Until then, I thought I would share what we did discover and what some of the other libraries in NEKLS are using for PC and print management.

We have libraries in our system who use the following proprietary solutions for print and pc management:

• Vendprint
• Envisionware
• Cybrarian

Ottawa uses the lower-cost version of Envisonware, Bonner Springs uses Vendprint and Tonganoxie uses Cybrarian.  If asked, they will tell you how much each solution is costing their library.

Mickey shared another lead from a company he spoke with at ALA  -  ALPS.

I also stumbled upon a pertinent TechSoup article, Recipes for a 5-Star Library – Meal Plan 5: ‘We’re Booked Through January’ PC Reservation/Time Management Software (.pdf). Our very own Brenda hosted the online discussion in July 2008.

PC and print management is an underdeveloped area in the Open Source world, as far as we can tell. Userful has apparently released an open source product for PC reservations called Pre-Book, that you can read more about in this article from networkworld.com. Unfortunately, it doesn’t include print management.

Amy Begg De Groff told us about Groovix in Howard County, but this solution would be a radical shift from Microsoft to Linux.

Additional Open source solutions for libraries (everything from pc management to koha) can be found at this libsuccess.org wiki.

So, what solution have you found?  Share!

-Sharon

1. Is There Such a Thing As Free Software? The Pros and Cons of Open Source Software–Thomas J. Trappler, Educause Quarterly. The article is from a higher education perspective, but still lays out a lot of the general arguments that people bring up with open source software.
2. 50 Excellent Open Courses for Techie Librarians–Sarah Russel, Best Colleges Online.com. Access free courses on topics such as Open Source, Open Access, Information & Research, Engaging Library Users, Technology, Books & Writing, Law, Education, Communication, and Operations. It’s kind of like WebJunction Courses, except you’re taking them from actual universities, like MIT! Pretty cool. For more Open Course ideas, check out iTunesU, part of the Apple iTunes Store (you’ll need iTunes installed to access iTunesU).
3. 5 Free Online Open Source Books for Beginners–Sam Dean, OStatic. Just getting started with Open Source? Check out these 5 free online books that introduce you to several basic open source software packages, including GIMP (Graphics); Firefox (Web Browser); Blender Basics (3D Rendering); OpenOffice (Office Suite); and Linux (Operating System).
4. Linux courses from WebJunction. Make sure you login through the Kansas WebJunction portal, to guarantee you can take the course for free, thanks to the State Library’s sponsorship!

Open Source Software Recommendation Lists

1. Open Source Living. Find Open Source software based on various software categories.
2. Open Source for Windows. A basic list of Open Source software for Windows machines.
3. Open Source for Mac. A basic list of Open Source software for Mac machines.
4. OSAlt.com. Find Open Source Alternatives to almost any type of software. Try using one today.