An introduction to KOHA Integrted Library System

1. KOHA ILS
BY
KWESI KOBEA YANKSON
(kkyankson@ucc.edu.gh)

2. What is Koha ?
Koha from the Moari term or gift which means “aKoha from the Moari term or gift which means “a
gift” or “a donation”.gift” or “a donation”.
Initially developed in New Zealand by KatipoInitially developed in New Zealand by Katipo
Communications and Horowhenua Library Trust.Communications and Horowhenua Library Trust.
Koha is an ILSKoha is an ILS
Open SourceOpen Source
FreeFree

3. Why use Koha?
● Maintained by software providers and Library
technology staff from around the world
● Customer becomes joint owner/ developer
● Stability
● Scalability
● Good support
● Long term support
● Cost effective

4. Why use Koha
● Allows user innovation
● Free and Open Source
● OS independent
● Web based
● Multi lingual

5. Features of Interest in Koha
● Web – base
● Full MARC21 and UNIMARC support
● Branch transfers
● Self checkout
● Built – in Z39.50 server for resource sharing
● Online reservations
● Online renewals
● E-mail notifications

6. Features of Interest in Koha
● Shopping cart
● Virtual shelves
● Burrowing history
● Overdue fines
● Barcode printing

7. Set-backs in using Koha
● Technical knowledge to install and deploy
● User interface is Librarian biased
● Cateloguing done online unlike Biblofile
● Diffuculty in reindexing when Zebra is used

8. Requirements for installing Koha
● A server
● An IT staff
● A server OS (preferably)
● Apache
● PERL
● MySQL

9. The Koha System Architechture
● Client – Server Architechture
● Server: Any server running a server OS preferably
a Linux server OS.
● Client: Any OS, almost all web browsers
Koha will run on any TCP/IP connection

10. The Koha System Architechture
● Client – Server Architechture
● Server: Any server running a server OS preferably
a Linux server OS.
● Client: Any OS, almost all web browsers
Koha will run on any TCP/IP connection