I have been extremely busy the last few weeks, but felt I had to post on the DIY phenomena sweeping across libraries. (Side note, I can never hear Do-It-Yourself without thinking about the scene in 40 Year Old Virgin in the bookstore:) I have posted about our love/HATE relationship with vendors especially ILS vendors, but libraries are striking back. The most recent worthy news is found in an LJ article. Queens Library, the highest circulation library in the country, has created their own ILS working with VTLS (the only RDA ready vendor), and their own Drupal site. The site is available to preview here. King Country Library System also went open-source recently using Evergreen and a lot of in-house development.
The best part is that libraries are developing and giving away, or slightly charging, for ILSs. Many of the major vendors were once part of libraries. I hope that this time we don’t sell off our hard work to vendors who turn around and charge us for something we created.
The Information Activist Librarian 