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This paper aims to concentrate on reviewing articles on open source software (OSS), found on the internet, that were published in the year 2016.

A critical look is taken at OSS generally as found in the literature and also on the commonly used OSS in libraries and information science work or research work.

It is hoped that this review will assist in pointing out the trends and aid in informed decision-making, as it concerns OSS.

Akintomide (2016) described OSS as a part of human existence which is exhibited in mobile devices that run on the android operating system, to computers, laptops and servers that run on the Linux operating system, to other software (Library management software inclusive) that are open access.

The openness of it makes the users (libraries and scholars) leave documentation that steers how the open software technologies are implemented and by whom. They are free, have used communities, are vetted by users and are constantly in development.

Sean Follmer with his colleagues, Daniel Leithinger and Hiroshi Ishii have created inFORM, where the computer interface can actually come off the screen and one can physically manipulate it.

One can visualize 3D information physically and touch it and feel it to understand it in new ways.

The interface also allows one to interact through gestures and direct deformations to sculpt digital clay, and interface elements can arise out of the surface and change on demand. Their idea is that for each individual application, the physical form can be matched to the application. Urban planners and architects can use it to explore their designs in detail; using inFORM, one can reach out from the screen and manipulate things at a distance and also manipulate and collaborate on 3D sets, gesture around them and manipulate also.

It allows collaboration of people in ways hitherto not done. Posted on February 10, 2016, the Ted talk has received over one million views as at June 9, 2016. It is trending! The researchers are thinking of “new ways that we can bring people together, and bring our information into the world, and think about smart environments that can adapt to us physically”.

This paper looks at conditions of service delivery and technologies that are being deployed in libraries, archives and museums in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era.

Literature search from the internet, blogs and wikis over a period of three months were carried out to garner facts. Libraries, archives and museums that had resumed service delivery from different parts of the world were featured.

More digital tools were found to be needed than before the pandemic. These digital tools provide services that can be accessed anytime, anywhere, from any device. Libraries would have to adjust to the changing nature of education, settling for more use of artificial intelligence, audiovisual immersive technologies, and enabling digital and media literacy. Cloud-based technologies, security, analytics and automation have to thrive in the new normal.

Library, archives and museum workers will find information on identifying new ways of doing their work differently in the post-pandemic era. Re-skilling for them, especially, will have to be a priority.

This literature review goes ten years back to see what has been and is going on in the open source world. Effort has been made to be as comprehensive as possible, but the review has been limited again to internet sources and what can be garnered from the internet cybersphere.

What is Open Source? This issue has been treated by scholars interested in the topic. Different types of open source have been discussed and comparisons between open source integrated library systems done.

Open source software is a software source code that is available free of cost on the internet. Once downloaded, the software can be enhanced and customized.

The software is managed through a licensing process that protects the rights of the creators and collaborators (Jaffe and Careaga, 2007, p. 2).

Because blended working options have emerged and varied technological devices are being used during lockdowns, it is necessary to examine the working and learning options in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pros and cons of hybrid (blended) working and learning are highlighted.

An extended search of literature online, and also of examples of blended learning and working instituted in some libraries, archives and museums was carried out over a period of three weeks.

Findings indicated that adjustments to the hybrid working and learning situations had to be made by staff and students in heritage institutions. Provision of more digital content and the adoption of machine learning models were the solutions proffered, with indications that the tools for the blended learning implementation be provided. Reskilling of staff due to new technologies being introduced is recommended.

Solutions to blended learning and blended working scenarios are provided, giving pointers to online links for added information.

The purpose of the paper is to review ways to innovatively do data design in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Data design helps in data research management (a core library service), to avoid chaotic service delivery. Therefore, data design is important to equip library and information services professionals with skills for the 4IR. Furthermore, 4IR entails a transformation of humankind, and industries are now compelled to reconsider business transactions in the new economic order. Desk research was used for the study.

Findings indicated that although online resources are used in data design, and for software developments, elements of artificial intelligence are hardly included. It is recommended that data design and research data management be used more innovatively to accommodate the 4IR.

New technologies used for delivering library services and using data literacy are pointed out as well as the challenges faced in using them, recommending enhanced use of information and communication technology in providing library services in the digital era.

This paper aims to present an overview of technology in libraries that have been “left behind”, that is, libraries that are not technology compliant in terms of providing services with the latest digital tools.

Systematic literature review on libraries that are “left behind” in technology was done and the data gathered presented, of the latest trends in such libraries and their progress or regression.

Public and university libraries are mostly left behind depending on the environment and the prevailing circumstances in the environment. The COVID-19 pandemic, unrest and war situations have affected technology use in libraries and created different left behind scenarios in libraries. Recommendation is made for libraries, librarians and information specialists to remain dynamic and versatile to cope in the institutions where they work.

“Left behind” libraries are always trying to catch up, and therefore more attention ought to be paid to them, especially in the digital era of constant emerging technologies.

This paper aims to review the literature on assistive technologies used in libraries and in schools, as portrayed on blogs, wikis and the internet, of the past year to highlight new trends.

Reports from blogs, internet sources and databases of the past year on the topic were read by dealing with practical examples of assistive technologies in libraries and the education sector.

Assistive technologies are used to aid persons with disabilities to make them more productive. The technologies can be either low- or high-tech, depending on the use as well as on information on new improvements and augmentative technologies being employed.

This paper presents an overview of the past year and the current trends in the use of assistive technologies in libraries and schools worldwide.