If you can’t buy it, build it: adapting a generic commercial application to meet specific organisation goals
VALA 2006 CONCURRENT SESSION 15: Application Customisation and Open Source
Friday 10 February 2006, 14:35 – 15:05
Persistent URL: http://www.vala.org.au/vala2006-proceedings/vala2006-session-15-brooks
Tony Brooks
Training/Website Services Officer, City Library, Melbourne, Victoria
http://www.citylibrary.org.au
Zan Li
IT Services Officer, City Library, Melbourne, Victoria
http://www.citylibrary.org.au
Sarah Field
Information Services Coordinator, City Library, Melbourne, Victoria
http://www.citylibrary.org.au
Please tag your comments, tweets, and blob posts about this session: #VALA2006
Abstract
What do you do if you need solutions to ensure the equitable use of computing facilities in a public context, have pre-purchased a commercial package to ensure this happens but realised that due to software compatibility issues beyond your control it will not function at present? The answer for City Library was to utilise the technical, logistical and project management skills that existed in-house, use a Microsoft product and transform it into a robust automated computer booking system with the features that were needed in less than three months. This paper outlines the steps that were taken by the City Library Information Services Team in developing that system including the strategic, technical, training and operational challenges that were encountered and how they were overcome.