Re: [PLUG] Linux in libraries?

["Lee H. Marzke" <lee@marzke.net>]

kbenjamin,

> i would like to get Linux in libraries
> anyone with time to work with me on this?

I can give some pointers to start out.

My hometown library in Meadville, PA [1] is one of the few library
sites running Linux since 2002 in the US, and a recent post [2]
indicates it's still in use today. 

In fact it also spread across Crawford County's library system [3]
with use of a complete open-source library system called "Koha" [6]
(see slides on site)

Instead of diving in to tech details,  I suggest extended research on
what has already been done [4], [5], and what has worked or failed. I'd
suggest getting in contact with Cindy Murdock who setup Meadville and
Crawford County's system for tips on how to get started.

Since it's relatively close to us see if you can get an appointment for a tour
of Meadville's system from Cindy. 

Since many libraries may not be in a position to migrate immediately
you should have a plan on how to handle that.  For example suggesting
migration in the near term to 'friendly' technologies such as FireFox
on Windows instead of IE.  OpenOffice instead of Word.   Any any other
migrations that would make a Linux conversion easier in the future.

Your going to need a presentation,  Return-on-investment (ROI)
calculations, with backup facts and success stories from above,
and need to find the people in the library
or county that make tech decisions.   So the people helping you
need to have these skills,  you probably don't need a demo until much
later down the road.   Just demonstrating Linux to the local library
staff will likely not work.   Also the library must be at a time where
they are facing forced hardware upgrades ( so the XP-> Win7 ) transition
is a good place to propose reduced hw cost of a Linux LTSP  and/or k12linux.


Lee


[0] http://www.meadvillelibrary.org/os/ltsp.html
[1] http://www.webjunction.org/documents/wj/Open_Source_Software_in_the_Meadville_Public_Library.html
[2] http://meadvillelibrary.org/os/lita-ltsp/
[3] http://meadvillelibrary.org/os/doku.php
[4] http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/ltsp/index.php?title=Ltsp_SuccessStories
[5] http://www.rlwconsulting.com/workshops/slt/index.html
[6] http://www.ccfls.org/about-koha



----- Original Message -----
> From: "kbenjamin Coplon" <mr.gaga@gmail.com>
> To: plug@lists.phillylinux.org
> Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 1:44:21 PM
> Subject: [PLUG] Linux in libraries?
> 
> i would like to get Linux in libraries
> for some people libraries are the only computer access
> 
> anyone with time to work with me on this?
> 
> thanks
> ___________________________________________________________________________
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-- 
"Between subtle shading and the absence of light lies the nuance of iqlusion..." - Kryptos 

Lee Marzke, lee@marzke.net http://marzke.net/lee/ 
IT Consultant, VMware, VCenter, SAN storage, infrastructure, SW CM 


___________________________________________________________________________
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