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International Journal of
CODEN: IJRSFP (USA)
Recent Scientific
International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Research
Vol. 9, Issue, 6(A), pp. 27236-27239, June, 2018
ISSN: 0976-3031 DOI: 10.24327/IJRSR
Research Article
IMPACT OF OPEN SOURCE MOVEMENTS IN THE IMPROVED SERVICES OF MODERN
LIBRARIES: A STUDY
Roselin Jahina S and Sadik Batcha M
Department of Library and Information Science, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, India – 608002
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24327/ijrsr.2018.0906.2217

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Article History: In this period of transition from the information age to the knowledge society, libraries have much
bigger challenges to face. The entire library view has now moved from book collection to a single
Received 15th March, 2018
window knowledge bank. This document discusses the definition and characteristics of open source
Received in revised form 25th
libraries management software, the selection criteria for the best open source libraries management
April, 2018
software, their advantages and limitations. Open source library management software is a solution to
Accepted 23rd May, 2018
reduce these costs. The document briefly describes the functionality of some management software
Published online 28th June, 2018
for open source libraries such as Greenstone Digital Library, DSpace, KOHA, E-Prints, NewGenlib,
etc., Useful for the development of digital libraries and institutional repositories.
Key Words:
Open Source Software, Library Automation
Software, Digital Library Software

Copyright © Roselin Jahina S and Sadik Batcha M, 2018, this is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided
the original work is properly cited.

INTRODUCTION thereafter. Morgan (2002) [4] presents definition of open

source software and describes the present state of open source
Open source defines method of software development, that software in libraries. He also lists some of the available
harnesses the power of distributed peer review and clearness of software for libraries and describes possibilities of use, of open
progress [1]. This technique helps to provide better quality source software in libraries. Reddy & Kumar (2013) [5]
software’s having higher reliability, flexibility with lower cost, describes in brief the features of some of the open source
and an end to the traditional vendor lock-in. The source code library management software and digital library software like
and rights that where normally reserved for copyright holders Greenstone Digital Library, DSpace, Fedora, Eprints, Koha,
are now being provided under a free software license that NewGenlib, PhpMyLibrary, OpenBiblio, Avanti, ABCD,
permits developers users to study, change, improve and at Evergreen. Ukachi, Nwachukwu & Onuoha (2014) [6] discuses
times also to distribute the software [2]. There are many the relevance of library automation, the characteristic of open
different types of open source software solutions nowadays that source software and issues to be considered in selection of
could be accepted by the library. There is a basic operating library automation software. They also briefly describe Koha,
system, document processing programs, library management Evergreen, ABCD, WinISIS, NewGenLib, Emilda, PMB,
software (LMS) and digital library software. WEBLIS. Tabusum (2013) [7] stressed on the importance of
REVIEW OF LITERATURE software in the modern library sevices at her studies.
Sivasubramanian [8] examined the access of e-resources
Anjaneya Reddy N M & Lalitha Aswath (2015) [3] this study through software in libraries and to be ease in retrival.
reveals that Continuous dependence on open source software
for Library operations has increased the necessity of Objectives
managerial skills for managing risks while using the open To prepare a comparative study of different library automation
source software. Here an attempt has been made to identify the software packages.
risk factors, security measures and strategies for using open
source software to manage the library operations effectively. To find out and rank the more user-friendly OSS based on the
Libraries have to create suitable and adequate environment to comparative study
deal with risks during selection, implementation and use To compare four digital library software

*Corresponding author: Roselin Jahina S

Department of Library and Information Science, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, India – 608002
 Roselin Jahina S and Sadik Batcha M., Impact of Open Source Movements in The Improved Services of Modern Libraries: A Study

