An Analysis Of Open Source ILS Market Penetration

An Analysis Of Open Source ILS Market Penetration
http://features.lisnews.org/features/07/10/15/118229.s
html
This ILS Market Analysis was written by Bob Molyneux
contains
preliminary figures might be of interest to the web4lib
readers.
Bob looks at which U.S. public & academic libraries
currently run open
source ILS software, and how Koha and Evergreen usage stacks
up.

"There are a number of ways one might measure the
impact of open
source ILS software on U.S. public libraries but I think
these
preliminary figures are suggestive: that few of these
libraries
actually use open source software as a means of supplying
their ILSs.
Of course, we know that many more have announced and the
market is
dynamic. When I revisit these figures, I suspect the numbers
will
change but the size of the library market is quite a bit
larger than
the open source community has supplied. Its impact on the
market is
around 1%, depending on which measure one uses and by the
restrictive
criteria I use here."

You can read the report and see his tables for comparison
at
http://www.lisnews.org/features/07/10/15/118229.shtml

-BLake Carver
LISNews.org
_______________________________________________
Web4lib mailing list
Web4libwebjunction.org
http://lists.we
bjunction.org/web4lib/

Color me Monday-dumb, but did we expect anything else? These
products
are very new, by the yardstick of library automation, and an
ILS
migration is a big commitment that takes a lot of time. You
have to be
both desperate and determined to change your ILS--and though
that
describes quite a few libraries, then they still need time
to evaluate,
plan, and deploy. I'm not sure what the report demonstrates
except the
"slow-moving barge" syndrome. Or am I missing
something? 

Karen G. Schneider
kgsfreerangelibrarian.com

On Mon, 15 Oct 2007 11:50:34 -0400, "Blake Carver"
<listslisnews.com>
said:
> An Analysis Of Open Source ILS Market Penetration
> http://features.lisnews.org/features/07/10/15/118229.s
html
> This ILS Market Analysis was written by Bob Molyneux
contains
> preliminary figures might be of interest to the web4lib
readers.
> Bob looks at which U.S. public & academic libraries
currently run open
> source ILS software, and how Koha and Evergreen usage
stacks up.
> 
> "There are a number of ways one might measure the
impact of open
> source ILS software on U.S. public libraries but I
think these
> preliminary figures are suggestive: that few of these
libraries
> actually use open source software as a means of
supplying their ILSs.
> Of course, we know that many more have announced and
the market is
> dynamic. When I revisit these figures, I suspect the
numbers will
> change but the size of the library market is quite a
bit larger than
> the open source community has supplied. Its impact on
the market is
> around 1%, depending on which measure one uses and by
the restrictive
> criteria I use here."
> 
> You can read the report and see his tables for
comparison at
> http://www.lisnews.org/features/07/10/15/118229.shtml
> 
> -BLake Carver
> LISNews.org
> _______________________________________________
> Web4lib mailing list
> Web4libwebjunction.org
> http://lists.we
bjunction.org/web4lib/
_______________________________________________
Web4lib mailing list
Web4libwebjunction.org
http://lists.we
bjunction.org/web4lib/

Color me Monday-dumb, but did we expect anything else? These
products
are very new, by the yardstick of library automation, and an
ILS
migration is a big commitment that takes a lot of time. You
have to be
both desperate and determined to change your ILS--and though
that
describes quite a few libraries, then they still need time
to evaluate,
plan, and deploy. I'm not sure what the report demonstrates
except the
"slow-moving barge" syndrome. Or am I missing
something? 

Karen G. Schneider
kgsfreerangelibrarian.com

On Mon, 15 Oct 2007 11:50:34 -0400, "Blake Carver"
<listslisnews.com>
said:
> An Analysis Of Open Source ILS Market Penetration
> http://features.lisnews.org/features/07/10/15/118229.s
html
> This ILS Market Analysis was written by Bob Molyneux
contains
> preliminary figures might be of interest to the web4lib
readers.
> Bob looks at which U.S. public & academic libraries
currently run open
> source ILS software, and how Koha and Evergreen usage
stacks up.
> 
> "There are a number of ways one might measure the
impact of open
> source ILS software on U.S. public libraries but I
think these
> preliminary figures are suggestive: that few of these
libraries
> actually use open source software as a means of
supplying their ILSs.
> Of course, we know that many more have announced and
the market is
> dynamic. When I revisit these figures, I suspect the
numbers will
> change but the size of the library market is quite a
bit larger than
> the open source community has supplied. Its impact on
the market is
> around 1%, depending on which measure one uses and by
the restrictive
> criteria I use here."
> 
> You can read the report and see his tables for
comparison at
> http://www.lisnews.org/features/07/10/15/118229.shtml
> 
> -BLake Carver
> LISNews.org
> _______________________________________________
> Web4lib mailing list
> Web4libwebjunction.org
> http://lists.we
bjunction.org/web4lib/
_______________________________________________
Web4lib mailing list
Web4libwebjunction.org
http://lists.we
bjunction.org/web4lib/

