The document discusses the benefits and considerations for library automation, emphasizing the elimination of manual tasks and the need for online accessibility. Key factors to evaluate include costs, required features, support options, and community recommendations for software solutions like Evergreen and Koha. Additionally, the document highlights the importance of ensuring data portability and offers resources for further information.

1. Enabling Your Ripples: Library Software
Ann Pool PNACL 2015 Conference Vancouver, WA
Why automate?
 No more producingcardsand spine labelsbyhand
 Put the catalogon line andmake it publiclyaccessible
 Manage circulationandcommunicationswith users
 NOTE: Automation isnotall or nothing!
Before you start:things to consider
 What do and don'tyou have inplace now?
 How muchcan youaffordto spend?
 What skillsare available:yourownandthose of available volunteers?Don'tjustthinkabout
technical skills.Someone who'sgoodwithspreadsheetscanbe a huge help.
 Do youwant to make yourcatalog accessible online?Availabletothe general public?
 Will the librarybe staffedwhileinuse?Doyouwantself checkout?Isthere sufficientsecurityto
keepa computerinthe library?
 Mostof all: whatdo you wantto getout of an automated system?Whatinconveniencesand
shortcomingswould you liketo eliminate or reduce?
Evaluating your options
 Cost:up frontand ongoing
 Featuresthatyoucare about
 Support:fromthe company itself and/orothercustomers
 Skillsrequiredtoinstall,maintain,andoperate the system
 Hardware and software requirements
 Companystability:establisheduserbase,professionalism, signsof financial trouble
 Ability to importand exportdatain a standard (non-proprietary) formatiscritical! This helps
insure againstobsolescence andgivesyoufreedomtochange systemsinthe future.
“Free” commercial software
 Warning:watch outfor abandonware!

2. Open source software
 Free software:free bothasinspeech(youcan getthe program itself andchange it) andas in
beer
 Usuallyrequiressignificanttechnical skillstoinstall andmaintain,andsufficienthardware torun
 Day-to-dayoperationmaybe aseasyas on goodcommercial software
 Supportoptionsexist,butcostcan be comparable togoingcommercial
 Active usercommunitiescanprovide peersupport
 A couple of majorproviders(take alookat who'susingthem – oftenlarge librarieswithin-
house IT staff)
o Evergreen
o Koha(Careful:koha.orgisa supportvendor'swebsite!Koha'ssite iskoha-
community.org)
Other options
 Good old LibraryThing:mostlyacatalogbut they've recentlyadded circulation features
 Librarika:ILS fromthe ground up,but rough aroundthe edges
 Make a case fora budgetandgo withcommercial software!Lookatwaysto economize.
Contacts and References
 Email:annpool@alumni.washington.edu
 My LinkedInprofile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/AnnPoolMLIS
 Slidesfromthispresentation: http://www.slideshare.net/AnnPool/enabling-your-ripples
 Linkto slidesfromAldersgateUnitedMethodistChurch'spresentationtothe Seattle Chapterin
March 2015 (forPNACLmembers): http://pnacl.org/newsite/members/going-digital/
 Thishandout,complete withlinks: http://www.slideshare.net/AnnPool/enabling-your-ripples-
handout