Open Source Projects: The Prospero Experience Eric H. Schnell Assistant Professor Head, Information Technology Prior Health Sciences Library The Ohio State University

Open Source, not Open“Sores” FoxTrot By Bill Amend Appeared 2/7/2000 Copyright 2000 United Features Syndicate

What is Open Source? A Philosophy of Software Development where Source Code is Distributed Openly Modifications / Derivatives are Encouraged Software Licensed Free (“as free as a free kitten…”) Community / Network Involvement (Linux, Apache Web Server, PHP, MySQL)

A Philosophy of Software Development where Source Code is Distributed Openly

Modifications / Derivatives are Encouraged

Software Licensed Free (“as free as a free kitten…”)

Community / Network Involvement

(Linux, Apache Web Server, PHP, MySQL)

Why Open Source? Commercial Developers Slow to Respond to Internet Driven Needs Niche Vendors Gain Monopoly / Single Source Strategy Commercial Product Lifeline Uncertain Program is Customizable Reduces Direct Software Costs No Vendor Software Maintenance “Fees”

Commercial Developers Slow to Respond to Internet Driven Needs

Niche Vendors Gain Monopoly /

Single Source Strategy

Commercial Product Lifeline Uncertain

Program is Customizable

Reduces Direct Software Costs

No Vendor Software Maintenance “Fees”

Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller Appeared 6/6/1997 Copyright 1997 Wiley Miller

Library System Paradigm Software Vendors do not Sell Software , they Sell “Licenses” The Vendor Controls Functionality and Features Maintenance Fees are Often Not Optional Decisions Often Based on Budget, Not Patron Need

Software Vendors do not Sell Software , they Sell “Licenses”

The Vendor Controls Functionality and Features

Maintenance Fees are Often Not Optional

Decisions Often Based on Budget, Not Patron Need

Library System Paradigm Libraries make Significant Investments to License, Maintain, and Train Few Switch once Committed to a Specific Technology

Libraries make Significant Investments to License, Maintain, and Train

Few Switch once Committed to a

Specific Technology

Dilbert by Scott Adams Appeared 3/19/2000 Copyright 2000 United Feature Syndicate, Inc

Open Source for Libraries Development of New Systems to Support Library Services Timely Response to Internet Driven Needs By Libraries; For Libraries

Development of New Systems to Support Library Services

Timely Response to Internet Driven Needs

By Libraries; For Libraries

Why Open Source for Libraries? Reduce Electronic Service Implementation Timetable Reallocate Funds to Other Needs Creation of New Consortiums Break away from the Library System Paradigm

Reduce Electronic Service Implementation Timetable

Reallocate Funds to Other Needs

Creation of New Consortiums

Break away from the Library System Paradigm

What is Prospero? Electronic Document Delivery System Originally Designed to Work with Ariel ® Can be Used as Stand Alone Converts Ariel TIFF Documents to PDF Places them on an Authenticated Web Site Like Ariel, Prospero is a Character in Shakespeare's “The Tempest”

Electronic Document Delivery System

Originally Designed to Work with Ariel ®

Can be Used as Stand Alone

Converts Ariel TIFF Documents to PDF

Places them on an Authenticated Web Site

Like Ariel, Prospero is a Character in Shakespeare's “The Tempest”

Why Prospero? Advisory Committee Recommendation Full-Text Journals Online, Why Not ILL? Shorten Document Delivery Time Any Time, Any Place Access Commercial Alternatives Not Economical

Advisory Committee Recommendation

Full-Text Journals Online, Why Not ILL?

