Libraries in developing and transition countries spend much of their already limited budgets on software licensing fees. Modification of this proprietary software to accommodate local conditions or to add new features is problematic. It waits upon the development cycle of manufacturers who may have other priorities. Moreover, software licensing fees have a way of increasing over time, even as library budgets face renewed pressure. These concerns – localization, feature modification, and licence cost – lead libraries in many countries to seek alternatives to proprietary software.

Free and open source software (FOSS) is software that is released under licences that ensure that end users always have the freedom to run the program, for any purpose, the freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to their needs, the freedom to redistribute copies of the program to others, and the freedom to improve the program and release those improvements to the wider community. Today FOSS is at least the equal of proprietary software in many sectors, and in some areas the leader. Typical examples include the Apache web server, on which the vast majority of websites in the world reside, or the Mozilla Firefox web browser, or the OpenOffice productivity suite.

eIFL-FOSS advocates free and open source software (FOSS) use in libraries in developing and transition countries. It aims to raise awareness and understanding of FOSS, to facilitate eIFL.net member engagement with FOSS development communities, and to undertake projects of special significance to eIFL.net members.

To this end, eIFL-FOSS:

• Has created a network of library FOSS champions;
• Promotes understanding of FOSS through case studies, briefing notes, and discussion;
• Has created a project supporting evaluation of and migration to a FOSS integrated library system (ILS);
• Has provided a home for the Southern African Greenstone Support Network.

Join the eIFL-FOSS announcement email list.