Issues and lessons learned in open source software adoption in Pakistani libraries

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss key issues related to the adoption of open source software (OSS) in Pakistani libraries. Design/methodology/approach – Literature review and principal author’s first-hand experience of Koha (OSS) implementation in Provincial Assembly Libraries of Pakistan under Pakistan Legislative Strengthen Project of United States Agency for International Development provide the information and insight for this paper. Findings – Adoption of OSS in libraries is just at a beginning stage in Pakistan, and only a few organizations have so far made their first move in this direction. The major identified issues affecting OSS adoption in Pakistani libraries are: social (cultural) disparity, conceptual confusions, digital divide, lack of technological, financial, and human development. Practical implications – The paper will help decision makers plan OSS applications in their libraries. Originality/value – This is the first paper on the topic in Pakistan and explores the issues involved in OSS adoption in a comprehensive manner. The paper can provide understanding regarding adoption of OSS to professionals in Pakistani and other developing countries with similar environment.