Further consolidation in the ILS space was not unexpected. The collective actions of the library community from this point forward will shape the future of library technology.
For EBSCO, our position has never wavered. We believe that innovation is rooted in choice and open systems. We continue to work to ensure that our various services [GOBI, EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS), EBSCONET, etc.] interoperate with any other open system that may be used in the libraries that we support. As it relates to the recent acquisition news, our desire to support mutual customers of EBSCO and Innovative has not changed.
EBSCO is dedicated to the principles and technical approaches that define FOLIO. This means open source code, open system philosophies, microservices architecture, and above all, an international community approach to sharing ideas and developing modern systems. We are excited to see various members of the community leverage the FOLIO platform to develop important related initiatives, such as Project ReShare, which is focused on creating a new and open approach to resource sharing.
To clear up any confusion that may exist, EBSCO does not own FOLIO; the code is open source. But we do have a strong sense of pride in what FOLIO represents, and our role in the growing community. We want to recognize and thank all of the libraries and vendors that actively support the FOLIO community and what it represents. We believe FOLIO is the future of library management technology — a future that is here — and we are excited to see so many institutions joining the FOLIO movement. We understand that limited commercial offerings in any marketplace may lead to concerns around increasing costs and decreasing levels of service. Fortunately, open source technology solutions, together with the availability of various organizations that provide service and support, help address these concerns. Ultimately this combination makes FOLIO a viable option for any library, regardless of size and technical staffing.
Now is an important time for the library community to rally together toward an open future. As libraries evaluate options and consider the direction that will ensure both short-term and long-term success for their mission, EBSCO will continue to support open systems and the specific technology decisions that each library makes.