Evaluating Open Source Software

Abstract

Open source software has been receiving a lot of attention in libraries of late. With the emergence of quality library-specific Open Source applications (including Koha, Evergreen, D-Space, E-Prints, and Greenstone) that offer similar and sometimes better functionality than their closed- source proprietary competitors, it is no wonder why. While there is no doubt that Open Source applications have proved to be a viable alternative to proprietary offerings at many libraries, some librarians still have questions about whether or not Open Source is right for their particular library. There are many factors that should go into evaluating any software program one is considering implementing. This is true whether or not the program being considered is proprietary or Open Source. These factors include the maturity of the software application, the availability of local expertise, level of support required and available, features offered, extensibility, total costs, and return on investment. Although it is important to evaluate any new software acquisition, some of these criteria may take on a greater importance when investigating Open Source Software applications. This presentation will discuss the criteria for evaluating software applications with a special emphasis on evaluating Open Source Software offerings in libraries. The workshop will deal with the following topics: 1) What are some of the benefits and drawbacks of OSS?; 2) OSS for libraries; 3) What to consider when evaluating OSS for libraries and how is this different from evaluating proprietary software?; 4) General discussion about OSS in libraries; 5) Where is Open Source now and where is it going?