The open source software movement has entered the library automation industry. This Library Technology Report is an overview of this new aspect of the library automation industry and provides detailed information about the major open source integrated library systems and the companies that support them. In this issue, Marshall Breeding details the differences between using an open source approach to that of using conventional proprietary software for automated operations. Breeding's report can help answer that question as well as defines open source and provides an overview of the various...

Library Technology Reports, November/December 2009 (45:8) Featured in the January 2010 Computers in Libraries "Books to Check Out" column by Deborah Poulson. Libraries are increasingly demanding the ability to exploit their library systems (LIS) using application programming interfaces (APIs), Web services, or other technologies. This issue of Library Technology Reports explores how vendors of open source library technology are approaching this desire for customization plus an in-depth exploration of trends towards APIs, Web services, and the service-oriented architecture. Topics Covered in...

Supplementing your local collection through resource sharing is a smart way to ensure your library has the resources to satisfy the needs of your users. Marshall Breeding's new Library Technology Report explores technologies and strategies for sharing resources, helping you streamline workflows and improve resource-sharing services.Covering key strategies like interlibrary loan, consortial borrowing, document delivery, and shared collections, you'll also learn about such trends and services as: OCLC WorldCat Resource Sharing, and other systems that facilitate cooperative, reciprocal...

Library Technology Reports (vol.50 no.1) This issue of Library Technology Reports (vol.50, no.1) "Library Resource Discovery Products: Context, Library Perspectives, and Vendor Positions" aims to provide libraries with the information needed to shape their strategies regarding the tools they might offer to provide access to their collections. We will provide information about the current state of the art of library discovery, describing some of the trends that have played out in recent years and some of the issues that libraries should consider as they evaluate these products. This report...

The genre of library services platforms helps libraries manage their collection materials and automate many aspects of their operations by addressing a wider range of resources and taking advantage of current technology architectures compared to the integrated library systems that have previously dominated. This issue of Library Technology Reports explores this new category of library software, including its functional and technical characteristics. It highlights the differences with integrated library systems, which remain viable for many libraries and continue to see development along their...

The prospect of a new automation system can be daunting. When do the benefits of moving to something new surpass the deficits of keeping the status quo? Can the products on the market deliver what libraries need to survive and prosper? Are those based on open source more flexible than proprietary systems? What about those deployed in the cloud? These and dozens more questions arise when libraries enter a selection process. Knowing the options is key to arriving at the best answers for your own organization. Marshall Breeding, who has followed the ins and outs of library technology for more...