Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2011 10:48:47 +0200
From: Ishwar Goudar
Dear Professionals,
*I invite experiences, comments and opinions of professionals in the matter
concerned to the selection of and migration to suitable Library Management
System (LMS) for different kind of libraries taking into account of all
factors like size and type of libraries, service after sale, cost factor,
customization, availability of community for development in case of Open
Source S/W, stability in the market, world wide popularity, compliance to
international standards, cost, etc.* This discussion should help
professionals for selecting suitable LMS and also for migrating from one
ILMS to other if required. I have given below a detailed account of the
entire process we did while adopting new LMS and implementing it.
*
Our Experience at University of Mysore*:
*Background:*
Our library had adopted Libsys 13 years back itself and was used for
creating few thousand OPAC records. Later in 2001 SLIM was used for
adding a sizable number of records to our OPAC. For some reason or the
other these LMSs were not used for other housekeeping activities. After my
joining UoM one year back I did lot of home work for choosing suitable LMS
including the continuation of Libsys and SLIM. I did not want to jump for a
new one immediately, but try the ones for which we already had
licenses although for old versions of these LMSs. I contacted both the
vendors, but failed to get favourable response, as both insisted on selling
their new versions with very high price rather than helping us to revive
the old versions.
*Exercise for Selection of New LMS:*
We did a serious exercise before choosing KOHA. We constituted a committee
of experts in the field to recommend the suitable LMS for UoM. We also
conducted one full day brain storming session on this matter by inviting
7-8 librarians using different LMSs. I had also distributed 7 page list of
criteria for consideration and discussion.
As you are aware there are number of commercial in the market and Open
Source ILMSs. The good ones under commercial category are very costly ( in
the range of 1.5 -15 lacs) depending upon the sophistication of the system,
size of the library, after sales service, their market stability, etc. Some
of them costing around 1.5-3.0 Lacs are not
suitable for bigger libraries like university libraries.
We short listed NewGenLib and Koha based on many criteria. For the last few
years NewGenLib is available as open source LMS. However, for the last one
year or so the developers are vending an enterprises version of NewGenLib
as they claim. While the earlier version of NewGenLib is still available in
OS the developers have stopped giving service to OS version users as
indicated by their mail to me. Unfortunately we don't have NewGenLib user
community like that of KOHA for providing guidance, service,
custamisation and adding new features for its open source version. We also
don't have 3rd party service providers for NewGenLib OS version.
We decided to go for KOHA as we felt that it is not only suitable for UoM
with all its best features and functionalities, but we can get service
support by a established third party like OSS Labs, Bangalore. More
importantly improvements in functionality and features of KOHA are ensured
due to its strong community world over. OSS Labs also has received some
international support for its contribution towards KOHA 3.4 Version.
Koha also has over a dozen vendors worldwide that provide services and
develop the software. Several libraries around the world sponsor development
and contribute to Koha in other ways like testing, documentation and even
development. *Koha has always been and will always be open source and free.*
*Automation Model Adopted at UoM and KOHA: *
We have 58 libraries directly under UoM participating in our automation
program including Main Library, Libraries of 5 colleges, 13 institutions
and 36 Departments.
Once completed, the OPAC will have about 10 Lacs records.
*OPAC is single for all libraries: Centralised database, decentralised
inputting and housekeeping activities and Universal access to OPAC; Unique
accession number for every record in the OPAC irrespective of their location
in different libraries. We also plan to issue patron ID cards with Unique ID
Number across all libraries. This card would serve as Universal card among
the group of libraries concerned.
We have hosted our database in cloud hosting environment (Amazon C2) and
there by no expenditure on server, maintenance, manpower, air-conditioning,
etc. We pay nominal monthly rental to the server maintenance. All
participating libraries access the server directly for their housekeeping
activities.
**Status of KOHA Implementation:*
So for we have added about 2 lac bibliographic records from 5 participating
libraries to our OPAC. MARC 21 is strictly followed. KOHA has been in use
for Acquisition of books and other documents. Membership IDs are being
printed through KOHA. Circulation section work has been experimented
successfully on trial basis taking into
all features including creation of patron database, transactions, fine
calculations, reminders, etc. The same will be practiced next week onwards
coinciding the commencement of new academic year. We will start Serials
Control job very soon.
We are downloading bibliographic records from libraries like LOC using
Z39.50.
Anybody can access our OPAC at* http://libcat.mysore-univ.org/*
Both our library staff and users are very happy with features and
functionalites of Koha.
*We have not even spent one third of what we would have spent for a medium
priced commercial LMS. The amount we paid to our service provider Nucsoft
(its OSS Labs unit), Bangalore** covered installation and configuration,
migration of existing data, training, little bit customisation, hosting
initially on cloud hosting environment and AMC for one year.
*The server is 99.95% reliable, accurate and 24 hours on time without any
breaks. We need not spend our time and money and space for server,
air-conditioning and its maintenance or for system administration. The
infrastructure is also scalable, additional system resources can be procured
within minutes if required.
*Koha Capabilities at a High Level:*
Koha is the most advanced open source Integrated Library Management System
(ILMS) in the world. It has won many awards and is being used by thousands
of libraries.
