The NewGenLib (NGL) team is really quite indebted to a pioneer like Prof. Konnur who gave us an opportunity to put our software at Goa University when he was Librarian. I must confess that the software was still in its beta development stage and but for Goa University's benevolence, we could not have put to test and make improvements to NGL. I remember our efforts at other places where we tried to implement it free of charge at considerable expense to us and the difficulties we faced. Having said that I must congratulate Mr. E.M. Siddartha who has been the indefatigable developer of the software. The many days and nights that both of us spent on learning the convoluted structures of MARC-21 and other standards and the unique requirements of Indian libraries is a part of the history of the software. When I traveled abroad, I made a commitment to talk about NGL and this fortunately resulted in our presence in S E Asia and the Middle East. A team for OCLC which came to evaluate NGL some years ago went back with a lot of admiration for NGL, although they found that NGL was not ready at that time for what we today call Cloud computing. Since the last two years, NGL has indeed made quantum leaps in its technology and more importantly its support. Many of NGL's detractors in the early days now speak of it glowingly and this alone I am sure motivates the NGL team. Neither Siddartha nor I believe that we are competing in the commercial sense with other open source library management systems. The very concept of openness means that there should be healthy competition for the benefit of its potential clients. Libraries should be free to choose the software that they think is best suited to them. I would like to add, however, that libraries still do not use clear cut methodologies before deciding what is best suitable for them. Also, librarians should drive vendors and not the other way. Haravu On Tue, Apr 23, 2013 at 8:27 AM, Pandurang Konnur wrote:

Dear Professional Friends, I have noticed a detailed discussion of your experiences on using NewGenLib (NGL) Software: To share my experiences with you, the NGL took its birth in Goa University while I was serving there as University Librarian. When Prof.Haravu contacted me and asked me to give a test bed for NGL at Goa University, I was verymuch impressed by the approach of a senior professional's humble initiative. My request to my University authorities was very much successful and I got the permission as well as the infrastructure support as per the requirement of NGL Team. I have seen the untiring work of Prof.Haravu and Mr.Siddart. In spite of their financial crises, they visited Goa many times at their own cost and developed the software by taking all our feedback. M/s.Verus Solutions extended free installation (During that time the corporate edition cost was Rs.5 Lakhs) and five years free maintenance to Goa University Library. They trained all our staff and made all of us well versed including at tenders to operate the software. They also supported us to initiate of establishment of Goa Academic Library Network. We trained all the College Librarians of Goa with several Training Programmes. We negotiated for (I believe it was) Rs. 12000/- per Library including two free training programs for two person from each college.

Goa University should thank the free service extended to the University and its affiliated colleges. Unfortunately the software has been changed in Goa University for no reasons. Fortunately it has shifted to another Open source Software KOHA (But with a payment of Rs.1.75 Lakhs to a private company).

When I shifted myself to Bangalore University, we again took up the work of conducting Training Programs and promoting the FREE NGL software. Many of the Librarians were benefitted by these programs and automated their Libraries.

As discussed by earlier postings in this forum, if it would have been in western countries specially USA, such initiatives would have attracted many funding agencies including Universities. But, in India most of the Funding Agencies are biased and support only to the researchers working in big institutions.

Now, what is needed is to promote this software by all the users by conducting Training programs across the country. IALA is prepared to sponsor the programs if any Librarians are interested to organise. Any Librarian interested to conduct such trainig programs having sufficient IT infrastructure at their institutions may contact me. We will help you to organise Training programs in collaboration with your institutions in different places.

LET US PROMOTE THIS SOFTWARE AND MAKE IT AS A LIBRARY SOFTWARE OF OUR COUNTRY

-- *Dr. P. V. Konnur* Professor & Director, School of Applied Sciences, Chairman Department of Library & Information Science, *Rani Channamma University,* Vidhya Sangama, Belgavi – 591 156 Karnataka State, (India) Phone : 91-831-2565216-17 Mobile : 91-9449679737 E-Mail : pvkonnur@gmail.com

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