Paper presented in IASLIC 23rd National Seminar, Kolkata, 2008 by Goutam Biswas

1. NewGenLib, THE FIRST INDIAN OPEN
SOURCE SOFTWARE: A STUDY OF ITS
FEATURES AND COMPARISON WITH
OTHER SOFTWARES
By
Goutam Biswas
mail: goutambiswas8@gmail.com
Dibyendu Paul
mail:dibyendu.kly@gmail.com
DLIS, University of Kalyani, West Bengal
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

2. PRESENTATION PLAN
 INTRODUCTION
 RECOMMENDED FEATURES….
 REASONS FOR CHOOSING OSS
 SALIENT FEATURES OF NewGenLib…
 SOFTWARE COMPARED WITH…
 FEATURE FOR COMPARISON
 FINDINGS BASED ON PROJECTED SCORE
 CONLCUSSION.
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

3. INTRODUCTION
 LMS has significant roles in library automation.
 Basic points of considerations regarding LMS are:
 availability
 available features and functional modules
 standards and compatibility in data format and data exchange
 cost of procurement
 Options: commercial or free software?
 Availability in India: Most of are commercial software
 The open source ILMS originated in India: NewGenLib Open Source
 We attempted to highlight:
 features
 advantages and disadvantages
 Comparison with others
Back2Plan
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

4. RECOMMENDED FEATURES….
 Core modules: acquisition, cataloguing, circulation, serial control,
article indexing…
 Enhanced services: customized report generation, reservation
facility, interlibrary loan, union cataloguing, authority file, retro-
conversion…
 Binary or source code
 Standards/Formats: MARC21, CCF, MARC-XML, ISO-2709,
Z39.50…
 Developer:
 Institution is first preference
 Reputed company is the next
 Individual (s) may deviate from continuity.
 Revision
Back2Plan
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

5. REASONS FOR CHOOSING OSS
 Price
 Unrestricted use
 Community involvement in development and maintenance
 Issues of copyright etc
 Interoperability: customizable according to the needs and standards
Back2Plan
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

6. SALIENT FEATURES OF NewGenLib…
Back2Plan
 Licensing
 Source Code & User Manual
 User’s Feedback
 Architecture & Backend
 Functional Modules
 Data Create & Exchange
Format
 Mail Server
 Open Access Compatibility
 Unicode Compatibility
 RFID Technology
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

7. SOFTWARE COMPARED WITH…
 Koha
 LIBSYS
 SLIM++
 EASYLIB
Back2Plan
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

8. FEATURE FOR COMPARISON
 General Features
 Functional Modules
 OPAC
 Circulation
 Cataloging & Information Services
Back2Plan
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

9. Authority file & controlled vocabulary
GENERAL Client server architect
Complete web based functions
FEATURES Customized report generation
Give technical support after installation
GUI and color
Back2Plan Interlibrary loan system
Intranet support
Retro conversion
Standard report administration
Support International metadata standard
Support multilinguality
Support network environment
Ability to build digital library
Ability to build repository
Article Indexing
Associate component found in open source
Digital library integration
Linux and Windows OS compatible
No restriction of use
Power search facility
Scalable and high speed
Union cataloguing
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

10. COMPARATIVE FEATURES OF FUNCTIONAL
MODULES Back2Features
Acquisition
Budget Control
Cataloguing of Monograph
Cataloguing of Electronic Documents
Circulation
Inter Library Loan
Library Statistics
OPAC
Reports Generation
Cataloguing of Website
Import/Export
Serial Control
Stock Taking
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

11. COMPARATIVE FEATURES OF OPAC
Back2Features
Multimedia
Library Map
Website Cataloguing
Electronic Documents Cataloguing
Reservation Through OPAC
Can Staff Modify Index Field?
Can Staff Modify Display Format?
Facility for WEBPAC
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

12. COMPARATIVE FEATURES OF CIRCULATION
Back2Feature
Issue & Return
Renewal
Reservation
Use of Barcode Technology
Fines as per different users and documents
Reservation (for specific time period)
Report Generation
Use of RFID
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

13. COMPARATIVE FEATURES OF CATALOGING
& INFORMATION SERVICES
Back2Plan
Printing of Catalogue in AACR Format
Printing of Catalogue in CCC Format
Exporting /Importing of Data
Report Generation
SDI Service
CAS Service
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

14. METHOD OF SCORING …
 One point each has given for the features available
for
 zero each for the features not available in any
software
 It must be noted that all features are not equal in
significance
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

