oss4msu

Last week I had the opportunity to participate in a symposium on open
source software for the Montana State University Libraries --
OSS4MSU. From my handout:

   This one-page essay outlines what open source software (OSS) is
   and how it can be applied to some of the computer-related
   problems facing libraries. In short, it characterizes open source
   software as a community-driven process, describes it as "free as
   a free kitten", compares it to the principles of librarianship,
   and finally, outlines how it can be exploited to develop "next
   generation" library catalogs.

   http://infomotions.com/musings/oss4msu/
   http://msusymposium2007.wordpress.com/program/

I believe the symposium was successful. About fifty academic
librarians from all over Montana went away with a better
understanding of what open source software, as a process, can and can
not do. At the same time, I have been reading the book The Success of
Open Source software by Steven Weber, and I believe my own
understanding needs to deepened. The book is great food for thought.

--
Eric Lease Morgan
University Libraries of Notre Dame