Open Source Public Workstations and Today's Library World
2009; American Library Association; Volume: 45; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
1945-4538
Autores Tópico(s)Library Science and Administration
ResumoIn a time where an economic downturn and concerns about climate change are influencing decisions, many libraries are looking for ways to save money and to reduce their impact on the environment. This report provides detailed information about the operating systems, software, and approaches used by three libraries and one academic institution that have implemented open source public workstations. It explains how open source operating systems and applications, when installed on appropriate hardware, can decrease power utilization while providing a reliable and satisfying customer experience. report includes detailed case studies of two public libraries and brief case studies of an academic library and an academic institution. It will help library decision makers who want to find out about alternatives to Microsoft Windows-based PCs running Microsoft Office, not only as a means of cutting costs or reducing a carbon footprint, but also as a means of providing a better experience for library customers. What Issues Can Open Source Public Workstations Address? As libraries collect or provide access to more and more electronic resources, it is inevitable that there will be increasing demand for public workstations. Yet the cost of maintaining these computers is difficult for many libraries to bear. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has generously worked to help public libraries acquire and maintain computers and software for public use, but it is clear that many libraries are still struggling to find the operating funds necessary to maintain their computing systems and software over time. In the January issue of Library Technology Reports, The State of Funding for Library Technology in Today's Economy, Larra Clark and Denise Davis note that libraries have continued to increase connection speeds and add new Internet-based services, including e-books, audio, and video resources. Still, they note that funding for many libraries, even those with historically stable funds, is fiat, or at least volatile because libraries are looking to soft sources like grants or donations to meet budgets. (1) ongoing economic crisis, considered by many to be the worst in decades, has made financial restraint even more important. Recent branch closings by major libraries suggest that the state of library funding may get worse before it gets better. (2) In this context, it is imperative that libraries spend their technology dollars effectively. use of low-cost open source solutions can contribute to these efforts. Using open source software can help to reduce the cost of maintaining public-access workstations. most obvious source of savings is in licenses. Using the Linux or OpenBSD operating system can reduce the need to license the Windows operating system when purchasing or upgrading computers. Using OpenOffice.org to replace Microsoft Office or using network-based productivity tools instead of locally installed applications can also save on licensing fees. Savings in licenses alone can be in the hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the size of the library, if the library can avoid just one operating system and office application suite purchase or upgrade, (3) but licenses are not the only possible source of savings. Going Green library's environmental impact is another concern for many communities. use of open source software can, under some circumstances, help the library to reduce power consumption and heat, ultimately resulting in a reduction of the library's carbon footprint. Reducing carbon emissions is a goal of many local governments and libraries, and one way to do this is to reduce power consumption. In addition, reducing the heat generated by computer systems in buildings can reduce the load on air conditioning systems. When less air conditioning is needed, additional power savings are realized. Open source workstations can help in reducing power and heat in two ways. …
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