Subject: Seeking response on Duke open source ILS proposal
[Note:  To express interest, send a message to openlib@duke.edu]

The Duke University Libraries are preparing a proposal for the Mellon
Foundation to convene the academic library community to design an open
source Integrated Library System (ILS).  We are not focused on developing
an actual system at this stage, but rather blue-skying on the elements
that academic libraries need in such a system and creating a blueprint.
Right now, we are trying to spread the word about this project and find
out if others are interested in the idea.

We feel that software companies have not designed Integrated Library
Systems that meet the needs of academic libraries, and we don’t think
those companies are likely to meet libraries’ needs in the future by
making incremental changes to their products. Consequently, academic
libraries are devoting significant time and resources to try to overcome
the inadequacies of the expensive ILS products they have purchased.
Frustrated with current systems, library users are abandoning the ILS and
thereby giving up access to the high quality scholarly resources libraries
make available.

Our project would define an ILS centered on meeting the needs of modern
academic libraries and their users in a way that is open, flexible, and
modifiable as needs change. The design document would provide a template
to inform open source ILS development efforts, to guide future ILS
implementations, and to influence current ILS vendor products.Our goal is
not to create an open-source replica of current systems, but  to rethink
library workflows and the way we make library resources available to our
constitutiencies. We will build on the good work and lessons learned in
other open source ILS projects.  This grant would fund a series of
planning meetings, with broad participation in some of those meetings and
a smaller, core group of schools developing the actual design requirements
document.

At this stage, we're seeking feedback on our ideas and finding out who
might be interested in participating, prior to our formal submission of
the proposal to the Mellon Foundation in early March. We would greatly
appreciate your responses to the following questions.

1) Does designing an open source ILS seem like something worth exploring
for academic libraries?

2) Given the information above about the proposed project, is your
institution interested in:

     a.  staying informed of our progress?

     b.  contributing time and effort to the planning process, even if
only through the first or second workshops?

     c.  possibly being one of the core schools that participates
throughout the full planning and writing process

3) If  you have any initial feedback on our ideas, we would love to hear
it!

Thank you for your interest and considering this opportunity to work with
us on this project.  If your answer is yes to number 2 above, we will be
contacting you to explore further participation.
**Please send your reply to  openlib@duke.edu**