typo(s), tendency and text

Library Spiderweb by Yvonne Loomis

During my research I got to read about Internet Library Systems (ILS), which seems to be the new term for a new stage of Library systems. As I understood it, they should integrate cataloguing and web publishing for libraries in a better way. As of now, many libraries have the problem that they have implemented expensive library catalogues with huge effort, but that they now with the growing need for better librarian-patron-communication, seem to disturb the image of a whole identity that libraries feel they should create.

I came along two Open Source ILS: Evergreen and KOHA. I can't really say much about them at this point, but the Biblioteklaboratoriet seems to have looked into it. It's rather interesting, that it's being translated into both the norwegian written languages, Nynorsk and Bokmål, and that there is also a discussion going on about the - probably - proprietary data standards.

Open Source formats would be a real ease of the problem of integrating publishing and media search, which are both parts of the duties that libraries have. There are teams working on modules "MARC" and "Z39.50" for Drupal, but I can't say yet, if it is a workaround for the problem.

Libraries are a public service, and tend to be very interested in Open Source publishing. Recently I am looking into open source content management systems for small public libraries in the region where I live now. Since the solution has to be usable, stable and sustainable, I try to focus on the three to four most stable communities on this sector. These seem to be:

• Drupal
• Joomla
• Typo3
• WordPress

My first anticipation is, that Typo3 might be a little overweight for the purpose of building a cost effective and stable solution that will last the next years. And WordPress might be a little underweight. But could still be viable: There are so many people using it, and there are methods to automate updates of websites, that people within my range have had good experiences with.  My gut feeling says Drupal, though it will be a lot to learn for me. Joomla isn't bad, either. But there are so many modules, themes and plugins that are non-free. And although I totally understand people have to make a living by writing software, I have to make this project reliable for the future. Not for all future, but for the next 3 till 4 years.

Another point is, that I feel that Joomlas administration panel is much more complicated than Drupals. On Drupal you have a lot of functions already build in, and if you simply set them together, the site already after fifteen minutes seems to get more and more structure. And the admin panel is not only easier to look at, it also makes all the built-in functionality visible very soon.

Don't worry, dear Joomla, WP and Typo3 evangelists. I will get into some testing, before I decide. And I will not base the decision on gut feeling. But until then, I have to think and evaluate a lot.