I am a new, but enthusiastic, arrival to the concept of open source software. I use Gaim to integrate my many IM/Chat accounts; I’m currently advocating a slow migration away from Windows OSs to Linux products on our servers at work; beginning with the web server so that I can more easily run the many open source web-services products that reguire a LAMP configuration. Our systems administrator and I recently tweaked Wordpress enough for it to run on IIS for a in-house project - it was such a successs, however, that more library departments, committees, projects, and individuals are also requesting installations for their own knowledge-managment purposes. The demand for multiple blogs has led me to The Lyceum Project - but this is even more dependant on Apache than Wordpress, and therefore harder to tweak.

The problems I’ve faced trying to simply install open-source Wordpress on the UNH Library’s proprietary Windows servers are a good example of the fundamental open source vs. proprietary debate as well, I think, as a general library-profession technophobia.

Open source software requires a more in-depth understanding of the fundamental architectures behind an application. To administer it, therefore, requires very specific and advanced skills. I think of it as the difference between owning a motorcycle and responsibly bringing it to a garage for regular maintenance AND owning a classic motorcycle and performing all maintenance and repairs yourself. (Here’s my metaphor’s inspiration.)

Libraries and librarians saw a user demand for technology - computers, networks, webpages - in the library and worked to meet that need in the quickest and least demanding way possible for the non-technical-specialists that they were. Librarians are not programmers, but they were willing to invest in order to meet this new expectation. So many, most I’d venture, did so by purchasing proprietary systems. These systems are meant to work out-of-the-box and, if they don’t, customer support is provided to assist (notice I made no claims about quality of support). This model fit library-needs perfectly - they could drive, but had a mechanic on call.

They needed computer workstations and a network to connect them, as well as a website - Windows provided these things easily and quickly. They needed an ILS and an OPAC for patrons to search their holdings remotely - so they bought one, but, perhaps, one so proprietary that they could do little to customize the interface. Then, they got a grant to digitize a small geneology collection and bought another proprietary package. As patron demand for services grows and more proprietary tools are purchased to meet those needs, libraries are faced with a fleet of divergent, unassociated systems requiring more and more staff time to administer. The administration, however, is not always direct maintenance, it’s too often a librarian, not a programmer or technician with advanced skills, working with vendors to keep systems solvent. The librarian in charge of technology is now spending all his time, essentially, on trips to the mechanic.

I think of an open source model as akin to hiring the mechanic on-site and, instead of simply maintaining existing, proprietary systems - actually building and altering them to better suit the specific needs and desires of the institution. Because with open source software, the application’s architecture which is hidden from the administrator in proprietary systems, is available, a programmer, or specialist, can customize and integrate systems to streamline processes, interfaces, and better meet the needs of an institution and its users.

This requires a shift in attitude for most libraries. The type of skills necessary to take full advantage of open source solutions are in high demand in almost all industries. These people are expensive and to adopt an open source model libraries must invest in their technology plans and positions in a way that they have not before. They must be willing to surrender some administrative power over their systems to a highly skilled and, perhaps, non-MLIS employee. I believe that making this commitment is essential for libraries to survive in the current information climate.

Tags: gaim, lamp, Libraries, Services, and Librarians, linux, lyceum project, open source, programming, proprietary, software, technology, wordpress

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 25th, 2006 at 6:42 am and is filed under Libraries, Services, and Librarians. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.