Prospero: A Web-based Document Delivery System

Prospero: A Web-basedProspero: A Web-based DocumentDocument Delivery System

Eric H. Schnell Eric H. Schnell

Assistant ProfessorAssistant Professor

Head, Information Technology Head, Information Technology

Prior Health Sciences LibraryPrior Health Sciences Library

The Ohio State UniversityThe Ohio State University

Open Source or “Free” Open Source or “Free” SoftwareSoftware

Free as in “free”domFree as in “free”dom Little to do with priceLittle to do with price A program is free if there is freedom A program is free if there is freedom

to: to: • run the program, for any purposerun the program, for any purpose• modify the program to suit needs modify the program to suit needs • distribute modified versions so that distribute modified versions so that

the community can benefit from the community can benefit from your improvementsyour improvements

Brief Brief HistoryHistory

ITS (the Incompatible Timesharing ITS (the Incompatible Timesharing System MIT - 1967) System MIT - 1967)

GNU (GNU’s Not Unix - 1984)GNU (GNU’s Not Unix - 1984) Linux (1991)Linux (1991) ““Open Source” (1998)Open Source” (1998)

The Library Systems The Library Systems ParadigmParadigm

Software vendors do not sell Software vendors do not sell softwaresoftware, , they sell “Licenses” they sell “Licenses”

Vendors control functionality and Vendors control functionality and featuresfeatures

Maintenance fees are often not Maintenance fees are often not optionaloptional

Open Source and Open Source and LibrariesLibraries

Library Systems ParadigmLibrary Systems Paradigm

Libraries make significant investments Libraries make significant investments to license, maintain, and train to license, maintain, and train

Few switch once committed to a Few switch once committed to a specific technologyspecific technology

Decisions often based on budgets Decisions often based on budgets - Not patron needs- Not patron needs

Services become available not when Services become available not when they are needed, but when software they are needed, but when software becomes commercially availablebecomes commercially available

What is What is Prospero?Prospero?

Electronic document delivery systemElectronic document delivery system Originally designed to work with ArielOriginally designed to work with Ariel® ®

Can be used as stand aloneCan be used as stand alone Converts Ariel TIFF file to PDFConverts Ariel TIFF file to PDF Places them on a Web sitePlaces them on a Web site Like Ariel, Prospero is a character in Like Ariel, Prospero is a character in

Shakespeare's “The Tempest” Shakespeare's “The Tempest”

Prospero ModulesProspero Modules

Staff InterfaceStaff Interface Installed on Windows PCInstalled on Windows PC Uses Ariel directoriesUses Ariel directories Can scan direct or importCan scan direct or import

Staff Interface

Prospero ModulesProspero Modules

Staff InterfaceStaff Interface Installed on Windows PCInstalled on Windows PC Uses Ariel directoriesUses Ariel directories Can scan direct or importCan scan direct or import

Patron Interface /Server Side Patron Interface /Server Side Install on Windows/ Unix-Linux serverInstall on Windows/ Unix-Linux server Any Web server softwareAny Web server software

Patron Interface

Why Why Prospero?Prospero?

Advisory Committee Advisory Committee recommendationrecommendation

Full-text journals online, why not Full-text journals online, why not ILL?ILL?

Shorten document delivery timeShorten document delivery time Any time, anywhere accessAny time, anywhere access Commercial alternatives not Commercial alternatives not

economical or functionaleconomical or functional

Development TimelineDevelopment Timeline

March 1999 – In search of existing March 1999 – In search of existing systemssystems NLM’s DocView / DocMorphNLM’s DocView / DocMorph

DocViewDocView

DocMorphDocMorph


March ’99 – In search of existing March ’99 – In search of existing systemssystems NLM’s DocView / DocMorphNLM’s DocView / DocMorph ILLiadILLiad

ILLiadILLiad


March ’99 – In search of existing March ’99 – In search of existing systemssystems NLM’s DocView NLM’s DocView ILLiadILLiad Marshall’s WebEDDMarshall’s WebEDD

Web-EDDWeb-EDD


March ’99 – In search of existing March ’99 – In search of existing systemssystems NLM’s DocView NLM’s DocView ILLiadILLiad Marshall’s WebEDDMarshall’s WebEDD April ’99 – Create homegrown systemApril ’99 – Create homegrown system

– – Announcement of Yale’s EDDAnnouncement of Yale’s EDD

Yale’s EDDYale’s EDD


April ’99April ’99 – Began Prospero – Began Prospero developmentdevelopment

May ’99 – Released Prospero 1.0May ’99 – Released Prospero 1.0 Feb ’01 – Released Version 1.37 Feb ’01 – Released Version 1.37

( (1717thth Revision Revision))

Development Development TeamTeam

Project ManagerProject Manager CommunicationsCommunications Web site & message board Web site & message board Contact for administrators / Prospero Contact for administrators / Prospero

implementers implementers ProgrammerProgrammer

Wrote codeWrote code Debugged problemsDebugged problems

Development Development TeamTeam

EvaluatorsEvaluators Used beta codeUsed beta code Identified initial featuresIdentified initial features

3 high use sites 3 high use sites 40+ outside contributors 40+ outside contributors

