Free and Open Source Tools for Libraries

LLA Preconference WorkshopMarch 10, 2010

Presented by:

Cristina Caminita, General Services Librarian/InstructorBaton Rouge Community College

MLIS StudentsLIS 7401 Academic Libraries

Dr. Alma DawsonLSU School of Library and Information Science

Introduction

We All Know That Budgets are tight

Costs must be cut

Electronic resources are expensive

The Good News: Free Electronic Resources

Today we will offer Overview of free resources

Spotlight on particular Resources

Links to explore

Free Applications by Function

Web and Photo-Editing Tools◦ Ning Han and Jenny Tapp

• Instant Messaging and Social Networking• Jennifer Koenig and Adam Beauchamp

• Screencasting and Video Tutorials• Allison McKiernan and Lori Spradley

• Word Processing and Office Tools• Jon Frosch and Ross Mays

• Integrated Library Systems• Christina Caminita

What does "Free" Mean?

Today’s Common Denominator: Free of Charge!

But “Free” Can Mean Different Things for: Free and Open Source (FOSS) Software

Non-FOSS Freeware

Free Web-based applications

Free and Open Source Software

Free and Open Source Software Viewable Source Code

License Allowing Modification and Distribution

Recipe Metaphor You can’t look at, change, or distribute recipe for Microsoft Office

You can for Open Office.org

For FOSS Software: Free means “Freedom”. "Think of free as in free speech, not as in free beer".

Not All FOSS Software is Free-of-Charge, and Not All Free-of-Charge Software is FOSS

Free and Open Source Software vs. Proprietary Software

Proprietary Software

Developed in secret

By paid developers

User support provided by the company

FOSS Software

◦ Developed in an open manner

◦ By a network of developers

◦ User support provided by online communities of users and developers

Free Software vs. Open Source Software: What's the Difference?

Richard Stallman Coined term “Free Software”,

Started Free Software Foundation, and

Helped develop GNU license.

Open Source Initiative Developed term “Open Source”

Less Emphasis on “Free”

Less Political

For Most People: Free Software = Open Source Software

Examples of Commonly Used FOSS Software

Mozilla Firefox (Web Browser)

Linux operating systems (eg. Ubuntu)

Apache webserver (Over half of all websites run on Apache)

FileZilla (FTP software)

Gimp (Image editing software)

FOSS Software Discussed In this Workshop

Open Office.org (Office Suite)

Evergreen (ILS)

Koha (ILS)

Non-FOSS Freeware

Freeware Free of Charge

Not Necessarily Open Source

Companies may offer freeware Encourage upgrading to fee-based software

Allow people to view things created with fee-based software

Build the company's reputation

Examples of Freeware

Jing, Wink (Screencasting Software)

Picasa (Image Editing Software)

Google Earth (Mapping Software)

Google Sketch-Up (3D drawing software)

Microsoft Office Powerpoint Viewer (Presentation Viewer)

Adobe Reader (PDF Reader)

Adobe Flash Player (Video/Animation Viewer)

Realplayer (Media Player)

Free Web-Based Applications

Free Web-Based Applications Online, Browser-Based

Companies offer these Encourage upgrades

Allow people to view things created with fee-based software

Build the company's reputation

AND: Sell Advertising

Examples of Free Web-Based Applications

Social Networking

Facebook

Twitter

Academia

MySpace

Productivity

Google Docs

Office Live

Google Calendar

Picnik

Weebly

Video/Picture Sites

YouTube

Flickr

Messaging/VOIP

Meebo

Skype

Email

Yahoo Mail

Gmail