[Linux-aus] Choosing Open source - need background for a 30 minute presentation.

[Anthony Hornby]

Hi,
I am preparing for a short 30  minute talk on open source with a
specific library focus for an "unconference" at UTas for customers of
a particular end-of-life library management software looking at
alternatives  in a couple of weeks. If you have useful articles or
background information I'd love it if you would consider sending the
details through to me. I was thinking along the lines of a brief
history of open source then coverage of advantages/disadvantages/risks
– essentially a short managers guide to when open source software
could be the answer and how to get it through the door and into their
organisation. Libraries generally are pretty good at community and
sharing information and resources and OSS seems a natural fit to me
for the library industry (as does open access research publishing -
another issue I advocate strongly for).

There are several sessions on use of specific technologies like
Evergreen, Koha etc being presented so I wanted to provide some useful
contrast and cover the practical selection and establishment of OSS in
a (mostly public funded) organisation. The issues I most commonly hear
are the perception of increased risk / support, lack of local tech
skills. I don't want evangelism, just solid practical advice and links
to credible articles / books / white papers / case studies etc I can
reference

We use OSS extensively at my library and contribute back in some small
ways to a couple of OSS projects so I have some local experience to
talk from, but there are many, many members of this list with more
experience than I (quite possibly everyone else <grin>) and I want to
put as strong a case forward as I can :-)

Anything you have to share is appreciated.

Thanks a lot.

Mr Anthony Hornby
Associate Director, Resources and Technology
Library and Information Access
Charles Darwin University (CRICOS 300K)
Phone: +61 8 8946 6011
Email: anthony.hornby at cdu.edu.au.no-spam
(remove the .no-spam)