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Library Consortium Open Source Library System Evaluation and Selection

Submitted by Lori Ayre on Tue, 06/19/2012 - 2:38am

Worked with Catamount Library Network to evaluate Koha and Evergreen, two open source ILS options, under consideration. The project included fleshing out two documents that comprehensively define Koha and Evergreen functionality, to articulate the short- and long-term objectives of the network, and then to identify the differentiating factors.  

Lori Ayre worked with the group to capture information about their needs and to help prioritize them. Ultimately, the group was able to identify for themselves the ILS choice that best met their needs.

Catamount Library Network Project Selects Evergreen

Submitted by Lori Ayre on Mon, 03/19/2012 - 5:00pm

News from the Vermont Department of Libraries Newsletter:

At their February 23 meeting, members of the Catamount Library Network, which includes the Department of Libraries (DOL), Brooks Memorial Library (Brattleboro), Springfield Town Library, Rutland Free Library, Fletcher Memorial Library (Ludlow), and Waterbury Public Library, made the unanimous decision to proceed with their project using the Evergreen Open Source software system. The DOL is participating in this project with the vision that the new Catamount Evergreen Network will develop into a statewide integrated library system that includes public, school and academic libraries and which will also support the DOL catalog and the statewide interlibrary loan network.

This decision came after months of investigation, meetings and phone calls with members of Koha and Evergreen library projects around the country (including Vermont’s VOKAL Koha group) and conversations with Vermont librarians from public, school and academic libraries. The decision was also based on documentation and recommendations from Lori Ayre, a consultant with the Galecia Group. The DOL hired Galecia Group, based in California, in 2011 to create a set of “features” for the Koha system that could be used as a comparison with a similar Evergreen “features” list. Ayre is highly regarded in the library open source world and is knowldegeable about both the Koha and Evergreen systems. Her expertise and evaluation was a critical, objective component of the investigation process. The new Koha and Evergreen features comparison list, which was an essential tool in the Catamount review and selection process, is now being reviewed by the greater Koha and Evergreen communities. A working copy is available here: http://tinyurl.com/CatamountProject

Good News for Evergreen - now a member of Software Freedom Conservancy

Submitted by Lori Ayre on Wed, 06/15/2011 - 5:00pm

Good news for all Evergreen Users!

The Software Freedom Conservancy welcomes the Evergreen project as its newest member. Evergreen joins twenty-six other Conservancy members, who receive the benefit of aggregated non-profit status available to all Conservancy member projects. Conservancy and the Evergreen community, including librarians, developers, and documenters, are excited to announce that Evergreen is now a member of the Software Freedom Conservancy.

Library Collaboration - Open Source - Open Libraries Project

Submitted by Lori Ayre on Wed, 04/13/2011 - 3:58am

Helped establish and  managed the Open Source Open Libraries Consortium in cooperation with Peninsula Library System and Califa. The goal of the consortia was to "empower libraries and library consortia by encouraging participation and collaboration in software products generally, and encouraging them to consider an Open Source Library System such as Koha or Evergreen."

Over the course of the project we moved 9 library systems to Koha and helped three library systems begin evaluating Evergreen and Fulfillment. The project was concluded in October, 2013.

Check out RSCEL!

Submitted by Lori Ayre on Tue, 03/02/2010 - 4:00pm

I have been very busy writing and posting blog entries but alas, the content is all living elsewhere. Much of what I write is for clients and these reports sometimes find their way to this site. But not always. For now, take a peek at a new website I'm working on with King County Library System and the other rascals involved in moving libraries to open source library systems.

Edgy Librarian, a web conference, set for 01/20/2010 (very auspicious)

Submitted by Lori Ayre on Thu, 12/31/2009 - 4:00pm

Califa, in partnership with InfoPeople, is pleased to be presenting The Edgy Librarian, an online web conference held on January 20, 2010, featuring many of the new technologies being used in libraries, and show-and-tell sessions from libraries using those new services! Registration information is below, and the sessions are as follows (all times are in Pacific Time Zone):

Leggott Responds to Stephen Abram

Submitted by Lori Ayre on Mon, 11/09/2009 - 4:00pm

In Mark Leggott's lengthy response to Stephen Abram's article, he challenges many of Abram's claims and does so from his own  relevant experience:  Leggott is from the University of Prince Edward Island which migrated off SirsiDynix Unicorn to Evergreen.

The following four issues (fears) often come up for people when they first start looking into an OSLS (open source library system):

More Evergreen Libraries on the way!

Submitted by Lori Ayre on Mon, 10/12/2009 - 5:00pm

"The three large networks in Massachusetts--NOBLE, C.W. MARS and Merrimack Valley--have been working on an Open Source solution that could be shared between their organizations. The Tri-Network Committee has just recommended Evergreen as the platform of choice. That decision has to be ratified by the three network boards, but they have already been awarded a joint $412,000 LSTA Grant specifically to develop an Open Source alternative for the state..."