The announcement talks about "a template to inform ... to guide ... to
influence ...". I think such a project would do a lot for the
credibility of any open-source ILS that could gain its blessing.
Academic administrators currently tend to perceive these efforts as way
too bottom-up, and oriented to public libraries who can't afford
anything better. This would provide some top-down for balance (press
releases instead of blog postings, kind of thing) and a clear academic
focus. Such an initiative could have the kind of catalyzing effect that
the DLF initiative did for ERMSs a few years ago. It's great that an
institution of Duke's standing is taking the lead.

Peter


-----Original Message-----
From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Nathan Vack
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 4:00 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Planning open source Library system at Duke

Isn't there already an extant open-source ILS that's out there, and
reputed to be rather good?

I'm all for parallel approaches to problems... but the world of ILSes is
pretty small. Maybe use fat cash from Mellon to help bake Evergreen the
rest of the way?

Just a thought,
-Nate
Wendt Library
UW - Madison

On Jan 28, 2008, at 4:26 PM, John Little wrote:

> Code4Lib:
>
> The Duke University Libraries are preparing a proposal for the Mellon
> Foundation to convene the academic library community to design an open

> source Integrated Library System (ILS).  We are not focused on
> developing an actual system at this stage, but rather blue-skying on
> the elements that academic libraries need in such a system and
> creating a blueprint.
> Right
> now, we are trying to spread the word about this project and find out
> if others are interested in the idea.
>
> We feel that software companies have not designed Integrated Library
> Systems that meet the needs of academic libraries, and we don't think
> those companies are likely to meet libraries' needs in the future by
> making incremental changes to their products. Consequently, academic
> libraries are devoting significant time and resources to try to
> overcome the inadequacies of the expensive ILS products they have
> purchased. Frustrated with current systems, library users are
> abandoning the ILS and thereby giving up access to the high quality
> scholarly resources libraries make available.
>
> Our project would define an ILS centered on meeting the needs of
> modern academic libraries and their users in a way that is open,
> flexible, and modifiable as needs change. The design document would
> provide a template to inform open source ILS development efforts, to
> guide future ILS implementations, and to influence current ILS vendor
> products. We would use the grant to fund a series of planning
> meetings, with broad participation in some of those meetings and a
> smaller, core group of schools developing the actual design
> requirements document.
>
> At this stage, we're seeking feedback on our ideas and finding out who

> might be interested in participating, prior to our formal submission
> of the proposal to the Mellon Foundation in early March. We would
> greatly appreciate your responses to the following questions.
>
> 1) Does designing an open source ILS seem like something worth
> exploring for academic libraries?
>
> 2) Given the information above about the proposed project, is your
> institution interested in:
>
> --  staying informed of our progress?
>
> --  contributing time and effort to the planning process, even if only

> through the first or second workshops?
>
> -- possibly being one of the core schools that participates throughout

> the full planning and writing process
>
> 3) If  you have any initial feedback on our ideas, we would love to
> hear it!
>
> *Please email us at [log in to unmask]
> *
> Thank you for your interest and considering this opportunity to work
> with us on this project.  If your answer is yes to number two above,
> we will be contacting you to further explore participation. Please
> send your *reply to [log in to unmask]
> *
>
>
> --
> [log in to unmask]
> ILS Support Section Head
> Duke University Libraries
> 919.660-5932
>