American Library Association Library Technology R E P O R T S E x p e r t G u i d e s t o L i b r a r y S y s t e m s a n d S e r v i c e s alatechsource.org Open Source Library Systems: The Current State of the Art Marshall Breeding http://alatechsource.org Library Technology R E P O R T S Abstract This issue of Library Technology Reports aims to out- line the major open source integrated library systems and library services platforms and their influence on the broader library technology industry. Chapter 1 provides an overview of open source resource man- agement solutions and introduces the current land- scape of these products in the industry. The chapters following closely examine the open source resource management systems Koha, Evergreen, TIND, and FOLIO. The report concludes by exploring the impact of open source products on the library automation environment. Library Technology Reports (ISSN 0024-2586) is published eight times a year (January, March, April, June, July, September, October, and Decem- ber) by American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. It is managed by ALA TechSource, a unit of the publishing department of ALA. Periodical postage paid at Chicago, Illinois, and at additional mail- ing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Library Technology Reports, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Trademarked names appear in the text of this journal. Rather than identify or insert a trademark symbol at the appearance of each name, the authors and the American Library Association state that the names are used for editorial purposes exclusively, to the ultimate benefit of the owners of the trademarks. There is absolutely no intention of infringement on the rights of the trademark owners. Copyright © 2017 Marshall Breeding All Rights Reserved. alatechsource.org ALA TechSource purchases fund advocacy, awareness, and accreditation programs for library professionals worldwide. Volume 53, Number 6 Open Source Library Systems: The Current State of the Art ISBN: 978-0-8389-5989-3 American Library Association 50 East Huron St. Chicago, IL 60611-2795 USA alatechsource.org 800-545-2433, ext. 4299 312-944-6780 312-280-5275 (fax) Advertising Representative Samantha Imburgia [email protected] 312-280-3244 Editor Samantha Imburgia [email protected] 312-280-3244 Copy Editor Judith Lauber Production Tim Clifford Editorial Assistant Colton Ursiny Cover Design Alejandra Diaz About the Author Marshall Breeding is an independent consultant, speaker, and author. He is the editor of Smart Libraries Newsletter and creator and editor of Library Technology Guides (https://librarytechnology.org). He has authored the annual “Library Systems Report” published most recently in American Libraries. He has also edited and authored several books, including Library Technology Buying Strategies. Formerly the director for innovative technology and research for the.

1. American Library Association
Library Technology
R E P O R T S
E x p e r t G u i d e s t o L i b r a r y S y s t e m s a n d S e r
v i c e s
alatechsource.org
Open Source Library Systems:
The Current State of the Art
Marshall Breeding
http://alatechsource.org
Library Technology
R E P O R T S
Abstract
This issue of Library Technology Reports aims to out-
line the major open source integrated library systems
and library services platforms and their influence on
the broader library technology industry. Chapter 1
provides an overview of open source resource man-
agement solutions and introduces the current land-
scape of these products in the industry. The chapters
following closely examine the open source resource
management systems Koha, Evergreen, TIND, and

2. FOLIO. The report concludes by exploring the impact
of open source products on the library automation
environment.
Library Technology Reports (ISSN 0024-2586) is published
eight times a
year (January, March, April, June, July, September, October,
and Decem-
ber) by American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St.,
Chicago, IL 60611.
It is managed by ALA TechSource, a unit of the publishing
department of
ALA. Periodical postage paid at Chicago, Illinois, and at
additional mail-
ing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Library
Technology
Reports, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611.
Trademarked names appear in the text of this journal. Rather
than identify
or insert a trademark symbol at the appearance of each name,
the authors
and the American Library Association state that the names are
used for
editorial purposes exclusively, to the ultimate benefit of the
owners of the
trademarks. There is absolutely no intention of infringement on
the rights
of the trademark owners.
Copyright © 2017
Marshall Breeding
All Rights Reserved.
alatechsource.org

3. ALA TechSource purchases fund advocacy, awareness, and
accreditation programs for library professionals worldwide.
Volume 53, Number 6
Open Source Library Systems:
The Current State of the Art
ISBN: 978-0-8389-5989-3
American Library Association
50 East Huron St.
Chicago, IL 60611-2795 USA
alatechsource.org
800-545-2433, ext. 4299
312-944-6780
312-280-5275 (fax)
Advertising Representative
Samantha Imburgia
[email protected]
312-280-3244
Editor
Samantha Imburgia
[email protected]
312-280-3244
Copy Editor
Judith Lauber
Production

4. Tim Clifford
Editorial Assistant
Colton Ursiny
Cover Design
Alejandra Diaz
About the Author
Marshall Breeding is an independent consultant,
speaker, and author. He is the editor of Smart Libraries
Newsletter and creator and editor of Library Technology
Guides (https://librarytechnology.org). He has authored
the annual “Library Systems Report” published most
recently in American Libraries. He has also edited and
authored several books, including Library Technology
Buying Strategies. Formerly the director for innovative
technology and research for the Vanderbilt University
Library, he regularly teaches workshops and presents
internationally at library conferences.
Subscriptions
alatechsource.org/subscribe
http://alatechsource.org
mailto:somburigia%40ala.org?subject=
http://librarytechnology.org
http://alatechsource.org/subscribe
Chapter 1—Introduction 5
Open Source Software Issues 6
Open Source Resource Management Systems 7
Note 8

