Libraries can now re-cycle apparently obsolete computers and transform these ageing PCs into high-speed multi-purpose library terminals using open source software.
 
A few old computers, some freely available open source software, and a little knowledge was all it took to create a high-speed network that pleased staff and astonished students at Yusuf Ahmed Al-Ghanim Library, the Main Library at Birzeit University in Palestine’s West Bank.

eIFL.net  submitted stories from its Spotlight series, which highlights achievements from its participating countries, in response to the 2008 UNESCO Information for All Programme (IFAP)  call to share stories and good practices in using information for development in all parts of the world. The stories collected provide practical examples to inspire others and raise the visibility of the critically important role that information plays in development.

The eIFL.net Spotlight from Birzeit University: “Open Source Software brings a new lease of life to libraries in Palestine” was selected by the Bureau of the Information for All Programme to receive project funding in order to replicate the story. Five stories, out of a total of 34 submissions, were selected to represent each UNESCO region (Africa, Arab States, Europe and North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific).
 
With this HowTo guide we aim to help libraries in other developing countries benefit from Birzeit University Library’s experience in order to implement their own Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP) installation.


LTSP: extending the life of older computer hardware in your library: How to Set Up a Linux Terminal Server Project Installation, The Birzeit University Library Experience by Dr. Wasel Ghanem, Head of Computer Systems Engineering Department and Mrs. Diana Sayej-Naser, Library Director, Birzeit University will be made available for download (in pdf format) in English, Arabic, Russian, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

This guide has been produced, translated, and distributed with the support of UNESCO.