A Comparative Study of Tools used in Building Open Source and Proprietary Integrated Library Systems Light Mawumenyo Kwami 1 , Joseph Kobina Panford 2 , James Ben Hayfron-Acquah 3 1 Department of Computer Science, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana 1 lkwami@ucc.edu.gh 2 Department of Computer Science, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana 2 jpanford@yahoo.com 3 Department of Computer Science, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana 3 jbha@yahoo.com Abstract—Open source Integrated Library System (ILS) may be view by many as a comprehensive occurrence that have the potential of providing the library industry with substitute and aggressive way of doing business. Research done so far has tackled the history and business aspect of the open source library occurrence and only few have researched its technical aspect. This research explores the reason behind the poor level of adoption of open source LMSs in Ghana, and whether it is due to poor awareness about the concept or the technical inadequacies in the open source tools. The research was done in two major stages. The first stage involved conducting surveys to measure knowledge and attitude towards open source. The survey scrutinized three groups of participants involved in the library industry namely: Administrators, End users and IT specialists. The measurement of knowledge and attitude was done by forming a knowledge and attitude indicators. The author formed these indicators during the course of the study in order to give a quantifiable and picturesque indication of the results. The second stage involved conducting a comparative analysis between two proprietary ILS (Millennium and Aleph) and two open source ILS (Koha and NewGenLib). The results of the research provide an insight to how the different groups of participants view open source and indicates the lack of knowledge about open source concepts and its expertise maybe a major reason behind the poor adoption of open source ILS in Ghanaian libraries. The results of the comparative analysis also show that open source ILS are technically equivalent to its proprietary counterparts. Keywords: Open Source, ILS, LMS, Web Server, Database Server, Client terminal, MARC I. INTRODUCTION An integrated library system (ILS), which is also called a library management system (LMS), is an operational scheme planning for libraries. Use for tracking items a library own, materials that have been ordered, purchases made, bills that have been paid or to be paid, and materials have been borrowed by patron. An ILS is usually made-up of a database of tables, an interactive application, and two graphical user interfaces (for patrons and staff respectively). Many ILS’s software function as detached programs called components or modules merged with an interface. Examples of modules might include acquisitions (ordering, receiving, and invoicing items), cataloguing (classifying and indexing items), circulation (charging and discharging of items), serials (tracing periodical items), the OPAC (public interface for End Users) ([1]. The ILS database assigns a unique ID to each patron and item in order to trace every activity [46]. Libraries use ILS’s for ordering and acquiring, receiving and invoicing, cataloguing, circulating, tracking and shelving items. The University of Texas begun mechanizing their circulation module using the punch card system. The punch card system permitted for more effectual way of tracking of materials on loan, but other library service were far from being integrated. The change did not affect any other library tasks. The emergence of MARC standards in the 1960s and the advancement in computer technologies, begun the birth of library automation. Libraries commenced testing with computers and bibliographic services; taking advantage of new technology and MARC terminology moved into the marketplace. Improvements in computer storage and telecommunication resulted in advances in complete structures on microcomputers called an integrated library systems (ILS) ultimately materialized. It (systems) comprises of the required hardware and software, which permitted the link of crucial circulation, controls as well as overdue notifications [11]. As technology, advanced additional library responsibilities have been achieved through ILS as well. Tasks such as Purchase, classification, titles reservation and series checking. The scope of Integrated Library Systems ILSs are products that are created to provide distinct End Users according to their roles and authorizations. It also requires an authentication for them (End Users) like most systems. It has an interface that list items borrowable to them and ability to reserve items as well as to cancel items reserved. End Users may view reserved items, borrowed items, due dates and fines if any in the status page. They also have the privileges for account settings like passwords reset, profiles editing, and an interface to add to or delete books from staffs [20]. The Main component of an ILS An ILS would have these main components: Database Server used by ILS to perform data analysing, storing, manipulating, archiving and other non-user precise jobs [44]. Application Server allows application on program such as the MARC framework to be shared in an efficient, well-structured manner making functions easier [24]. International Journal of Computer Science and Information Security (IJCSIS), Vol. 17, No. 3, March 2019 101 https://sites.google.com/site/ijcsis/ ISSN 1947-5500