If you are at all interested in open source software and emerging technology, it's likely that you are already familiar with opensource.com. Recently, a new blog there asked the question: Are libraries resisting open source? Although the authors are librarians themselves, they come to the conclusion that not only are libraries resistant to the technology, but so are Library and Information Science Master's Programs, and librarians in general. Specifically, they assert that, "in the course of our library education, we learn little to nothing about the differences between proprietary products and open source ones--there are few open source advocates in library school or in the profession."

I have to admit that immediately upon reading the article, I was convinced, in an idealistic, gut wrenching, please-don't-take-away-the-wonders-of-my-chosen-field-away-from-me kind of way, that it couldn't be true. But that isn't proof. So, I tried to think about what I'd learned in my short time as a library school student at SLIS.

Has there been an effort to teach us about open source?

Here's what I've come up with so far:

• I created a budget for my required 6080 Info Tech course which necessitated the use of open source software, by design. Seriously, there's no way we could have done anything with those library budget projects without using open source. We were also required to come up with legitimate reasons for not using open source software, if we chose not to do so.
• Again in 6080, we did another set of projects in which we created tutorials for different open source software - my group focused on Google Docs.
• My required 6210 Cataloging course (like any cataloging course) is essentially based on open source software, considering that MARC itself is open source.
• Other classes in SLIS offer topical sections that cover open source specifically. These include 7435 (the ILS course), 7440 (the course on scripting languages), and 7780 (Electronic Archives). There are probably others, but I think it's fair to say that open source isn't being ignored.
• Last summer a WSU SLIS student was awarded a Travel Award to attend the ALA conference and present on a project with WordPress and academic libraries - again, open source focused.
• And lets not forget all of the work happening in 7491, and right here on the blog using NodeXL - that's open source too.

These are just a few of the ways that I've encountered open source issues and technology in my library education at WSU. No, open source is not a course title or given its own specialization; instead it is integrated into core course topics and given a place next to proprietary software.

But back to my initial reaction to the blog's conclusion. I can't say for sure if they're wrong that libraries are resistant to the technology. I'm a numbers kind of girl - I would need to see some numbers that prove it and they don't seem to exist (trust me, I looked). What they are absolutely right about, however, is that libraries and librarians (both current and future) cannot afford to ignore open source technologies. Literally. With budget cuts left and right and more looming, open source is more than desirable, it's necessity. If my library budgeting project is any indication, the average library can't function without the use of some open source.

As a call to action, then, I wholeheartedly agree that we must continue to support open source in whatever way makes sense for our individual library. And our education must continue to find ways to teach us about all of the tools at our disposal - including open source.

Do you agree? What's your stance on open source? Has your education taught you enough about it? Does your local library use it?