More Open Source Library systems

· ostephens

PTFS Europe is considering extending the range of software it supports – a brief run down in this session, starting with Mark Gavillet covering a range of products:

VuFind

http://vufind.org

A ‘resource discovery system’. Can act as an ‘opac replacement’ – nice functionality like faceted search etc.

VuFind can also do data harvesting from variety of other systems – consumes external data sources, can harvest via OAI-PMH (so can bring in data from institutional repositories, e-thesis collections). Can bring in content enhancements – such as information from Google Books and Amazon, Journal table of contents via the JournalTOCs service.

I’m a big fan of VuFind – as much just to play with to both understand the potential of this type of product, and also to examine your data as the faceted search gives a way of exploring your data – can be great at spotting data issues.

CUFTS and GODOT

These two products are in the electronic resource management space. Between the two products offer a Knowledgebase, ERM, Journal A-Z lists, OpenURL resolver, Print holdings, ILL etc.

The Knowledgebase is maintained by the CUFTS team – then regular automated updates to your local install. Offers MARC export for your LMS.

Journal A-Z list – both alphabetical list, and also by subject. Has web service to embed content into other environment

OpenURL linking

ILL requests – holdings checked locally and against remote catalogues if required

I’m not so familiar with these two products, but my experience suggests that the key question is ‘how good in the knowledgebase?’

Reading Lists

PTFS Reading list system – so new it doesn’t have a name yet [I’m not quite sure how far this is developed and exactly which features already exist, and how many on the wishlist]

Reading List systems ‘not rocket science’. Needs to be simple to use and simple to manage.

Various types of material that you need to be able to add. RSS feed for each list.

Book covers in list – via Google Books etc.

Integrated into local catalogue (demo integrated with Koha) – and drags copy/availability information through.

Uses link resolver for electronic journal articles. Can link to e-books as well – either hard-coded links or via other mechanisms. An of course you can link to any web resources.

On the Admin side – uses LDAP for authentication. When adding items can do this via keyword search on local catalogue, or from other catalogue resources – e.g. the British Library. Will support connectors to other systems so it can connect to wide variety of systems.

For each course can specify number of students on the course, and also have different levels of requirement for materials (e.g. essential, background etc.) – can then report on what resources will be needed for the course, and how many copies etc.

Can calculate how much it would cost to order additional copies etc.

  • Interoperability with
  • Google/Amazon/Syndetics etc.
  • Local and external catalogue systems
  • local catalogue holdings
  • link resolver
  • external bookseller systems for pricing information
  • Local acquisitions/EDI ordering
Q & A
Q: Is Reading List s/w in house built and will it be open source
A: Yes, in house. No decision on open source
Q: How does the knowledgebase update work, who is updating it
A: Can request updates daily. Can join the team making updates. All information in the knowledgebase ‘open’ for reuse (didn’t go into how this is licensed).
ILL
Finally ILL – this one covered by Jonathan Field.
First question – is there still a requirement for ILL? Numbers of requests to BL have dramatically reduced. Most articles available electronically in real-time etc.
What will the BL do with its ILL service? ISOILL died a death, ARTTel very dated and maybe replaced
Many LMS’s do not have an in-built ILL module – attraction to differentiate Koha by adding this. But there are alternative dedicated systems – e.g. Ariel, Illiad
Also in the works elsewhere – fullfILLment (http://fulfillment-ill.org)
Consortial ILL software
Developed by Equinox Software (who authored Evergreen ILS) in conjunction with OHIONET
Aim to be live by end of 2011
Very much aimed at consortia, with hierarchy of supply. Perhaps this would be interesting if there was more regional/consortial sharing in the UK in the future.
However, no concrete plans at the moment for PTFS Europe, although would obviously move forward if someone were to sponsor the KOHA development.
Some comments from audience. If RLUK members withdraw from some of the big deals, then could trigger increase of requests – perhaps especially library-to-library requests.
[personal view is that it makes more sense to integrate this into the acquisitions function, but no one mentioned this]

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