5. Chapter 2—Koha: The Original Open Source ILS 9
Koha: A New Zealand Gift to Libraries 9
LibLime: First US Koha Services Company 10
PTFS Enters the Koha Support Arena 11
The ByWater
Solution
s Era 11
Implementations 11
Technical Characteristics 13
Functionality 14
Satisfaction and Suitability 15
Forecast 16
Koha Resources 17
Notes 17
Chapter References 17
Chapter 3—Evergreen 18
Evergreen’s Birth in Georgia 18
Equinox Software, Inc., Formed 19
Equinox Open Library Initiative 19
Shifting Support Trends 20
LYRASIS Offers Open Source Support 20
Governance 20
Functionality 20

6. Satisfaction and Suitability 21
Technical Characteristics 23
Forecast 23
Evergreen Resources 23
Notes 24
Chapter References 24
Chapter 4—Kuali OLE (Defunct) 25
General Background 25
Chapter Resources 25
Chapter 5—FOLIO: A New Open Source Initiative 27
Stakeholders and Community 27
The Role of EBSCO Information Services 27
The Open Library Environment 28
The Open Library Foundation 28
Index Data 28
Functional Vision 28
Technical Vision 29
Time Line and Current Status 29
Contents

7. Forecast 30
Notes 30
Chapter Resources 30
Chapter 6—Invenio, or the TIND ILS 32
General Background 32
TIND: An Official CERN Spin-Off 32
Technical Characteristics 33
Invenio Development Community 33
Forecast 33
Chapter Resources 33
Chapter 7—The Impact of Open Source Library
Resource Management Systems 34
References and Resources 34
Contents, continued
5
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10. Open Source Library Systems: The Current State of the Art
Marshall Breeding
T
his issue of Library Technology Reports takes a
look at the open source alternatives available
to libraries for their strategic systems. Libraries
depend on their core technology systems for manag-
ing and providing access to their collection resources
and other aspects of their operations. These core sys-
tems include integrated library systems (ILSs), the
longstanding model of library automation originally
designed for managing print collections, and the
newer genre of library services platforms that has
gained favor with academic and research libraries.
These strategic systems have been sold to librar-
ies primarily as proprietary products controlled by a
single vendor. Under this proprietary model, librar-
ies that use these products remain dependent on that
vendor for the ongoing development of the software,
for addressing any problems with the system, and for
support or other types of services. Proprietary soft-
ware will likely have many different configuration

11. options but may have limitations in the ways that it
can be customized to address library-specific issues.
The costs with proprietary software may also strain
library budgets.
Despite these limitations, proprietary software
continues as the dominant approach for strategic
library systems, and most libraries express relatively
high degrees of satisfaction with their systems and
their associated vendors.1
Open source products have been created that
present alternatives to the proprietary systems. These
open source products include some that are well
established and widely deployed and some that have
more recently emerged, as well as ones still in devel-
opment. These products add an important dynamic
to technology products generally dominated by pro-
prietary software. Both open source and proprietary
software comes with advantages and disadvantages,
which we will explore in the report.
This report aims to provide a current look at the
major ILSs and library services platforms and the

12. impact they have made on the broader library tech-
nology industry. The intended audience includes those
responsible for shaping the technology strategies or
involved in evaluating and selecting systems. The dis-
cussion is not intended as highly technical and should
be accessible to administrators as well as those more
directly involved in systems. Persons involved in the
development of open source systems will hopefully
benefit from the background and perspective pro-
vided, but will likely not learn new technical details.
Only a small number of products fall within of
the scope of this report. Products discussed include
Koha, the original open source ILS, which has come
to be one of the most widely deployed library auto-
mation products in the world; Evergreen, an open
source ILS created primarily for consortia of public
libraries; Invenio, an open source platform created by
CERN that has recently been made available through
its spin-off company TIND; and FOLIO, a new open
source initiative to create an open source library ser-
vices platform.
Other types of open source software have not been
addressed in this report. Product categories such as

13. discovery interfaces, content repositories, and a bevy
of specialized tools and utilities also have open source
options, which deserve their own detailed treatment
and are not described here in detail.
This report takes open source software as an
objective alternative to proprietary products. In other
words, the technology products discussed are not con-
sidered more or less desirable based on whether they
are open source or proprietary, but on the merits of
Introduction
Chapter 1
6
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Open Source Library Systems: The Current State of the Art
Marshall Breeding
their functionality, how well they have served the
needs of libraries that use them, and other tangible
factors.
The report also does not aim to provide side-by-
side comparisons of features and technical character-
istics among the various products discussed or with
the proprietary options. Some discussion of the gen-
eral approach of each product is provided to give a
general impression of its capabilities and suitability to
libraries of different types. Those interested in more
in-depth information can consult with the documen-