> K.G. Schneider wrote:
> >  I'm not sure what the report demonstrates except
the
> > "slow-moving barge" syndrome. Or am I
missing something? 
> >
> >   
> If by 'slow-moving barge' you simply mean slow to gain
mass-appeal, 
> yeah.  Didn't we experience the same thing with other 
> technologies--telephone, television, computer, ipods? 
The market is 
> slow at first, but then as use and word of improved
performance by the 
> new technology rises, so the presence of it in the
marketplace increases 
> and causes the decline and ultimate replacement of
existing technologies. 

I'm not referring to the NEW technologies. I mean the old
technologies.
They ain't called silos for no reason. Ever try to climb out
of a silo?
The walls are high and slippery. 

Most libraries also don't have the budgets (let alone
organizational
cultures) to spin around and say, "hey, let's do
this!" To move out of a
proprietary ILS you've got to do a lot of planning and yes,
you are
going to spend some money to get there--plus workflow
changes, training,
etc. The ILS handles many complex processes and has many
dependencies,
and at this point in time, for most libraries, it's
*necessary.* Even at
top speed, it's going to take some time to turn a library
barge around. 

I'm actually making the opposite point you are thinking,
because there
is definitely pent-up demand for "something else,"
whether it's
Evergreen, Koha, eXtensible Catalog, LibraryFind, WorldCat
Local, Open
Library, etc. I don't know you measure it, and the one
survey I saw
didn't ask questions in a way that I thought captured what's
really
going on in folks' heads. It really struck me at the
Symposium on the
Future of the ILS last month when I saw *library trustees*
volunteering
that they were interested in open source. 

Some libraries feel quite well "penetrated" by
their vendors and are
poised for change. 

Karen G. Schneider
kgsfreerangelibrarian.com 
_______________________________________________
Web4lib mailing list
Web4libwebjunction.org
http://lists.we
bjunction.org/web4lib/

> K.G. Schneider wrote:
> >  I'm not sure what the report demonstrates except
the
> > "slow-moving barge" syndrome. Or am I
missing something? 
> >
> >   
> If by 'slow-moving barge' you simply mean slow to gain
mass-appeal, 
> yeah.  Didn't we experience the same thing with other 
> technologies--telephone, television, computer, ipods? 
The market is 
> slow at first, but then as use and word of improved
performance by the 
> new technology rises, so the presence of it in the
marketplace increases 
> and causes the decline and ultimate replacement of
existing technologies. 

I'm not referring to the NEW technologies. I mean the old
technologies.
They ain't called silos for no reason. Ever try to climb out
of a silo?
The walls are high and slippery. 

Most libraries also don't have the budgets (let alone
organizational
cultures) to spin around and say, "hey, let's do
this!" To move out of a
proprietary ILS you've got to do a lot of planning and yes,
you are
going to spend some money to get there--plus workflow
changes, training,
etc. The ILS handles many complex processes and has many
dependencies,
and at this point in time, for most libraries, it's
*necessary.* Even at
top speed, it's going to take some time to turn a library
barge around. 

I'm actually making the opposite point you are thinking,
because there
is definitely pent-up demand for "something else,"
whether it's
Evergreen, Koha, eXtensible Catalog, LibraryFind, WorldCat
Local, Open
Library, etc. I don't know you measure it, and the one
survey I saw
didn't ask questions in a way that I thought captured what's
really
going on in folks' heads. It really struck me at the
Symposium on the
Future of the ILS last month when I saw *library trustees*
volunteering
that they were interested in open source. 

Some libraries feel quite well "penetrated" by
their vendors and are
poised for change. 

Karen G. Schneider
kgsfreerangelibrarian.com 
_______________________________________________
Web4lib mailing list
Web4libwebjunction.org
http://lists.we
bjunction.org/web4lib/

I agree with Karen's point--there has to be more of a
proven
infrastructure that supports Open Source ILS' before more
than a handful
of bleeding edge of libraries can adopt them.  I know that
there are
some support companies popping up to help libraries
implement and
develop Open Source ILS', but they haven't been around long
enough to
develop reputations.  

For those of us not willing to sail out on the rough open
seas without a
map and a trusted navigator, we won't be jumping ship soon. 


