Koha – Open Source ILS – Integrated Library System
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Koha is an Open Source ILS created in New Zealand in 2000. it is now developed by an international community and implemented in hundreds of libraries in the world. BibLibre deploys Koha in France since 2002, both in public reading and in large academic libraries.
Koha is a complete Full Web ILS, used by libraries and documentation centers of all sizes and all types, thanks to its very advanced settings.
A 100% hosted software
You just need a browser and an Internet access
Koha is an Open Source software that only require a browser and an Internet access to work. Your users do not need to install anything on their computer to start using Koha and access the OPAC, neither do you, even to use the professional interface. This also means that you will be able to use any features available in you browser with Koha.
Thus, you will be able to:
- print any page you want, without the menus, buttons, and with a template adapted to the printer,
- open multiple tabs, to use several modules in the same time,
- use bookmarks, to save your most used pages (for example the cataloging module),
- use Firefox modules (for exemple Lazarus, to never loose an on going form.
For the server hosting Koha, we are able to host it for you.
A simple yet powerful 2.0 OPAC
Offer many features to your users
With Koha you have a new generation OPAC, with an intuitive interface, an up to date search and features fitting the needs of a modern library. Koha comply with the UNIMARC format and manage with its communicating architecture web services, Z39.50, SRU, programmable queries, etc.
Clarity and user friendliness
Koha’s interface is modern and simple : we dedicate ourselves to keep the OPAC intuive and easy to use for your patrons, with a logical architecture understandable by everyone. The search tab also promote a pragmatic and simple workflow without compromising on the information’s quality proposed to the user. The search form is a simple imput field like Google’s one, that can be enhanced by choosing the advanced search. This choice of clarity and simplicity are noticeable from
Circulation module
Fitted for all the libraries
Koha documents circulation module is able to manage the countless workflows and work scenarios of the libraries. It can respect your internal policy. Koha can manage loans, returns and reservations, may they be made by librarians, or patrons themselves. Koha handle multisites tranfers (resulting from a reservation of not). Finally, some extra features can be activatived if you wish to allow ending loans tickets, play a song with each transaction, use a rescue loan module ou just do some fast calatoging.
UNIMARC’s respect
Perennial cataloging grids
Koha respects the lastest version of the UNIMARC norm (bibliographic and for authorities), even the 6th major update.
It is delivered with a calatoging grid that implement the whole UNIMARC format. The library can define as much cataloging grids as needed, very simply : you ust have to duplicate an existing grid, specify wich fields and sub-fields are “visibles” in this gris and in which tab.
The default grid dispatch all the UNIMARC fields in 10 tabs numbered from 0 to 9, but you can if you want create a simplified grid with only 2 or 3 tabs and only few important fields. The library can also add new fields or sub-fields to the gris : you just have to give them a code, a title, decide if they are repeatable and/or mandatory, and in which tab of the grid they will appear. An internal software “grid validation” allow you to control the coherence of the parameters you just created.
An open and communicating architecture
Web services, Z39.50, LDAP interface, among many others
Koha handle many authentification methods. In this way you will be able to use LDAP, Shibboleth, CAS and Mozilla Persona authentification.
Z39.50
Koha allow you to consult Z39.50 servers. The list of servers can be defined directly into Koha, you just have to tick or untick each server individualy.
Web services
Koha offer web services that comply with the ILS-DI norm/ This norm allows access to:
- administratives informations regarding a patron,
- financial informations (fines, late payment penalties),
- ongoing loans,
- reservations (with the possibility of adding new reservations).
