatives.
    

Koha Resources:

• Koha - Home of the Koha Open Source ILS
  • Koha Documentation and Free Support
     
• Support Companies - A list of companies you can contract with for support, including the following two U.S. options:
  • ByWaters Solutions
  • LibLime (now a division of PTFS)
      
• Demos - from LibLime
   
• Consortia using Koha (and links to their shared catalogs)
  • Central Kansas Library System (CKLS)
    • Pathfinder Central (searches 38 libraries)
  • Crawford County Federated Library System
    • Crawford County Federated Library System (searches all 9 libraries)
  • ICAN (Independently Cooperating Ashtabula Network)
    • ICAN Shared Catalog (searches all 6 libraries)
  • MassCat
    • MassCat Shared Catalog (searches multiple libraries)
  • Northeast Kansas Library System (NEKLS)
    • NExpress Shared Catalog (searches all 33 libraries)

NEBRASKA PIONEER LIBRARY consortium (using Koha) 

• History and Background - The Nebraska Library Commission funded a $75,000 grant during the 2008-2010 biennium for a pilot project to create an open source cooperative library catalog and circulation system in Nebraska. A group of seven libraries of all sizes (Lincoln City Libraries, Omaha Public Library, St. Paul Public Library, Gretna Public Library, Grand Island Public Library, Bellevue Public Library, and Holdrege Area Public Library) participated in the Nebraska Pioneer Project. The group tested Koha and had a scoping study conducted to determine the feasibility of using open source software to design a shared Integrated Library System (ILS) for Nebraska libraries.
          
• Partners and Progress - Five of the original partners (Lincoln City Libraries, St. Paul Public Library, Gretna Public Library, Grand Island Public Library, and Holdrege Area Public Library) have signed an agreement with Progressive Technology Federal Systems (PTFS), a content and knowledge management provider, to convert current systems. The Library Commission has awarded a second grant to help with the conversion costs. The group expects to go "live" on the new system in April 2011. You can track this project's progress via the group's Pioneer Koha blog.
      
• How to Participate - The Pioneer Consortium is accepting applications from Nebraska public libraries to join the consortium after the go live date. To learn how your library can participate in this project, check the Pioneer Membership section of the Pioneer Koha blog. Currently available documents include Information of Interest to Libraries Wising to Apply for a Library Improvement Grant (PDF) and a Pioneer Consortium Application and Assurances Form (PDF).
    
• For more information contact:
  
  Steve Fosselman
  President of the Pioneer Consortium
  Grand Island Public Library
  Email: sf@gi.lib.ne.us
  Phone: 308-385-5333.
        
• The Pioneer Library Consortium Chooses Koha - Press Release
     

Presentations

Presentations from the Nebraska Library Commission's Statewide Open Source ILS Symposium (May 22, 2008, Bellevue University, Bellevue Nebraska)

• Equinox Software-Dr. Robert E. Molyneux, Vice President for Business Development, Equinox
  An overview of Equinox Software, which is headed by the original developers of the Evergreen software. Equinox provides migration, project management, 24-hour support, consulting, system hosting and customized software options for Evergreen.

• LibLime and Koha - Josh Ferraro, CEO & Marc Roberson, Vice President, Library Partners, LibLime
  An introduction to Koha, the first full-featured open-source ILS and a demo of the 3.0 release of Koha, including Zebra support, a new installer, API support, Internationalization and Localization support, the new templates, and the acquisitions, cataloging, serials and reporting modules available today in Koha.

• Georgia PINES^* - Elizabeth McKinney de Garcia, PINES Program Director, Georgia Public Library Service
  Hear how the Georgia Library PINES consortium implemented Evergreen in over 275 libraries across the state of Georgia.

• Michigan Evergreen - Ruth Dukelow, Associate Director, Michigan Library Consortium (MLC)
  The Michigan Library Consortium's (MLC), in partnership with the Grand Rapids Public Library, is developing a shared catalog using the Evergreen open-source ILS software. Learn how and why MLC embarked on the Michigan Evergreen project and hear about the project's progress to date regarding staffing, policies, cost-share, contracts, and training issues.

• Central Kansas Library System's Pathfinder - Kathy Rippel, Pathfinder Central Manager, Central Kansas Library System
  Kathy will share how the Central Kansas Library System chose Koha for their new shared catalog including 31 libraries and how it has progressed.

• Planning for the Future - Shannon White, Network Services Director, Nebraska Library Commission
  Planning for a future shared open-source statewide ILS in Nebraska.

^* No longer available for playback