NewGenLIB is the newest Open Source ILS 2008 January 14
I don’t know much about NewGenLib, but it is an Integrated Library system that apparently is widely used in India (where it was developed) and is also used by a number of libraries in Syria. It was proprietary but they announced on January 11 that it is now available under the GNU General Public License. Here is the announcement:
I am a very happy to announce that NewGenLib, the integrated library management system developed in India is now open source. Details are given below.
NewGenLib Open Source
1. NewGenLib (www.newgenlib.com
) is now open source under the most widely used open source software licensing system called GNU GPL (General Public License)
2. The open source binaries and source code can be downloaded from http://www.sourceforge.net/projects/newgenlib. Installation notes for Linux and Windows are also available at the site. The user manual is also downloadable.
3. Librarians/developers who download the software can post their views, problems, solutions, discussions, etc., on https://sourceforge.net/forum/?group_id=210780.
4. NewGenLib is web-based and has a multi-tier architecture (www.kiikm.org/newgenlib_architecture.jpg); uses Java (a swing-based librarian’s GUI) and the JBoss (J2EE-based Application Server). The default backend used is the open source PostgreSQL.
5. NewGenLib functional modules: Acquisitions management (monographs and serials); technical processing; circulation control; system configuration; a desktop reports application and an end-of-day process (scheduler) application.
6. NewGenLib is compliant with MARC-21 format
- Has a MARC editor
- Allows seamless bibliographic and authority data import into cataloguing templates
7. Form letter templates are configurable using openOffice 2.0 as ODT and htm.
8. SMTP mail servers can be configured for emails that can be sent form functional modules.
9. NewGenLib allows creation of institutional open access (OA) repositories compliant with the OAI-PMH.
10. NewGenLib servers are SRU/W compliant supporting MARC-21 and MODS 3.0 metadata formats. CQL (level 1) with both Bath and Dublin Core Profiles are supported.
11. NewGenLib is Unicode 3.0 compliant. It is an internationalized application. English and Arabic interfaces are already available.
12. Is RFID ready.Regards
L.J.Haravu
Ed — I’m trying to reconcile this announcement with the “Versions” document on their website. That document speaks of “annual maintenance costs” for various incarnations of the software (single-user small library to multi-user small library and on up). Perhaps the web site documentation doesn’t match the new reality?
Peter,
I don’t know what is up with the Web site not mentioning the Open Source announcement. They did make the NewGenLib code available for download on SourceForge though. Maybe they are going to update the Web site soon to reflect this, or maybe they are not advertising the Open Source part so much. It seems a little odd to me to send out the announcement and not have the Web site have information about it. I just saw the forwarded announcement on the IFLA list, so I really don’t know much about it, but I am interested in seeing what it has to offer.
I would like to download the software(newgenlib) for our library. Any guided steps for installations are available?
rajlibrarian
lotus5673@yahoo.co.in
Raj, I haven’t tried to install it, but I did find some Windows installation notes at: http://newgenlib.wiki.sourceforge.net/InstallationNotes