Managing Technologies and Automated Library Systems in Developing Countries: Open Source vs Commercial Options

The theme of this meeting was the management of technologies in the context of developing countries, and in the light of recent developments concerning especially open source software and applications. Speakers from various countries debated in English and in French over the importance of changing the rules concerning library management systems, as well as related implications. Results show that open source software might be a solution, although some conditions apply. Reunis sous le theme de la gestion des systemes automatises de bibliotheques dans les pays en developpement, conferenciers et participants discuterent des changements recents dans ce domaine, notamment de l'apport des logiciels a code source ouvert. Les conferenciers, provenant de differents pays, presenterent en anglais et en francais leurs differents points de vue et experiences sur cette question importante pour l'avenir, de meme que sur les implications qui y sont liees. Les resultats demontrent que les logiciels a code source ouverts peuvent etre une solution, mais a certaines conditions.