Library Technology Guides has a couple of interesting data sets that, in a limited way, shows some of the dynamic patterns in the Integrated Library System (ILS) market:

Integrated Library System turnover in 2009 (listed by the ILS migrated to)

Reverse Integrated Library system turnover in 2009 (listed by the ILS migrated from)

It is interesting to note that a great deal of activity involves libraries moving to open source systems, mainly Koha (143) or Evergreen (92).  The top proprietary system is SirsiDynix’s Symphony (84), but over 70 of those installations are from other SirsiDynix products.  After that, the numbers drop to the 40-something range.

Note that these only reflect libraries that have their relevant information listed in Lib-Web-Cats.   If your library isn’t listed, you should submit your information; if listed, you should double-check your information and update if necessary.

found via GuidePosts

It is nearly time for Marshall Breeding’s annual Automation Systems Marketplace report, published in the April 1st edition of Library Journal.  This is as comprehensive and informative a report on the software we use to organize and present our collections as exists, and it portrays trends within the library community.

Paired with his announcement, however, was a request for library staff to review their listing on lib-web-cats, an online database of libraries, their basic directory information, and the software packages they use.  Find your library, review the information, and add / update / remove any information needed to make your listing current.

encountered on GuidePosts

There are other online directories of libraries available, but lib-web-cats is indispensable if you need to find libraries using a particular integrated library system (ILS). Their advanced search page is very powerful, letting you narrow your search by geography, library type, ILS, and more.

This tool is maintained by Marshall Breeding, who is hoping to expand it even further, as his post on Web4Lib states:

As part of the work that I do in following trends in library automation, I maintain the lib-web-cats database of libraries. I’m currently interested in gathering more data about what link resolvers, federated search/metasearch applications, electronic resource management modules, and alternative catalogs are currently being used in libraries, in addition to the current and previous ILS’s.

I’ve recently extended lib-web-cats to add fields for these other automation components and would very much appreciate it if Web4Lib members would visit the database and update it for their libraries. I’m especially interested in recording open source options being used by libraries in addition to the commercially provided ones.

Once you find your library in the database, there will be a “details” link that displays the information that I have so far. You can use the “Update this Entry” button to enter additional information. Drop me a note off-list if you have any difficulties.

The information you provide will help me in the research that I do for the articles that I write on library automation, but is also freely available for anyone else that’s interested.

I appreciate your help.

-marshall