Alicia Abramson
Manager Library Information Technology
Berkeley Public Library
aabramsonci.berkeley.ca.us
510-981-6131


-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounceswebjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounceswebjunction.org] On Behalf Of K.G.
Schneider
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 11:53 AM
To: web4libwebjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] An Analysis Of Open Source ILS Market
Penetration


> K.G. Schneider wrote:
> >  I'm not sure what the report demonstrates except
the
> > "slow-moving barge" syndrome. Or am I
missing something? 
> >
> >   
> If by 'slow-moving barge' you simply mean slow to gain
mass-appeal, 
> yeah.  Didn't we experience the same thing with other 
> technologies--telephone, television, computer, ipods? 
The market is 
> slow at first, but then as use and word of improved
performance by the

> new technology rises, so the presence of it in the
marketplace
increases 
> and causes the decline and ultimate replacement of
existing
technologies. 

I'm not referring to the NEW technologies. I mean the old
technologies.
They ain't called silos for no reason. Ever try to climb out
of a silo?
The walls are high and slippery. 

Most libraries also don't have the budgets (let alone
organizational
cultures) to spin around and say, "hey, let's do
this!" To move out of a
proprietary ILS you've got to do a lot of planning and yes,
you are
going to spend some money to get there--plus workflow
changes, training,
etc. The ILS handles many complex processes and has many
dependencies,
and at this point in time, for most libraries, it's
*necessary.* Even at
top speed, it's going to take some time to turn a library
barge around. 

I'm actually making the opposite point you are thinking,
because there
is definitely pent-up demand for "something else,"
whether it's
Evergreen, Koha, eXtensible Catalog, LibraryFind, WorldCat
Local, Open
Library, etc. I don't know you measure it, and the one
survey I saw
didn't ask questions in a way that I thought captured what's
really
going on in folks' heads. It really struck me at the
Symposium on the
Future of the ILS last month when I saw *library trustees*
volunteering
that they were interested in open source. 

Some libraries feel quite well "penetrated" by
their vendors and are
poised for change. 

Karen G. Schneider
kgsfreerangelibrarian.com 
_______________________________________________
Web4lib mailing list
Web4libwebjunction.org
http://lists.we
bjunction.org/web4lib/
_______________________________________________
Web4lib mailing list
Web4libwebjunction.org
http://lists.we
bjunction.org/web4lib/

I agree with Karen's point--there has to be more of a
proven
infrastructure that supports Open Source ILS' before more
than a handful
of bleeding edge of libraries can adopt them.  I know that
there are
some support companies popping up to help libraries
implement and
develop Open Source ILS', but they haven't been around long
enough to
develop reputations.  

For those of us not willing to sail out on the rough open
seas without a
map and a trusted navigator, we won't be jumping ship soon. 


Alicia Abramson
Manager Library Information Technology
Berkeley Public Library
aabramsonci.berkeley.ca.us
510-981-6131


-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounceswebjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounceswebjunction.org] On Behalf Of K.G.
Schneider
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 11:53 AM
To: web4libwebjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] An Analysis Of Open Source ILS Market
Penetration


> K.G. Schneider wrote:
> >  I'm not sure what the report demonstrates except
the
> > "slow-moving barge" syndrome. Or am I
missing something? 
> >
> >   
> If by 'slow-moving barge' you simply mean slow to gain
mass-appeal, 
> yeah.  Didn't we experience the same thing with other 
> technologies--telephone, television, computer, ipods? 
The market is 
> slow at first, but then as use and word of improved
performance by the

> new technology rises, so the presence of it in the
marketplace
increases 
> and causes the decline and ultimate replacement of
existing
technologies. 

I'm not referring to the NEW technologies. I mean the old
technologies.
They ain't called silos for no reason. Ever try to climb out
of a silo?
The walls are high and slippery. 

Most libraries also don't have the budgets (let alone
organizational
cultures) to spin around and say, "hey, let's do
this!" To move out of a
proprietary ILS you've got to do a lot of planning and yes,
you are
going to spend some money to get there--plus workflow
changes, training,
etc. The ILS handles many complex processes and has many
dependencies,
and at this point in time, for most libraries, it's
*necessary.* Even at
top speed, it's going to take some time to turn a library
barge around. 

I'm actually making the opposite point you are thinking,
because there
is definitely pent-up demand for "something else,"
whether it's
Evergreen, Koha, eXtensible Catalog, LibraryFind, WorldCat
Local, Open
Library, etc. I don't know you measure it, and the one
survey I saw
didn't ask questions in a way that I thought captured what's
really
going on in folks' heads. It really struck me at the
Symposium on the
Future of the ILS last month when I saw *library trustees*
volunteering
that they were interested in open source. 

