The Chronicle of Higher Education reported today that the Kuali Foundation is slated to release a suite of open-source software for higher education sites in August. Kauli joins other university-led efforts to release open-source applications, some of which focus on delivering mobile services to end users like students and faculty.
The Kauli news comes on the heels of an announcement two weeks ago that Lyrasis, a regional, non-profit membership organization for libraries, will supply support and consultation for a number of open-source applications, including the open Integrated Library System (ILS) known as Evergreen.
Evergreen is one of several open-source ILS' now available to libraries. Evergreen is best known regionally as the framework behind PINES, the public library service that covers more than half of the population of the state of Georgia. Other players in the open-source ILS space include Koha and the lesser-known Emilda.
Open-source applications represent a lot of promise for libraries as they have the potential to turn librarians and their users into software developers. To tinker with a proprietary system is a roll of the dice that may result in a voided warranty, but following a newer model of using open-source rather than closed software gives libraries the chance to become full partners in building the systems that they use to serve their patrons.
Until now, the lack of support for these emerging open-source systems has hampered their adoption in libraries and universities. While libraries are leaders in using technology few have the resources to be early adopters. Library directors and administrators are right to be cautious about adopting technologies that don't have a solid base of support. I expect the Lyrasis announcement to change how libraries look at open-source systems in the months and years to come.
