Open Source Movement in Indian
Libraries: An Analytical Study
Mallikarjun Dora
Vikram Sarabhai Library
IIM, Ahmedabad
Bulu Maharana
Lecturer, Sambalpur University
And
Shasikanta Jena
Agenda
Open Source Software (OSS)
Why OSS
OSS in Indian Libraries
Open Source Library Management Software
Open Source Digital Library/Institutional Repository
Software
Open Source Content Management Software
Open Source Knowledge Base in India
OSS Hopes and challenge
What is Open Source Software ?
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Source Code
Free Redistribution
Derived Works
Non-Discriminatory
Non-Restrictive
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
Why OSS?
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Cost Effectiveness
Availability of Source Code
Open Standard and Vendor independence
Reduced Maintains Cost
Better Quality Control
Localization
Legally Free
Easy Evaluation
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
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
Open Source Library Application Software
Integrated Library Management System
1. KOHA
2. Evergreen
Digital Library and Repositories
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Dspace
Eprints
Fedora
Greenston
Continue…..
Metasearch Resolver
1. LibraryFind
2. CUFTS
OPACs
1. Vufind
2. SOPAC
3. Backlight
Open Source Software in Indian
Library
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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
And last…………
• NewGenLib
First Indian open source library automation and
management software
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
Greenstone in India
• There are a good number of libraries are already
using Greenstone , few of them are
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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/
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
university’s research in digital format.
 Developed jointly by MIT libraries and Hewlett
Packard
 License under BSD distribution
 www.dspace.org
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.
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
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.
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
KOHA Feature
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Faceted Navigation
Browse by Most Popular
Rss Feeds
Amazon Reviews
Virtual Shelves Book List
Enriched Content- Images
Virtual Shelves Book List
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.
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).
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
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.
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)
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
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Community web portal
Discussion sites
Corporate web sites
Internet Application
Personal Websites
E-commerce application
Social Networking Sites
Library Websites
OSS Knowledge Base In India
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Workshops
Conferences
Training programmes
LIS Courses
Projects
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
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
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
OSS Challenge
• Steep learning curve
• Risk of discontinued community involvement
• Nobody is really responsible in case any problem
OSS Challenge
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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
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
In India open source software will have to come and stay in a big
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way for the benefit of our billion of people Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Thanks
[email protected]