Are Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) solutions a viable option for academic libraries in South Africa?

Abstract

This paper examines the constraints on using Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) in academic libraries in South Africa and discusses why FOSS is unlikely to be adopted. Constraints such as limited appropriate technical skills, limited budgets, lack of consensus about and support for FOSS within and between libraries and institutions and constraints on bandwidth all contribute to a conservative approach to library solutions.

Innovation Vol. 36 2008: pp. 55-63