Shorten Document Delivery Time

Any Time, Any Place Access

Commercial Alternatives Not Economical

Prospero Modules Staff Interface Installed on Ariel PC Uses Ariel Directories Can Scan Direct or Import

Staff Interface

Installed on Ariel PC

Uses Ariel Directories

Can Scan Direct or Import

Staff Interface

Prospero Modules Staff Interface Installed on Ariel PC Uses Ariel Directories Can Scan Direct or Import Patron Interface /Server Side Install on Windows/ Unix-Linux Server Any Web Server Software

Staff Interface

Installed on Ariel PC

Uses Ariel Directories

Can Scan Direct or Import

Patron Interface /Server Side

Install on Windows/ Unix-Linux Server

Any Web Server Software

Patron Interface

Prospero Timeline March 1999 – Began Search for Existing Systems NLM’s DocView ILLiad Marshall’s WebEDD April ‘99 – Decided to Create Homegrown System April ‘99 – Discovered Yale’s EDD Software May ‘99 – Released Prospero 1.0 April ’00 –Version 1.35 (15 th revision)

March 1999 – Began Search for Existing Systems

NLM’s DocView

ILLiad

Marshall’s WebEDD

April ‘99 – Decided to Create Homegrown System

April ‘99 – Discovered Yale’s EDD Software

May ‘99 – Released Prospero 1.0

April ’00 –Version 1.35 (15 th revision)

Prospero Team Project Manager Communications Web Site & Message Board Management Contact for Administrators / Prospero Implementers Programmer Wrote Code Debugged Problems Evaluators Used Beta Code Identified Initial Features

Project Manager

Communications

Web Site & Message Board Management

Contact for Administrators / Prospero Implementers

Programmer

Wrote Code

Debugged Problems

Evaluators

Used Beta Code

Identified Initial Features

Prospero Team 40+ Outside Contributors 3 High Use Sites Local Staff

40+ Outside Contributors

3 High Use Sites

Local Staff

Time Commitment Project Manager 60 hours initial Web site Development and Creation of Support Materials. < 1 Hour a Day Ongoing Support Programmer ~100 Hours Initial Development. 8 Hours per Week Ongoing Support Evaluators Feedback Through Regular Use

Project Manager

60 hours initial Web site Development and Creation of Support Materials.

< 1 Hour a Day Ongoing Support

Programmer

~100 Hours Initial Development.

8 Hours per Week Ongoing Support

Evaluators

Feedback Through Regular Use

Customer Service Web Site Questions and Feedback via Email Web Discussion Board “ Users Helping Users”

Web Site

Questions and Feedback via Email

Web Discussion Board

“ Users Helping Users”

Development Costs No Direct Software Costs No Direct Ongoing Software Maintenance Costs Utilized Existing Hardware Staff Time (~ $3500 1st year indirect cost)

No Direct Software Costs

No Direct Ongoing Software Maintenance Costs

Utilized Existing Hardware

Staff Time (~ $3500 1st year indirect cost)

Benefits Established Service When Needed Allows Others to Establish Similar Services, Cheaply Staff Learning New Skills Creating New “Network” of Library Development Partners Break Away from the Library Systems Paradigm

Established Service When Needed

Allows Others to Establish Similar Services, Cheaply

Staff Learning New Skills

Creating New “Network” of Library Development Partners

Break Away from the Library Systems Paradigm

Hidden Benefits Over 260 Organizational Downloads from 21 Countries Promotes the John A. Prior Library and The Ohio State University Publication, Presentation, Award, and Grant Opportunities Local Recognition

Over 260 Organizational Downloads from 21 Countries

Promotes the John A. Prior Library and The Ohio State University

Publication, Presentation, Award, and Grant Opportunities

Local Recognition

Lessons User Expectations Implementation Issues Individual Privacy (Open Source a Safe Haven?) Systems Security Library System Paradigm is Alive

User Expectations

Implementation Issues

Individual Privacy (Open Source a Safe Haven?)

Systems Security

Library System Paradigm is Alive

Words of Advice “ One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth.” -- Abraham Maslow

“ One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth.”

Thanks! Merci! E-mail: [email_address] Project: bones.med.ohio-state.edu/prospero/ oss4lib: www.oss4lib.org

E-mail:

[email_address]

Project:

bones.med.ohio-state.edu/prospero/

oss4lib:

www.oss4lib.org