Wednesday, March 29, 2017

To best support diverse challenges, the core technology infrastructure of libraries must be open and flexible. Libraries no longer tolerate closed systems unable to foster innovation. No system can be expected to function ideally for all types of libraries. Instead, the core systems must be open in ways that allow libraries to connect them with a diverse set of other applications, extract and work with the underlying data, or customize or develop new services. Open ecosystems have become an expected characteristic of modern technology. Google Apps enables companies and open source developers to offer apps which plug into Google’s offerings. Other examples include Salesforce, WordPress, or Drupal. Within the library sphere, the advent of the new genre of service platforms allows libraries to break away from legacy architectures to provide an open ecosystem of APIs for interoperability and extensibility. Libraries want to embrace open ecosystems to enable innovative new approaches to managing and providing access to collections, discovery, and services. Open environments can bring about radical change by harnessing the power of global participation, knowledge and talent. Libraries are opening and sharing access to collections and building more open and flexible spaces, but how can technology help us up our game and reimagine more open library ecosystems perhaps globally? Join us for thought-provoking conversations moderated by Marshall Breeding!