Time Time CommitmentCommitment

Project Manager Project Manager 60 hours initial Web site development and 60 hours initial Web site development and

creation of support materials creation of support materials < 4 hrs per week ongoing support < 4 hrs per week ongoing support

ProgrammerProgrammer ~100 hrs initial development ~100 hrs initial development 8 hrs per week ongoing support8 hrs per week ongoing support

EvaluatorsEvaluators Feedback through regular useFeedback through regular use

Prospero BudgetProspero Budget

$ 0$ 0

Development CostsDevelopment Costs

No direct software costs No direct software costs No direct ongoing software No direct ongoing software

maintenance costsmaintenance costs Used existing hardwareUsed existing hardware Staff time Staff time (~ $3500 1st year indirect cost)(~ $3500 1st year indirect cost)

CustomerCustomer ServiceService

Web site Web site Email / phone Email / phone Web discussion boardWeb discussion board “ “Users helping users”Users helping users”

Copyright Copyright ConcernsConcerns

" I see no problems with using " I see no problems with using technology to provide interlibrary technology to provide interlibrary loan. The real crux to librarians is loan. The real crux to librarians is the compliance with the CONTU the compliance with the CONTU guidelines..." guidelines..."

- Laura Gasaway - Laura Gasaway ([email protected] ([email protected]

7/21/2000)7/21/2000)


Aware of open sourceAware of open source Prospero was first project reviewedProspero was first project reviewed International distribution International distribution Ohio State “ownership”Ohio State “ownership” No warranties expressed or impliedNo warranties expressed or implied Distributed “As Is”Distributed “As Is”

Ohio State Legal Ohio State Legal AffairsAffairs


Local interpretation of Copyright LawLocal interpretation of Copyright Law National Commission on New National Commission on New

Technological Uses of Copyright Technological Uses of Copyright Works (CONTU)Works (CONTU)

Authentication restricts accessAuthentication restricts access Can restrict number of times viewed Can restrict number of times viewed

or or number of days on systemnumber of days on system

Document Delivery Document Delivery DeptsDepts

LessonsLessons

User expectationsUser expectations

LessonsLessons

Implementation issuesImplementation issues Individual privacy Individual privacy (Open Source a safe (Open Source a safe

haven?)haven?)

Systems securitySystems security Library system paradigm is aliveLibrary system paradigm is alive

User expectationsUser expectations

BenefitsBenefits

Established service when needed Established service when needed Allowed others to establish similar Allowed others to establish similar

services, cheaply services, cheaply Staff are learning new skillsStaff are learning new skills Creating a new “network” of Creating a new “network” of

library library development partnersdevelopment partners Breaking away from the library Breaking away from the library

systems systems paradigmparadigm

Hidden BenefitsHidden Benefits

Over 300 organizational downloads Over 300 organizational downloads from 17 Countriesfrom 17 Countries

Promote the Prior Library and The Promote the Prior Library and The Ohio State UniversityOhio State University

Publication, presentation, and Publication, presentation, and award award opportunitiesopportunities

Local recognitionLocal recognition

Current / Future Current / Future DevelopmentsDevelopments

Ariel <-> Prospero communicationsAriel <-> Prospero communications Viewing and printing TIFFSViewing and printing TIFFS Color scanner support (compression!) Color scanner support (compression!) Replace text config files with Replace text config files with

database database OS-X supportOS-X support

Words of AdviceWords of Advice

““One can choose to go back toward One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth.”safety or forward toward growth.”

-- Abraham Maslow-- Abraham Maslow

Words of Advice ? Words of Advice ?

“ “The current trend is from locally-developed systems to The current trend is from locally-developed systems to vendor supplied systems, not the other way around. vendor supplied systems, not the other way around.

What is different about the current open source What is different about the current open source movement that will enable the successful development movement that will enable the successful development and support of library automation systems from the and support of library automation systems from the earlier efforts that weren't sustainable? To use Eric earlier efforts that weren't sustainable? To use Eric Raymond's terms, is the ILS too much a cathederal Raymond's terms, is the ILS too much a cathederal (sic) to be build in a bazaar?”(sic) to be build in a bazaar?”

Marshall BreedingMarshall Breeding posted on web4lib - posted on web4lib - 3/22/20013/22/2001

Words of Advice ? Words of Advice ?

“ “ Without other incentives other than the joy of Without other incentives other than the joy of hacking and "vanity fair" a lot of worthwhile hacking and "vanity fair" a lot of worthwhile projects die because the initial author lost interest projects die because the initial author lost interest and nobody pick up the tag and nobody pick up the tag ““

Nikolai BezroukovNikolai Bezroukov http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue4_10/bezroukov/index.http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue4_10/bezroukov/index.htmlhtml

Thanks!Thanks!

E-mail:E-mail: [email protected]@osu.edu

Project:Project: bones.med.ohio-state.edu/prospero/bones.med.ohio-state.edu/prospero/

Web Board:Web Board: viagra.med.ohio-state.edu/prospero/viagra.med.ohio-state.edu/prospero/

oss4lib:oss4lib: www.oss4lib.orgwww.oss4lib.org