To provide a basic idea for selecting a suitable library America. Evergreen is a metadata search engine, Evergreen is a
automation software package transaction processing engine.
Open Source Movement NewGenLib
In 1998, a group of people claimed that the term "free NewGenLib was developed by Verus Solutions Private Limited
software" was replaced by open source software (OSS) as a based in Hyderabad, India. Verus Solutions is a limited liability
less ambiguous and more comfortable expression for the company registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs of
corporate world. Software developers may want to publish their the Indian government. The company was initiated in May
software with an open source software license, so that anyone 2003.
can develop the same software or understand how it works.
KIIKM has provided proficiency in the domain for the
Open source software commonly allows anyone to create a new
development of NewGenLib.
version of the software, take it to new operating systems and
processor architectures, share it with others, or market it. The The software has the important features. Compatibility with
objective of the open source is to make the product more international metadata and interoperability standards.
understandable, editable, duplicable, reliable or simply MARC21, MARC-XML, z39.50, SRU / W, OAI-PMH,
accessible, as long as it is still marketable. The Free Software independent operating system: versions of Windows and Linux
Foundation (FSF), which began in 1985, understood the term available Unicode declaration 4.0, It is easily extensible to
"free" as "free as in freedom of expression" and not as "free as support other languages Data, file and restore in any language,
in free beer". Since a large amount of free software was already Unicode 3.0, RFID integration networks: hierarchical and
(and still is) free, such free software was associated with a zero distributed networks Automatic messaging / instant messaging
cost, which seemed anti-commercial. [9] integrated in various software functions. The letters in the form
are configurable and use XML-based Open Office models.
Library Automation Software
Wide use of pattern parameters that allow a simple software
Library automation may be defined as the application of configuration to meet specific needs. Multi-user and multiple
automatic and semiautomatic data processing machines levels of security, allows digital attachments to metadata [12].
(computers) to perform traditional library housekeeping
activities such as acquisition, circulation, cataloguing and Table 1 General information of Library automation Software
reference and serials control. At present, library automation is Software Developer Licence Site
by far the most commonly used term to explain the automation Katipo
of library activities using computers. [10]. Communication for http://koha-
Koha GNUGPL
Horowhenua Library community.org/
Many library automation software packages are available, but Trust
Georgia Public
four most popular software packages only selected for the Evergreen
Library System
GNUGPL evergreen-ils.org
study evaluation. Verus Solutions, http://www.verussoluti
NewGenLib GNUGPL
Hyderabad, India ons.biz
Koha
Koha was the first integrated open source library (ILS) system This table reveals that general information about Library
developed in 1999 by Chris Cormack, who works at the automation Software. Koha Developed by Katipo
computer consulting firm Katipo Communications, for Communication for Horowhenua Library Trust, Evergreen
Horowhenua Library Trust (HLT) of New Zealand. KOHA has developed by Georgia Public Library System and NewGenLib
the distinction of being the first open source integrated library developed by Verus Solution.
management system, which includes all the main functions Table 2 Features of Library Automation Software
related to library administration. It is open source software
Managing various
based on the web and distributed under the general public Supported types of Materials
license. Koha is compatible with Windows and the Linux Written in
Softwares Platform Useful for Metadata (Books, Serials,
Language
platform. The first version was launched in 2000. The "KOHA Standards CD, Audio,Vedio,
Development Team" offers web hosting for the KOHA library etc,.
Window, Small and
system on your server. KOHA also has the ability to manage Koha Perl Linux, big
MARC 21 and
Yes
digital libraries and electronic resources online and offline. [11] UNIMARC
Unix libraries
MARC 21, Atom
Evergreen Syndication
Small and Format,
The Evergreen project develops an integrated open source Evergreen
C,Perl,
Linux Big CSDGM, Yes
library system used by more than 1000 libraries around the XUL, JS
Libraries MODS, Dublin
world. The software, also called Evergreen, is used by libraries Core, and RSS
to offer their public catalog interface, as well as to manage 2.0.
Small and
internal operations, such as circulation, the acquisition of NewGenLib Perl
Window,
big
All metadata
Yes
library materials and the exchange of resources between Linux Standards
libraries
libraries. The Evergreen Project initiated by the Georgia Public
Library System in 2006. After the release of Evergreen, it was This table reveals that language of software, platform, useful
adopted by several library consortiums in the United States and for big libraries or small libraries, supported metadata
Canada, as well as in some individual libraries outside of North standards and managing various types of materials. Koha and
Newgenlib software for written in Perl language. And

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 International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Vol. 9, Issue, 6(A), pp. 27236-27239, June, 2018

