The purpose of this paper is to describe a hybrid model of library software development, according to which libraries implement commercial software products and extend them with locally developed or community developed open‐source components.
The paper draws on the following sources to describe several approaches to providing software that addresses the specific needs of individual libraries: commercial and community organizations' public statements of aims, philosophies, policies, and processes; e‐mail interviews; and e‐mail discussion lists. Data from a customer‐accessed collaborative web site are offered in an examination of the approach taken by one vendor, Ex Libris, to developing and supporting systems that customers can extend, customize, and integrate with other systems.
A little more than a year after the Ex Libris open‐platform program was launched, active community interaction in the creation and sharing of code extensions to the vendor's commercial systems was observed.
Community initiatives, a long part of the library tradition, are becoming common in library software development. Very few libraries have the resources required to carry out large software projects; however, by leveraging the resources of the community to develop and exchange code that enhances and customizes commercial solutions, all libraries, regardless of their resources, stand to benefit from commercial solutions in a cost‐effective way.
Libraries that are in the market for a software solution and are comparing commercial products with open‐source initiatives can benefit from this description of a hybrid model in which libraries maximize their investment in a commercial product by leveraging their staff's expertise and community support.
