Blending evolution with revolution: a new cycle of library automation spins on

Abstract: Marshall Breeding, based on his ongoing research and analysis of the product, technology, and business trends of the library automation industry, will give his perspective on the current state of the field and what libraries can expect over the next few years. While some companies will continue a stable and evolutionary path, others articulate more dramatic changes in their strategies. Open source ILS options have already repainted the landscape, with new community source projects underway that promise additional change. The industry drives forward on two fronts, one focusing on automating internal library processes and the other providing new ways for users to discovery and access library collections. Major tech trends such as the rapid rise in smart mobile devices, the shift from local computing to platform-as-a-service cloud computing bring new mandates of change that demand new directions of innovation. These cycles all turn within an economic climate that presents great challenges in the levels of resources that libraries can bring to the table.