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Evergreen (FOSS Integrated Library System)
Evergreen is an open source Integrated Library System (ILS). Evergreen includes circulation and cataloguing features, OPAC, SIP2.0 support for interaction with management software and search/retrieval through Z39.50.
Evergreen also features the Open Scalable Request Framework (OpenSRF, pronounced 'open surf'), that allows developers to create applications for Evergreen with a minimum of knowledge of its structure. Operates on Debian or Ubuntu Linux servers. It is operable in English and issued under a GNU General Public License (GPL)
- Evergreen homepage
- Download page
- User communities
- Developer community
Themed Week
In September 2011 EIFL FOSS held a Themed Week on Evergreen, including an online session by Dan Scott, Tigran Zargaryan, Repke de Vries and Vaclav Hansa. You can find details of the session, including the presentations and a recording of the session, at http://www.eifl.net/news/themed-week-evergreen-foss-library-system-sol
Case Studies
The EIFL-FOSS ILS project provided an opportunity for libraries within the EIFL network to evaluate and potentially migrate to a free and open source software (FOSS) integrated library system (ILS). It promoted direct engagement with the FOSS communities of a chosen ILS. We hope it also laid the groundwork for a mutual support network across EIFL for further libraries investigating migration to a FOSS ILS.
Following a general call for participation in early 2008, 7 sites were selected that represented a wide range of libraries and regions. The 3 pilot sites for Evergreen were:
- Evergreen Case Study from Fundamental Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences, Armenia
- Evergreen Case Study from Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya, Nepal
- Evergreen Case Study from Midlands State University Library, Zimbabwe
Each pilot library participating in the project was invited to participate in an intensive technical training workshop in Yerevan, Armenia, in June 2008.
The following case studies attempt to capture learning points from each of the pilot sites. Each pilot revealed distinctly different challenges and opportunities. And so the learning points from each are largely unique though clearly with some relevance to each other.
- The team at the Fundamental Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences, Armenia produced an Armenian version of the Evergreen user interface – their work has now spread across all 29 libraries of the National Academy of Sciences. They have also shared their knowledge with libraries in neighbouring Georgia. A Russian localization of Evergreen has been produced. The Fundamental Scientific Library has now pushed forward its interest in FOSS tools by delivering the Open Access journals Armenian Journal of Mathematics and the Armenian Journal of Physics via the Eprints software. The original Evergreen case study in Armenia can be found here: (PDF)
- In Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya, Nepal, although the installation of Evergreen was successful, still issues remained with migration of records in MARC21 standard. Because of this the library decided that Koha was the best FOSS option for their context. Records from the in-house ILS are being converted into MARC standard and imported into Koha – so far over 5,000 records have been migrated this way. When the migration reaches 10,000 records, MPP plans to open the OPAC for the system to the public. Read the original Nepal Evergreen case study here: (PDF)
- Midlands State University Library, Zimbabwe, taking a similar path to the Nepali example, is now using both Koha and Evergreen alongside their existing proprietary library management system. Obviously running several systems in tandem utilises a lot of effort and requires transaction information to be entered three times. In December a formal evaluation of the success and usability of Koha and Evergreen will be undertaken, including consultation with the circulation desk staff themselves, and a final decision will be taken as to which system to move to in early 2011. The original Zimbabwe Evergreen case study can be found here: (PDF)