Some libraries feel quite well "penetrated" by
their vendors and are
poised for change. 

Karen G. Schneider
kgsfreerangelibrarian.com 
_______________________________________________
Web4lib mailing list
Web4libwebjunction.org
http://lists.we
bjunction.org/web4lib/
_______________________________________________
Web4lib mailing list
Web4libwebjunction.org
http://lists.we
bjunction.org/web4lib/

K.G. Schneider wrote:
>  I'm not sure what the report demonstrates except the
> "slow-moving barge" syndrome. Or am I missing
something? 
>
>   
If by 'slow-moving barge' you simply mean slow to gain
mass-appeal, 
yeah.  Didn't we experience the same thing with other 
technologies--telephone, television, computer, ipods?  The
market is 
slow at first, but then as use and word of improved
performance by the 
new technology rises, so the presence of it in the
marketplace increases 
and causes the decline and ultimate replacement of existing
technologies. 

Can't wait for it to happen!  What would that world look
like?
Oh I dunno--I can get to my data, I can move it around,
deliverables to 
market take a minimum of time, I can move from one company
to another, 
and most importantly, I can share all my info with any other
library, 
person, business, the world. 

It isn't Google who could take over the world, it's
libraries.  And OSS 
can help make ubiquitous information available to everyone.

Deb

-- 

Deb Bergeron <mailto:bergeronmacalester.edu> System
Admin: User Support
CLIC Consortium <http://clic.edu>
1619 Dayton Avenue, Suite 204A
Saint Paul, MN 55104
O651.644.3878
* C651.487.7609
* F:651.644.6258

_______________________________________________
Web4lib mailing list
Web4libwebjunction.org
http://lists.we
bjunction.org/web4lib/

K.G. Schneider wrote:
>  I'm not sure what the report demonstrates except the
> "slow-moving barge" syndrome. Or am I missing
something? 
>
>   
If by 'slow-moving barge' you simply mean slow to gain
mass-appeal, 
yeah.  Didn't we experience the same thing with other 
technologies--telephone, television, computer, ipods?  The
market is 
slow at first, but then as use and word of improved
performance by the 
new technology rises, so the presence of it in the
marketplace increases 
and causes the decline and ultimate replacement of existing
technologies. 

Can't wait for it to happen!  What would that world look
like?
Oh I dunno--I can get to my data, I can move it around,
deliverables to 
market take a minimum of time, I can move from one company
to another, 
and most importantly, I can share all my info with any other
library, 
person, business, the world. 

It isn't Google who could take over the world, it's
libraries.  And OSS 
can help make ubiquitous information available to everyone.

Deb

-- 

Deb Bergeron <mailto:bergeronmacalester.edu> System
Admin: User Support
CLIC Consortium <http://clic.edu>
1619 Dayton Avenue, Suite 204A
Saint Paul, MN 55104
O651.644.3878
* C651.487.7609
* F:651.644.6258

_______________________________________________
Web4lib mailing list
Web4libwebjunction.org
http://lists.we
bjunction.org/web4lib/

Abramson, Alicia wrote:
> I agree with Karen's point--there has to be more of a
proven
> infrastructure that supports Open Source ILS' before
more than a handful
> of bleeding edge of libraries can adopt them.  

ɪʲd argue that most public libraries in our state are not
in a position 
to migrate to an opensource ILS. They have neither the staff
nor the 
capacity. I suspect that sufficient critical mass of more
adventurous 
libraries willing to sharing their learnings will be
required first. And 
consortia approaches (including sufficient IT support) would
help.

That said, migration to an opensource ILS has quite a few
positives.

One of the issues I have with most ILS vendors is the web
interface into 
their systems. If I were to evaluate an ILS product based on
its web 
interface according to mandatory state government web
publishing 
guidelines, I'd have to reject most of the products as
non-compliant.

At least with opensource solutions it is possible to enhance
the web 
absed user interfaces.

Opensource solutions also offer a glimmer of hope for a
better 
internationalised product.

Andrew
-- 
Andrew Cunningham
Research and Development Coordinator (Vicnet)
State Library of Victoria
328 Swanston Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Australia

Email: andrewc+AEA-vicnet.net.au
Alt. email: lang.support+AEA-gmail.com

Ph: +613-8664-7430                    Fax:+613-9639-2175
Mob: 0421-450-816

http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/
            http://www.vicnet.net.au/
http://www.openroad.net.a
u/           http://www.mylanguage.g
ov.au/
http://home.vicne
t.net.au/~andrewc/

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