10 Business Case for an Open Source Library

10 Business Case for an Open Source Library Management System David Parkes Staffordshire University email: d. jparkes@staffs. ac. uk twitter: @daveparkes blog: dukedomlargeenough. blogspot. com

Preparation. . . Talk to everyone Ask the questions Do the research Do the costing Sanity check

Tell the Story. . . Why is it Important? Dragon’s Den Ask the difficult questions Create scenarios for all the options

Court IT. . . Befriend Provide facts Show where they will be needed Peer-reviewed software Green IT

Court your IT ‘ 2’. . . Documentation Procurement is very different Talk to all of them, servers, networks, client apps, business apps – esp business apps!

Demonstrate benefits for all. . . Cost to finance Experience for Students & Staff and talk lots to library finance, acquisitions and purchasing

Build your movement. . . Students & Faculty on steering group Talk to every supplier and services provider for saas Contact users overseas Talk to your other suppliers

Formal Business Case. . . Distribute widely (an executive version) Explain risk and how you have managed risk Project costs & savings Offer all options. . but provide an obvious candidate

Before the board. . . Be confident - you have exhaustively researched, consulted, prepared and produced You have been more rigorous than normal Research the company thoroughly in every aspect – succession planning, gearing ratios, liquidation, companies house, reputation. . .

The Tender Process. . . Continue to be inclusive Rigorous due process and scrutiny This is where IT colleagues will panic, where it does not fit their world –

Implementation. . . Build the partnership Tell people and tell them again what you are doing, they are part of it, they signed up and are integral to its success Don’t be first!

All Images http: //www. flickr. com/photos/fragiletender/sets/72157625768322942/ Kirstyhall under Creative Commons Licence David Parkes Staffordshire University email: twitter: blog: d. jparkes@staffs. ac. uk @daveparkes dukedomlargeenough. blogspot. com

Dibyendra Hyoju, Nepal FOSS Coordinator Koha Union Catalogue Project http: //www. eifl. net/system/files/201106/virtual_union_ca talog_using_koha_ils_presentation. swf http: //www. eifl. net/system/files/201106/ virtual_union_catalog_using_koha_ils_presentation. swf