Using Open Source to Give Patrons What They Want

• Published in: Computers in Libraries Vol. 28; no. 3; pp. 6 - 10
• Main Author: De Groff, Amy Begg
• Format: Magazine Article Trade Publication Article
• Language: English
• Published: Medford, NJ Information Today, Inc 01.03.2008; Information Today
• Subjects: Access to Information; Card catalogs; Computer Software; Computers; Counties; County libraries; Customer feedback; Customers; Early Adolescents; Elementary Education; Elementary Schools; Events planning; Exact sciences and technology; Fees & charges; Information and communication sciences; Information Management; Information science. Documentation; Information Seeking; Instructional Materials; Internet; Job Application; Libraries; Library and information science. General aspects; Library catalogs; Library Networks; Library Services; Licensing; Linux; Maryland; Open source software; Public access; Public domain; Public Libraries; Records management; Sciences and techniques of general use; Use and user studies. Information needs; User services; Web browsers; Word processing; Maryland; Library; Occupational role; Internet resource; User study; User need
• ISSN: 1041-7915

Librarians role as partners in education is to instruct customers on how to find information. Their purpose is to get information to customers. Often, that takes the form of delivering a book. Sometimes, it is accomplished by typing a URL into a web browser, reading text, and copying some of it into a text document for manipulation and reinvention. This article presents how Howard County Public Library used an open source solution to give visitors to its library the opportunity to do more with the computers than just search library records.