[olug] Open Source at the Public Library

[OBrien, Timothy (Omaha Linux Users Group - OLUG)]

<quote who="Aaron Grothe">
> I don't know how many people read this article on
> slashdot.
>
> Open Source CD Lending For Public Libraries?
> http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/12/15/193231&mode=thread&tid=146&tid=149&tid=99
>
> It got me thinking this is something it might be
> intresting for OLUG to do.  There are a couple of ways
> to do something like this.
>
> Option #1
>
> Buy/donate several copies of "Kiss the Blue Screen of
> Death Goodbye"
> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0321159985/qid=1071605683//ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i0_xgl14/103-4233303-2024664?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
> to the public libraries.  I don't know if that is tax
> deductible or not.
>
> Option #2
>
> Press a dozen or two Knoppix CDs, put labels on them
> and see if the library will loan them out. Possibly
> put a couple copies of Fedora in libraries as well.
>
> IANAL (I am not a librarian :-) ) but I know somebody
> who is TIM.  I don't know what the Omaha public
> library approach is on this, but it might be a cool
> thing to do.
>
> The idea is almost a year round installfest.  Knoppix
> is pretty safe for the average home user to do.  It
> won't muck with your hard drives and is pretty safe.
>
> We could always master an OLUG knoppix, with the OLUG
> logo and stuff if we thought it would be worth it.  It
> might let people get the software without any pressure
> to play around with it.
>
> Any thoughts on the topic?  Anybody know anybody at
> the  public library to talk to on this topic.
>
> Regards,
>
> Aaron
> =-=-=

Well, IANAL (I am not a librarian) either - I just happen to provide IT
support for a library.

All the concerns or thoughts I would bring up about this project are
brought up in the /. threads. Anything I would say is already there.


I would highly suggest purchasing the book and donate to the local library
(as reccomended); but confirm the Library will add it to the collection
first. It is easy to add the book to the Library's collection & keep track
of it and the CD; but building a good collection based on donations
sucks[1]. Added to the rest of the books on Linux, the titles would easily
walk a newbie through downloading & burning their own ISOs.

Giving a stack of ISO's with some cool labels would work great as well -
some time back I grabbed some ISO's that were burned with some cool silk
screen pictures (IIRC Brian R or Adam had them at an OLUG meeting), we put
them out on the Circulation desk & they were gone in a few days.


[1] There are semester classes on Library collection development for
someone working on their MLS (Masters in Library Science). The individual
tasked with collection development has a hard job - balance the library's
needs with inadequate funding for purchasing, censorship & political
issues, and limitations of their Library Information System (LIS) and
support contracts. Sure, many libraries will take donations (ours does),
but understand they have to balance all the priorities (perceived,
political,  and real) and your donated item may not make it into the
collection.

--
Timothy "Irish" O'Brien
Publicity & Social activities chairperson
Omaha Linux User's Group (OLUG)
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