Evergreen for C, Perl, XUL and JS. This software useful for Table 4 Metadata and digital content storage
big libraries and small libraries.
S.NO Software Metadata and digital content storage
Digital library software Dspace stores qualified DC metadata in a relational
database (PostgreSQL or Oracle). Other sets of
Digital libraries (DLs)/institutional repositories (IRs)/ digital metadata and digital content are represented as bit
archives are been discussed heavily since 2000. Much Digital streams and stored in the file system. Each bit
1 Dspace
stream is associated with a specific bistream
library software is available in the world. But three software format. A support level is defined for each bistream
are selected for this study. format, which indicates the retention level for the
specified file format.
DSpace Both documents and resources are stored in the file
2 Greenstone system. The metadata is defined by the user and
Dspace is a common project of MIT libraries and HP stored in documents using an internal XML format.
laboratories. DSpace is a digital asset management system. It The metadata fields in EPrints are user-defined.
helps to create, index and retrieve various forms of digital 3 Eprints
The data object, which contains metadata, is stored
content. Dspace is adaptable to the different needs of the in a MySQL database and the documents (digital
content) are stored in the file system.
community. Interoperability between systems is incorporated
and complies with international standards for metadata format. Table 5 Search and browse
Dspace is an open source technology platform that can be
S.NO Software Search and Browse
customized or extended. 1 Dspace Provides indexing for the base metadata set (qualified
The institutional repository is a set of services that a research DC) by default, using the relational database. Indexing
of other defined metadata sets is also provided using
university, institution, and organization offer to its the world the Jakarta Lucene API. Lucene admits field
members for the management and dissemination of digital investigation, detention and interruption of words. The
materials created by the institution and its community research may be limited to one collection or
members. community. In addition, navigation is offered by
default in the fields of title, author and date.
E-Prints 2 Greenstone Indexing is offered for text documents and specific
metadata fields. Search functionality provided for the
EPrints is free software developed by the University of sections defined in a document (Title, Chapter, and
Southampton, England. The ePrints @ IISc repository collects Paragraph) or throughout the document. The search for
distortion and sensitivity of uppercase and lowercase is
and distributes the search result created by the IISc search also available. Open source application management
community in digital format. It allows the Institute community Gigabyte (MG) is used to support indexing and
to deposit their preprints; publish impressions and other searching. Navigation catalogs can be defined for
academic publications using a web interface and organize. [13] specific fields using a hierarchical structure.
3 Eprints The indexing is compatible for each metadata field,
Greenstone using the MySQL database. The indexing of the
complete text is compatible with the selected fields.
The GSDL software is open source software available at the Combined field research and free text search are
New Zealand Digital Library under the terms of GNU, general provided to the end user. Navigation is provided using
the specified fields (for example, title, author and
public library license. The Greenstone CD-ROMs have been subject).
published by the United Nations and other distribution agencies
in developing countries. It fits Windows (3.1 / 3.11, 95/98 / me, Table 6 User interfaces
NT / 2000) and UNIX (Linux Sun OS). Each of these systems S.NO Software User Interfaces
can be used as a web server. The collection can be updated and 1 Dspace A default web user interface is provided for the end
the new one can be put online at any time without closing the user to explore a collection, view the qualified DC
system. [14] metadata of an item, and navigate to its scalpels.
Navigation through an element is supported by
Open source digital library software’s Comparison structural metadata that can determine the order of
complex content (such as book pages or web pages).
Table 3 Object Model By default, a search interface is provided that allows
the user to search using keywords.
S.NO Software Object Model 2 Greenstone The default Web user interface provides navigation
1 Dspace The basic entity in DSpace is the aspect, which and search in collections, navigating hierarchical
contains both metadata and digital content. The objects (such as books) using the table of contents.
Dublin Core (DC) qualified metadata fields are Submission of documents or search results may vary
stored in the article, while other sets of metadata and depending on the specified XSLT.
digital content are defined as bit streams and 3 Eprints The web user interface provides the scan based on
classified as item packages.[15] the selected metadata fields (usually subject, title or
2 Greenstone The basic entity in Greenstone is the document, date). Navigation can be hierarchical for object
which is expressed in XML format. The documents fields. The search environment allows the user to
are linked to one or more resources that represent the limit the search query by using multiple fields and
digital content of the object. Each document contains select values from the lists.
a unique document identifier, but there is no support
for persistent resource identifiers.
3 Eprints The basic entity in EPrints is the data object, which
is a record that contains metadata. One or more
documents (files) can be linked to the data object.
Each data object has a unique identifier.

