eIFL.net is pleased to announce that core funding for its eIFL-FOSS program has been secured from the Open Society Institute. eIFL-FOSS advocates free and open source software (FOSS) use in libraries in developing and transition countries. Funding from the Open Society Institute will help eIFL.net raise awareness and understanding of FOSS across its membership, facilitate eIFL.net member engagement with FOSS development communities, and undertake projects of special significance to eIFL.net members. The initial project within the eIFL-FOSS program is a support project for migration to FOSS integrated library systems (ILS).

Randy Metcalfe, Program Manager of eIFL-FOSS, said, “eIFL-FOSS is all about building capacity for FOSS deployment and development across the eIFL network of libraries.” The program brings together FOSS champions from across the eIFL.net member countries to participate in a project to evaluate readiness for and migration to a FOSS ILS. The project will develop support documentation for such evaluation and migration suitable for either the Evergreen or Koha ILS. In both cases the goal is to use the eIFL-FOSS ILS project as a stepping-stone to direct participation in these FOSS development communities. “FOSS is first and foremost about freedom”, said Metcalfe, “and that freedom is exemplified by the communal development and support that is found in vibrant FOSS development communities.”

Library budgets are shrinking and many libraries in developing and transition countries can no longer afford the licensing fees associated with proprietary ILS solutions. FOSS solutions provide a viable alternative while opening up new possibilities in terms of access to knowledge. The eIFL-FOSS ILS project will conduct a series of pilots through 2008 with libraries in the process of migrating to either the Evergreen or Koha ILS. The experience gained will contribute to a support documentation effort led by Tigran Zargaryan, Project Co-ordinator, in which each of the eIFL-FOSS country co-ordinators will participate.

Rima Krupyte, Director of eIFL.net, said, “eIFL-FOSS builds upon eIFL.net’s experience of supporting and advocating the wide availability of electronic resources in libraries in developing and transition countries. Access to the source code of the software that runs libraries, and the freedom to modify and improve that software, is a further facet in the access to knowledge agenda.”

The eIFL-FOSS program and eIFL-FOSS ILS project will run, initially, from late 2007 to the end of 2008.

For further information on the eIFL-FOSS program and regular updates of progress visit eIFL-FOSS or join the eIFL-FOSS announcement email list.