Karen Coyle wrote:
>
> Eventually, we'll have free services that have enough of a track record
> to be trusted, but as we know, libraries work on a long time frame --
> not years, but at least decades.
>
Yes. That means, the best scenario would be to have a not too small
number of libraries who commit themselves to at least some development
work, and to have some longer-term staff for that purpose, not just
projects that run at most two years and are then shut down.
These libraries would band together as a developers' community
which could of course be open for global participation.
This is not impossible. VuFind seems to be setting an example, and
there is sufficient stuff out there so that one need not start
from scratch.
We have had a similar model running here for over 25 years, and
hundreds of special libraries are successfully using the software.
Those who can afford it can also call in freelance supporters instead
of providing the manpower themselves.
(Our LCSH browser, for example, is based on it. This way, it could
be rigged up in a matter of days. Some config work, some PHP, was all.)
B.Eversberg
Received on Wed Oct 01 2008 - 01:06:15 EDT