Yale University Library supports technology that enables consistent access to resources, efficient service tools and enhanced working environments. The routine replacement cycle for staff workstations provides opportunity to test new hardware and software upgrades currently supported by the Library Systems Office. The procurement of new hardware and software is determined by current needs within the library system. The support system for library staff resources is not always an appropriate environment for extensive technical experimentation. The work environment requires stable functionality with the reasonable expectation that the tools required to work are reliable as much as they are available. This grant request would provide an opportunity for testing a specific technology new to libraries: open source applications and the Linux operating system for staff and public workstations.
Linux is a free Unix-type operating system originally created by Linus Torvalds with the assistance of developers from around the world. Developed under the GNU General Public License, the source code for Linux is freely available to everyone. The Linux kernel and open source software applications have been available for many years. As alternative technologies, versions of these products have made their way into libraries. Small-scale implementations of open source software in the library environment have been successful. The presence of this topic in discussions at forums and conferences is increasing at a rapid pace.
Libraries that support technology growth and change are better served by staff who strive to educate themselves about new technology, who can determine viable trends in systems, and who then buy software resources based on carefully considered criteria and benchmarks. A feasibility study on the viability of Linux and open source applications within the library environment would support the efforts of staff throughout the YUL system who have the skills and interests necessary to meet the challenges of emerging technologies.
This proposal is for the development and evaluation of two prototype library workstations: one for the public environment and a second for the staff environment. Both environments will be supported on one computer and they will be regulated by workstation logins.
The evaluation criteria will be based on the current resource requirements of the public and staff workstations. Two periods of quantitative and qualitative assessment in the form of user studies will be undertaken to determine productive functionality, security, and flexibility of the workstations. All currently available software that meets library research and security needs are to be considered to the extent that funding and time will allow. The evaluation and discovery findings from this grant will be documented and made available online and will include evaluation criteria, user study findings, hardware specifications, resource lists and contact/source information, as well as a detailed specification of the software recommended for both workstation environments.
January-March 2001
February-March 2001
March-June 2001
May-June 2001
June 2001
June-August 2001
August-September 2001
October-November 2001
December 2001
December 2001-January 2002
This project will be a benefit to library staff working with technology, specifically, open source technology. The project will provide a succinct evaluation of what the current market provides in regards to open source applications that support library needs and expectations. The final evidence may not be wholly conclusive as to whether or not open source technology should be supported at the Yale University Library, but the opportunity to explore the alternative technologies that are currently available and to discover what they may contribute in support of libraries will be invaluable. Within the framework of collections, resources, access and security issues, and of libraries in general, this project will provide ample evidence of what may be expected in the future if technology trends continue to develop and enhance the free software market.
The major expenses associated with this project will be the procurement of hardware and software. Because the technology market is a moving target, the expected budget shared between hardware and software has a fluid limit boundary. The current expectation is that 75-85% of the budget will be spent on hardware and the remaining 15-25% on software. The Linux Workstation grant team respectfully requests a grant in the amount of $1,500 to cover the purchases of hardware and software for this project. While we believe that the proposed budget meets the needs of our project in that we would be able to buy hardware comparable to current library standards, we may be able to use adequate albeit lesser hardware if SCOPA cannot allocate our full requested amount.
| Hardware: | CPU | $1050.00-$1,150.00 |
| Monitor | $150.00 | |
| Software: | Operating System | $ 0.00 |
| Supporting Applications | $200.00-$300.00 | |
| Total | $1,500.00 |
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