15. FINDINGS BASED ON PROJECTED SCORE
NewGenLib is much advanced
 It has five more features in general than Koha and much more than the
commercial software under study
 In functional modules it remain advance than Koha but more or less
equally featured with commercial software
 NewGenLib has also more features in number in all other aspects like:
 OPAC
 Circulation
 Cataloguing and Information Services
Go2Chart
Back2Plan
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

16. PROJECTED SCORE OF
COMPARATIVE FEATURES Back2Plan
35 6
4 4
28 5
9
0 8 8
21 9
8
7
6 2 6
14 5
13 12 13 12
7 9
0
NewGenLib Koha SLIM++ LIBSYS EASYLIB
Projected Score of Software Under Study
Funtional Modules OPAC Circulation Cataloging & Inf. Services
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

17. CONCLUSION Back2Plan
In this very brief study it is clear that this software would be
applicable in Indian libraries as far as its different features are
concerned. It supports all the functional modules as well as the web
interface needed for a library. In a developing country like India,
the first Indian origin open source software is incredibly useful. In
the new paradigm of information society, software like NewGenLib
open source software is a basic requirement as a primary resource
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

18. Thanks
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

19. Table 01: Comparative General Features of Selected Software … (Back)
General Features NewGenLib Koha LIBSYS SLIM++ EASYLIB
Authority file & controlled vocabulary 1 1 1 1 1
Client server architect 1 1 1 1 1
Complete web based functions 1 1 1 1 1
Customized report generation 1 1 1 1 1
Give technical support after installation 1 1 1 1 1
GUI and color 1 1 1 1 1
Interlibrary loan system 1 1 1 1 1
Intranet support 1 1 1 1 1
Retro conversion 1 1 1 1 1
Standard report administration 1 1 1 1 1
Support International metadata standard 1 1 1 1 1
Support multilinguality 1 1 1 1 1
Support network environment 1 1 1 1 1
Ability to build digital library 1 0 0 0 1
Ability to build repository 1 0 0 0 0
Article Indexing 1 0 0 0 0
Associate component found in open source 1 1 0 0 0
Digital library integration 1 1 0 1 1
Linux and Windows OS compatible 1 0 0 0 0
No restriction of use 1 1 0 0 0
Power search facility 1 1 0 0 1
Scalable and high speed 1 0 1 1 1
12-12-2008 Union cataloguing 1 1 1 0 1
NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer
Score 23 18 15 16 18

20. Comparative Features of Functional Modules
Functions NewGenLib Koha LIBSYS SLIM++ EASYLIB
Acquisition 1 1 1 1 1
Budget Control 1 1 1 1 1
Cataloguing of monograph 1 1 1 1 1
Cataloguing of electronic documents 1 1 1 1 1
Circulation 1 1 1 1 1
Inter Library Loan 1 1 1 1 1
Library Statistics 1 1 1 1 1
OPAC 1 1 1 1 1
Reports Generation 1 1 1 1 1
Cataloguing of website 1 0 0 1 0
Import/Export 1 0 1 1 1
Serial Control 1 0 1 1 1
Stock taking 1 0 1 1 1
Score 13 09 12 13 12
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

21. Comparative Features of OPAC
OPAC Features NewGenLib Koha SLIM++ LIBSYS EASYLIB
Multimedia 1 0 1 0 1
Library Map N.F 0 0 0 1
Web site cataloguing 1 0 1 0 0
Electronic documents cataloguing 1 1 1 0 1
Reservation through OPAC 1 1 1 1 1
Can staff modify index field 1 1 0 0 0
Can staff modify display format 1 1 1 0 1
Facility for WEBPAC 1 1 1 1 1
Score 07 05 06 02 06
Back to plan
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

22. Comparative Features of Circulation…
Circulation Features NewGenLib Koha SLIM++ LIBSYS EASYLIB
Issue 1 1 1 1 1
Return 1 1 1 1 1
Renewal 1 1 1 1 1
Reservation 1 1 1 1 1
Use of barcode technology 1 1 1 1 1
Fines as per different users and documents 1 1 1 1 1
Reservation (for specific time period) 1 1 1 1 1
Report generation 1 1 1 1 1
Use of RFID 1 N.F N.F 1 N.F
Score 09 08 08 09 08
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer

23. Comparative Features of Cataloging & Information Services
Information Services NewGenLib Koha SLIM++ LIBSYS EASYLIB
Printing of catalogue in AACR 1 0 0 1 1
format
Printing of catalogue in CCC format 1 0 0 1 0
Exporting /Importing of data 1 0 1 1 1
Report generation 1 0 1 1 1
SDI service 1 0 1 1 1
CAS service 1 0 1 0 0
Score 06 00 04 05 04
12-12-2008 NewGenLib...comparison with other software/Biswas & Paul/23rd IASLIC National Seminer