[OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] Library course using Evergreen

[Soulliere, Robert]

Hi Shirley,

I think it is wonderful that you are using Evergreen in your course and I think it can provide many other opportunities for classroom learning. Given the scalability of Evergreen, I think it would be really great if a course allowed students to install and configure local instances of Evergreen ILS systems in an advanced course dedicated to Open-Source ILS systems.

I do want to question this statement  in your course blog:
"We now know these systems have one of the most important roles within or libraries, why would we trust other people to provide the code and host our servers?"

I know this is more of an introductory question where you then list the advantages of Open-Source, but just note that Evergreen does not have be be hosted by other people. Mohawk College uses its own server and I believe many other organizations do as well to run Evergreen. The part about code also seems strange since vendors also provide "code". The different being that we can see and edit the code in Open-source software.

I do think that Stephen Abram's position paper against open source software might be an interesting read for classroom discussion:
http://stephenslighthouse.sirsidynix.com/Open%20Source%20Position%20Paper%2020091014%20FINAL%5B1%5D.pdf
It is not an academic paper, but may be  something students will be exposed to in the real world and need to be able to analyze critically.

Students should also look at the Evergreen blog at: http://www.open-ils.org/blog/. I think it provides a great historical perspective of Evergreen since the can find entries going back to 2005 and track the evolution and growth of Evergreen to the present.

This is probably all beyond the scope of this introductory course, but I think a good comparison and discussion of proprietary vs Open-Source ILS options should be explored in library schools today so that students will understand all of their options when choosing an ILS.

Thanks,
Robert









________________________________________
From: open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org [open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org] On Behalf Of Shirley Lew [shirleysue at gmail.com]
Sent: January 31, 2010 1:39 AM
To: open-ils-general at list.georgialibraries.org
Subject: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] Library course using Evergreen

Hello!

I've been lurking on this list for several weeks and thought I should
introduce myself. My name is Shirley Lew and I'm teaching a course,
Library Automation & Systems, at the School of Library, Archival &
Information Studies (SLAIS) program at UBC this term - course web site
is here http://blogs.ubc.ca/libr551/blog/. The course is using an
instance of Evergreen for teaching and learning purposes, provided for
us by the Sitka Consortium in British Columbia. For the majority of
students, this is the first opportunity they will have had for
hands-on exploration of an open source ILS. They're curious and
excited to see what Evergreen has to offer, for good reason!

The major course assignment this term involves evaluating some of the
functionality of Evergreen (specifically the circulation module) and
comparing it with Koha for Class, the other ILS system to which we
have access. I will be encouraging students to subscribe to this
listserv, both to observe the discussion and to ask questions as they
get to know the system. This discussion list is clearly a very
supportive and collegial one, so I thank everyone in advance for any
help/support you can offer students who may ask questions.

- Shirley

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