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Table 7 Access control software. This is the only way to face the challenges of
S.NO Software Access Control
commercial software in the market. In addition, it will increase
1 Dspace It admits users (electronic people) and groups that the autonomy and professional control over software solutions.
have different rights. Authentication is provided by In conclusion, the advent of open source library software has
the user's password, X509 or LDAP certificates. The revolutionized the field of book resource management and
access control rights are maintained for each element
information, and has become a popular choice for most
and define the actions that a user can perform. These
actions are: read / write the bit streams of an object, librarians and information professionals due to its many
add / remove packages of an object, read / write an advantage and useful functions.
element, add / delete an object in a collection. The
rights are based on a default denial policy. Reference
2 Greenstone A Greenstone user belongs to one of two predefined
user groups: an administrator or a collection 1. O’Mahony, S. (2003). Guarding the commons: how
generator. The first group of users has the right to community managed software projects protect their
create and delete users, while the second group
creates and updates collections. End users have
work. Research Policy, 32(7), 1179-1198.
access to all collections and documents. 2. Open Source Initiative (OSI). 2012. Retrieved from
3 Eprints Registered users in EPrints can create and edit http://opensource.org/
objects. Users logged in using the username and 3. Anjaneya Reddy N M & Lalitha Aswath (2015). Open
password pair.
Source Software in Libraries: Threats and Challenges,
Table 8 Level of customization International Journal of Library and Information
Studies 5 (1), 127-134.
S.NO Software Level of customization
Although DSpace has a flexible object model, it is
4. Morgan, E. L. (2002). Possibilities for open source
not as open in constructing very different objects software in libraries. Information Technology and
with independent metadata sets because of its Libraries, 21(1), 12-15.
1 Dspace database-oriented architecture. The user interface is 5. Reddy, T. R., & Kumar, K. (2013). Open source
fixed and only provides minor submissions. Another
disadvantage is the complete support of only specific
software’s and their impact on library and information
file formats such as digital content. centre: An overview. International Journal of Library
It provides customization for the presentation of a and Information Science, 5(4), 90-96.
collection based on XSLT and agents that monitor 6. Ukachi, N. B., Nwachukwu, V. N., & Onuoha, U. D
specific DL actions. The architecture of Greenstone
provides (i) a back-end that contains collections and
(2014). Library Automation and Use of Open Source
2 Greenstone Software to Maximize Library Effectiveness. In
documents whenever the services administer them
and (ii) a web-based front-end that is responsible for Information and Knowledge Management, 4(2), 74-82.
presenting collections, documents and their 7. Tabusum.s (2013). Impact of Library Automation in the
environment.
The data objects in EPrints contain user-defined
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metadata. You can write additional components to Social Science, 17(5), 20-26.
3 Eprints export data objects in different text formats. A Perl 8. Sivasubramanian.G & Sadik Batcha.M (2012). Provision
core API is provided for developers who prefer to of infrastructure facilitity to access e-resources on-line
access the basic functionality of DL.
resources to the faculty members of Pondicherry
Table 8 General information of Digital Library Software University and Affiliated colleges – A case study, Asian
Academic Research Journal of Social Science and
Software URL Developed by Downloaded
Humanities, 1(3), 200-212.
New Zealand Digital Library
GSDL-users@list. scms Project 9. 7. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/105743
GSDL http://www.GSDL.org 3 Free
with UNESCO and the 10. Debasis Das & Parnab Chatterjee (2015). Library
waikato.ac.nz Human Info NGO
Massachusetts Institute of
Automation: An Overview, International Journal of
Dspace http://www.dspace.org/ 3
[email protected] Technology
Free
Research in Library Science, 1(1), 1-7.
(MIT) Libraries and Hewlett- 11. T.Raghunadha Reddy & K. Kumar (2013). Open source
Packard
E-prints http://software.eprints.org 3 University of Southampton Free software’s and their impact on library and information
centre: An overview, International Journal of Library
Table 9 Searching parameters provided by selected open and Information Science, 5(4), 90-96.
source software 12. http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/11070
SoftwareTitleAuthorSubjectKeywordFormat
ClassNewspaper Manuscript/Rare Points 3/11/13_chapter4.pdf
no cliping collection gained
13. 11.Goutam Biswa & Dibyendu Paul (2010). An
GSDL ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 14
Dspace ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ X x ✓ ✓ 10 evaluative study on the open source digital library
E-prints ✓ ✓ ✓ X X x x x 7 softwares for institutional repository: Special reference
to Dspace and greenstone digital library, International
CONCLUSION Journal of Library and Information Science, 2(1), 1-10.
Koha is frequently used and developed during last few years, 14. Sharad Kumar Sonkar, Veena Makhija, Ashok Kumar,
has better support. Evergreen is still a young software and its & Mohinder Singh (2005). Application of Greenstone
community will grow in time, Even NewGenLib is also just Digital Library (GSDL) Software in Newspapers
equal to Koha while it is also developed very soon in India. Clippings, DESIDOC Bulletin of Information
Digital Library software Dspace and Greenstone were mostly Technology, 25(3), May 2005, 9-17.
used in the Digital Libraries. Librarians must understand the 15. http://www.dublincore.org/documents/dcmi-terms/
open source license to promote the use of open source 16. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283121287.

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