17. tation provided for each of the products discussed on
their respective websites.
The story of open source in the library technol-
ogy scene continues to unfold. In some chapters, the
scene has been set already. ILSs based on open source
software have seen continuous rise in popularity since
about 2000 and can now be seen as well within the
mainstream. New chapters in the saga are being writ-
ten even today, with new characters and unexpected
turns in plot. The launch of the FOLIO initiative to
create a new open source library services platform
represents a major twist. In a corner of the industry
where Ex Libris has established a solid foothold and
seems positioned to extend its dominance even fur-
ther, a new project launched by its archrival EBSCO
has taken aim to disrupt its course. Will this new open
source upstart alter the landscape in the long term?
The answer lies in the next chapter yet to be written.
Open Source Software Issues
Open source software is not a new aspect to the
library technology environment. Its principles are
well understood, as well as the relative advantages

18. and disadvantages of its development models and sup-
port arrangements. There is a large body of literature
and documentation delineating the issues and details
of open source versus proprietary software licenses.
This section discusses some of the issues relative to
the processes typically involved in open source soft-
ware development and the ecosystem of services sur-
rounding its implementation and support that have
been seen in the open source ILS arena.
The tasks associated with the development of soft-
ware remain much the same regardless of whether the
product will be commercially licensed or released as
open source. The manner in which those tasks take
place or are managed, however, may differ substan-
tially. Open source software tends to be much more
oriented to collaboration among a distributed group
of developers, often working for different organiza-
tions and in different geographic regions. This distrib-
uted method fosters a more transparent process since
the development takes place more publicly and less
behind the firewall of a single development firm.
Proprietary software development can often be
conducted with a certain level of efficiency through

19. more direct management of resources and processes.
A company creating proprietary software exerts com-
plete control over the software development process.
It employs technical architects, software engineers,
programmers, quality assurance experts, product
managers, domain experts, or other roles needed.
Through employment contracts and internal oversight
processes, a company can hire an appropriately sized
development team and manage the quality and pro-
ductivity of each step of the process. Companies often
make use of outsourced services to reduce personnel
costs. It is also possible for such a corporate develop-
ment shop to produce open source software.
Open source projects generally follow a more col-
laborative and democratic approach. The open source
projects related to library systems exemplify the pro-
cesses of community development. A diverse group of
companies involved in providing services and librar-
ies that make use of the software collaborate out of
mutual interest to create and improve the product.
This spirit of collaboration and the general philosophy
of open source software results in a much more public
process. It also demands robust communications pro-
cesses and tools for collaborative development. Most

20. open source software development projects will make
use of several types of collaborative tools, including
the following:
• A public repository for storing source code, docu-
mentation, and other project resources. Ideally,
these repositories will include advanced version
control features. Many projects use GitHub.
• An e-mail distribution list. Most projects have one
or more Listservs to distribute news and other
types of communications appropriate for e-mail.
• Real-time messaging. It is common for open
source projects to have an IRC or Slack channel
for conversations among developers and other
project participants.
• A website. The project website will provide gen-
eral information, including links to all pertinent
resources.
GitHub
https://github.com

21. Contrary to the stereotype where open source
software is created by volunteers in their spare time,
most projects are carried out by professional program-
mers employed by companies with a direct or indirect
financial interest in the product. Open source library
system projects will often include a mix of develop-
ers from commercial support firms and individuals
https://github.com/
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Open Source Library Systems: The Current State of the Art
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working in libraries that use the software. An open
source software development project will rely on a
variety of technical and nontechnical roles. These
projects greatly benefit from persons who work in
libraries lending their expertise in functional areas in
overall product design, workflow optimization, speci-
fications for feature requirements, testing, and doc-

24. umentation. Some libraries may also have program-
mers who work directly with the source code for the
product.
The realm of technology increasingly is based
more on revenues derived for services than from
direct sales of software licenses. Categories of service
fees include the following:
• custom software development
• implementation
• hosting
• help desk and support
The use of any software product involves costs,
regardless of whether it is open source or proprietary.
Open source software does not involve license fees
but will require other types of investments or expen-
ditures (see table 1.1). In some cases, an organiza-
tion can be entirely self-sufficient and may be able
to operate a product based on open source software
on existing hardware and through the efforts of its
own personnel. Such a situation is relatively rare. In
most cases, especially in the realm of enterprise-class
business software, organizations will contract with

25. specialized firms for the services needed to operate
the software with the levels of reliability and perfor-
mance expected for critical business functions.
Open Source Resource
Management Systems
The following chapters provide information on some
of the major products used in libraries available as
open source software. These products fall within the
category of what can be termed resource management
systems, which serve as the primary business process
automation environment to support the core activi-
ties in a library. ILSs and library services platforms
are two different types of resource management sys-
tems. ILSs are well established as automation systems
that were originally created when library collections
were primarily composed of print and other physical
media. Although ILSs have evolved substantially, they
continue to retain an orientation to physical materi-
als. Examples of ILSs include the following:
• Symphony, a proprietary product from SirsiDynix
• Horizon, a proprietary product from SirsiDynix

26. • Millennium, a proprietary product from Innova-
tive Interfaces
• Polaris, a proprietary product from Innovative
Interfaces
• Library·