All modules including Cataloging, Circulation, OPAC, Acquisitions, and
Serials Control are integrated. Compared to all other LMSs the Cataloging,
OPAC and Circulation module are superior with many useful features and
functionalities. The user community loves Koha's OPAC.
*Costs associated with Koha:*
Many of the commercial LMSs jike costs depending upon type and size of the
library, number of housekeeping clients, number of simultaneous OPAC clients
we opt, number of participating libraries, modules used. Koha being open
source ILMS, we don't have to pay any amount for its procurement. Licensing
costs nil, no matter how many libraries or servers we use the software in or
what modules we use or how many users we have.
However, to ensure proper installation and configuration of Koha, we may
have to spend nominal amount to get third party service, unless we ourselves
develop our expertise for installation, configuration and implementation of
KOHA at our level.
*Vendor Support for Koha:
*
There are over a dozen vendors worldwide that support Koha including 2 or 3
in India.
Our vendor, Nucsoft is 15 year old, ISO 9001 company with mature and modern
support processes. They operate a 12*7 support center for Koha and offer
strong service level committments.
But at the same time we are not tied to any vendor. We can change vendors or
support the software on our own. This "No vendor lock-in" advantage of Koha
will protect us against risks such as poor service, high prices or vendor
insolvency.
*Koha Features Summary:*
Koha is web-based ILMS, with a MySQL database back-end. Cataloguing data
stored is in MARC and is accessible via Z39.50. The user interface is very
configurable and adaptable and has been translated into many languages.
With integration of the powerful Zebra indexing engine, Koha became,
scalable to support tens of millions of bibliographic records and thereby
good solution for libraries of all kinds including large Academic Libraries.
*Other Important Features of Koha include:*
- Runs on Linux, Unix, Windows and MacOSX platform on the front-end
- Simple, clear interface for librarians and members
- Web based OPAC system (allows the public to search the catalogue in
the library and at home).
- Various Web 2.0 facilities like tagging and RSS feeds
- Union catalog facility
- Customizable search
- Can be integrated with library web site
- E-mail and/or txt patron's over dues and other notices
- Easy-to-use circulation policies, strong patron management, intuitive
navigation, and extensive permissions for staff accounts.
- Full acquisitions system including budgets and pricing information
(including supplier and currency conversion)
- Ability to cope with any number of branches, patrons, patron categories,
item
categories, items, currencies and other data (Most important)
- Serials system for magazines or news papers
- Koha is multi-tasking and enables updates of circulation, cataloguing and
issues to
occur simultaneously
- Reading lists for members
- Inbuilt facility for printing bar-codes and spine labels
- Full catalogue, circulation and acquisitions system for library stock
management.
- Supports barcode and RFID implementation including bar-code generation and
RFID
writing.
*
**Feedback on Key Koha Modules: *
*Union catalog*
With its Union catalog facility one can have a single OPAC for a group of
libraries. For example all libraries under one university set up including
main library, departmental libraries, constituent college libraries,
affiliated colleges can have single OPAC, but still carry on their
respective house keeping activities including book acquisition, circulation
of books etc independently without interfering in housekeeping of other
libraries in the group.
Most importantly, the catalogue created once for one book by any of the
library, can be used by other libraries for creating their catalogue entry
without keying again the details except class and accession number.
*OPAC
*
Search within search is a fantastic facility. The system picks up related
titles along with cover page from Google Books automatically, some time
with full or partial text and contents page.
The users apart from enjoying browsing of titles can use simple and advance
search features like in any other ILMSs. They can also check their borrowing
details, reserve items, make suggestions for new books, etc.
*Cataloging*
The cataloging module being MARC21 and Z39.50 compliant, library staff can
automatically import bibliographic records from other libraries like Library
of Congress and local libraries of their choice instead of data entry again
and thereby ensure quality catalogue and saving time of library staff.
*Circulation*
The circulation module is one of the best features of Koha. Apart from
enabling automated transactions in the counter using bar-code or RFID the
system enables the counter staff to identify the borrower with the help of
the photograph and/or the digital signature. The system allows the
reservation of document by the users or the library
staff and also facilitates sending overdue reminders through e-mail.
*Acquistions*
The acquisition model is fully integrated with management of document
suggestions, approval for procurement and budget and budget under different
headings. The details of the documents already keyed in could be used for
cataloging automatically.
*Serials*
While there is scope for improving serials management of Koha, as it stands
it serves our purpose. The upcoming version will take care of the present
shortcomings. Various kinds of reports with statistics useful for
management, library staff and users can be generated in Koha.
The above mentioned opinion is based on library automation experience at
NAL, Bangalore and UoM for 20 years as well my interaction with both
librarians and LIS teachers. In no way I undermine the capabilities of other
commercial/OS LMSs.
Once again I invite a detailed discussion by professional on this topic.
Please contact me if you have questions.
Thank you,
Dr. I.R.N. Goudar
Visiting Professor Cum Library Advisor
University of Mysore
Formerly Scientist G and Head, Information Centre at NAL, Bangalore
