1. Open Source Software for
implementation of Union Catalogue
for Kenya
Beatrice Adera Amollo
Head Librarian, Australian Studies Institute (AUSI), Nairobi, Kenya
Paper presented at a Workshop on
‘Modalities of Establishing a Union Catalogue for Kenya and the
Standardized Integration of Local Content into a Union
Catalogue
Venue: United Kenya Club, Nairobi, Kenya
Date: 4th – 5th May, 2011

2. Contents
 Union Catalogue - Definition
 Desirable features of a good library catalog
 Prerequisite for a good union catalogue
 Cataloguing software used in libraries found in
Kenya
 Open source solutions and their suitability
 Selecting software for catalogue
 OSS recommendations
◦ Koha
◦ Evergreen
 Conclusion
 References
 Questions/Disscusion

3. Union Catalogue
A union catalog comprises of listing of
information materials, of more than one
library accessed online from a single point
of access. It aggregates the bibliographic
details of the collections of a number of
libraries.

4. Advantages of union catalogue
For the Library
Provides facilities for cataloguing and
improvements in speed
Quality records
Mutually acceptable standards
Document supply service
Joint collections and shared resources
Links to document suppliers and electronic
journals
Ongoing discussion, planning and programming
among libraries
National bibliographic network
Reduction in acquisition and cataloguing expenses

5. Advantages of union catalogue
For the users
confirmation of the existence of an item
accurate known locations for an item
availability at those known locations
timeframe for user need
licensing controls and authorization

6. Desirable features of a good
library catalog
Single point of entry for all library
information
Web interface
Enriched content
Categorized searching
Relevancy
Recommendations or related materials
User contribution
RSS feeds
Integration with social network sites
Persistent links

7. Prerequisite for a good union
catalogue
Bibliographic Database Standards
◦ Patron access to all the libraries’ resources
◦ Enhanced circulation services to patrons
◦ Resource sharing
◦ Item conversion and maintenance
Cataloguingstandards
Communications format
Language and script of cataloguing

8. Cataloguing software used in
libraries found in Kenya
KCA
Institution Not online as at 25 March, 2011
Software
KCA
AUSI Not online as at 25 March, 2011
Koha
Kenyatta University education Koha
Commission of Higher Koha
KIM
Egerton University Koha
AMLIB
KNLS University
Gretsa Not sure
Koha
Moi University
ILRI In progress
InMagic
St. Paul’sUniversity
Inoorero University Koha
Mandarin
Strathmore
Jomo Kenyatta University of Koha
Koha
Agriculture and Technology
University of Nairobi VUBIS
USIU Polytechnic University
Kenya Custom made by Polytechnic IT
Symphony
World Agroforestry Centre department. This is currently down.
InMagic
(ICRAF)

9. Some of the reasons why
libraries migrate to open
source software
Disillusionmentwith current vendors
Open source is seen as a solution to:
◦ Allow libraries to have more flexible systems
◦ Lower costs
Not be vulnerable to disruptions that
come with mergers and acquisitions
Open source is beginning to emerge as a
mainstream option.
No vendor lock in.

10. Infrastructural and cost
requirements: Proprietary
versus Open
Costs shifted from traditional software
licensing models. There is no initial purchase
of license or annual license fees
Hardware costs are the same for both
Vendor support costs. This is optional for
open source but almost mandatory for
proprietary
Hosting and Conversion services same in
both
Local technical support may be higher in the
open source option

11. Selecting software for the
catalogue

12. Recommended software for
the union catalogues

13. Koha
It was the first Open Source Library
Management System and is widely used all
over the world by all types of libraries. It
is a fully featured library system with all
the common modules you would expect
from a modern ILS. It includes Searching,
Circulation, Cataloguing, Acquisitions and
Serials.

14. Koha’s features
Full-featuredILS
Dual database design
Library standards compliant
Web based interface
No vendor
Usability
Basic performance

15. Koha's architecture

16. Koha’s key Cataloguing
features
Koha'sMARC frameworks
Authority Control & Authorized values
Migrating data to Koha
 To import the data into Koha, one has to first
convert the source MARC File into a Koha-
compatible file using MARCEdit—a free MARC
editor.
 The converted file is then imported using one of
Koha's imports tools:
◦ bulkmarckimport.pl: A Linux command-line tool
usually used to import large MARC files
◦ GUI import tool: A more flexible import tool available
in Koha's staff client

17. Evergreen
Pines library search page, gateway to 275 libraries

18. Evergreen's architecture
As an open source ILS, Evergreen has a very unique system
architecture utilizing various open source projects.
 Its server-side services - developed in C and Perl
 Message core is called open scalable request framework
(OpenSRF) built on Ejabber, an open source real time
instant messaging service.
 Extended Perl and C modules for the Apache web server
- designed for the public interface layer.
 All requests from the public interface are formed in the
JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format
 In the database layer, Evergreen utilises the powerful
open source database management software, PostgreSQL.
 The staff client, built on the XML user interface language
(XUL)

19. Features suitable for localization
Server side of Evergreen runs on Linux
Evergreen fully supports Unicode
Transformation Format 8 (UTF-8)
Evergreen leverages the Tsearch2 for
indexing and searching
Evergreen stores records in MARC XML
format.

