Librarianship software
Oct 21 2009 22:22
Hi all!
I'm planing to organise a local library... Is there any open source librarianship software I can use...?
George.
Oct 22 2009 11:22
#2
Well... GCstar is just a collection tool for arranging ones pictures, docs, videos, e.t.c. I suppose a librarianship software should iclude database operations to enter various book-related information (e.g. ISBN...). I need the kind of software Libraries have...
Oct 22 2009 11:35
#3
you could probably build something with a relational database package like MS Access*, depending on the complexity of your requirements and database knowledge
* not open source I know, but there must be open source equivalents
Oct 22 2009 11:54
#4
Hi, there is a lot of specialized software, but much of it is too complicated and suited for really big libraries. If GCstar or Tellico are too limited for your purposes and you want features like reader membership, book circulation, loans, online browsing and searching etc., you could try OpenBiblio (http://obiblio.sourceforge.net/) or PHPMyLibrary (http://phpmylibrary.sourceforge.net) or Koha (http://koha.org/). Koha says it's "enterprise-class" and there are actual libraries using it.
Oct 22 2009 11:56
#5
Oh and here's an article discussing different solutions: http://inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2009/w-e-b-s-i-t-e-find-out-what-it-means-to-me/. I hope it helps.
Oct 22 2009 12:13
#6
If you want the same kind of software libraries use, you can use koha: www.koha.org. It's fairly complicated to install and set up, so it's not for everyone, but it has all the features you will find in commercial library software.
What kind of library are you trying to set up?
Oct 22 2009 12:57
#7
I think Koha is what is used by my local anarchist library, for whatever its worth - they spent quite a long time looking at different options for library software prior to choosing it.
Oct 22 2009 18:19
#8
Any database software is fine if all you want to do is keep track of who has which book. If you want to keep records and do more complicated stuff then you'll need speicalist software. If you have time it might be worth using specialist software from the start in case it takes off. It's usually better to have useful features that you don't use than to lack ones that you need.
not sure what your requirements are, but I've used GCstar to make a catalogue of DVDs. The best thing about it is that you can easily transform your collection into a searchable html page. http://www.gcstar.org/