Applying participatory action approach to integrating professional librarians into open source software communities

This article theoretically explores how participatory action research might support integration of library professionals into open source software development communities. The author makes a case for the integration of library professionals into open source software communities to help develop better, context-specific, customizable software for use by libraries and advocates for inclusion of library professionals in open source software communities to produce high quality, customizable software. The value of open source software for libraries is discussed and the importance of this integration is articulated by the impacts of this approach. A plan for integration of library professionals into open source software communities is presented.