20. Migrating data to Evergreen
Required
◦ Advanced ILS Administration experience
◦ Knowledge of Evergreen data structures
◦ Knowledge of how to export data from the
current system or access to data export files
from the current system is necessary.
Several tools for importing bibliographic
records into Evergreen can be found in
the Evergreen installation folder

21. Other reasons for recommending
Koha and Evergreen
◦ Sustainable communities
◦ Networking and sharing
For cataloguing and OPAC
◦ Both have effective utilities for
 Authority control
 record import
 record creation and record export
 duplicate checking
 thesaurus management
 search capability
 documentation
 web-based visibility
 saved search capability

22. Conclusion
 Adapting open source for a union catalogue in Kenya is not
impossible.
 Of importance, is the agreement between the participating libraries.
This is the hurdle that must be overcome before any progress is
realized in this direction.
 There are libraries in Kenya that have implemented open source ILS for
long enough to provide the necessary expertise or input to help in the
actual implementation.
 Koha seems to have gained much mileage in Kenya as observed earlier
on. The experiences with it by the different libraries will come in handy
when deciding on which software to adapt for the union catalogue.
 Evergreen has blazed a new trail and as a result of its design, its
development philosophy, and developments in information technology,
it has spread rapidly and others are in the process of emulating it.
 That is for the good, because more consortial software and more
cooperation among members of the open source communities in the
library world will make libraries stronger and give them more choices
in available software to run their libraries.

23. References
 Chand, P. & Chauhan, S. K. (2008). The union catalogue of academic libraries
in India: an initiative by INFLIBNET. Interlending & Document Supply,
36(3), 142-148.
 Chelak, Fereydoon Azadeh, A. M. & Azadeh, F. (2010). The development of
union catalogues in Iran: the need for a web based catalogue.
Interlending & Document Supply, 38(2), 118-125.
 Evergreen Community, (2011). Evergreen 2.0 Documentation. (Draft
Version). Retrieved Mar. 16, 2011, from http://docs.evergreen-
ils.org/2.0/draft/html/index.html
 Georgia Public Library Service, (2011). Evergreen Project web site Retrieved
from http://www.open-ils.org/
 Kipaan, L. & Rhea, J. N. (2010). An Internet Miniguide compilation to the
graduate program in education (Saint Loius University, Baguio City).
Master Thesis, Master in Library & Information technology
 LibLime & the Koha Development Team, (2011). Koha web site Retrieved
from
http://www.koha.org/
 Liu, G. & Zheng, H. (2011). Access to serials: integrating SFX with Evergreen

24.  Molyneux, R. E. & Rylande R, M. (2010). The state of Evergreen:
Evergreen at three. Library Review, 59(9), 667-676.
 Müller, T. (2011). How to Choose an Free and Open Source
Integrated Library System. OCLC Systems & Services: International
digital library perspectives, 27(1), 57-78.
 Payne, A. & Singh, V. (2010). Open source software use in libraries.
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 RSA database management committee, (1999). In Bibliographic
Database Standards. Retrieved Feb. 16, 2011, from
http://www.alliancelibrarysystem.com/RSADocuments/file...
Resource Sharing Alliance of the Alliance Library System
 Sirohi, S. & Gupta, A. (2010). Koha 3 Library Management System.
New Delhi: Packt.
 Walls, I. (2011). Migrating from Innovative Interfaces’ Millennium to
Koha: The NYU Health Sciences Libraries’ experiences. OCLC
Systems & Services, 27(1), 51-56.
 Yang, S., Hofmann, M. A., & Weeks, M. (2009). Koha, Evergreen, and
Voyager:
A comparison of their OPACs. CUS Tenth Annual Users’ conference.

25.  Zico, M. (2009). Developing an Integrated Library System (ILS) using
open source (School of Engineering and Computer Science of
BRAC University) Masters Thesis
 Zou, Q. & Liu, G. (2009). Chinese localisation of Evergreen: an
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source integrated library system. Program: electronic library and
information systems, 43(1), 49-61.

26. Questions/Discussions

27. Thank You