KOHA is the first free, open-source, web-based library automation system that supports international standards and commonly used around the world for the past 20 years Koha means “gift” in the Maori language and it is supported by a community of hundreds of people in different subjects.
Open-source software is a type of software everyone can view, change, and develop. This software enables the development of the developer community. Since open-source code is open to access by everyone, students can easily work on this code as they learn to develop better software. Additionally, students can share their projects with other people as they develop their skills and invite others to make comments and criticism. Thus, this acts as a source for education and creativity. The security breaches on open-source code software can be solved faster as multiple individuals will be working on the problem. Since everyone can view and change open-code software, the mistakes and drawbacks that might be missed by the original coders can be identified and corrected. For closed-source software, you might need to wait for a long time for the developed individual/organization to correct the error.
Installation:
You can install the latest Koha version (21.05) on Linux Debian (10.10) operating system. Debian is a free, stable, and secure Linux-based operating system. It has comprehensive hardware support; it enables smooth upgrades and it is stable and easy to use. As hardware, you can install it in your system room as a virtual server or a physical server in VMware or other virtualization environments. A 4-core processor, 8GB RAM and 250 GB hard drive will be enough as server properties.
After installing Debian, we install Apache and MySQL/MariaDB server software which are the necessary core components. Technically, the installation takes a short time but it might take some time to make Koha settings after the installation. Just like all other topics, there is an unlimited source online and on YouTube about Debian and Koha installation. If you were using a different library system before, you can transfer all your data to Koha in a short time after installing Koha. It can do everything and more than the alternatives.
You can easily find a book you are looking for in Turkey from the national library and National Collective Catalogues (To-kat) records. Since the national library is a depository library, the records of all books published in Turkey are available here and all books are catalogues here. If you have a Dewey request, you can access national or international university catalogue records from the generally open Z39.50 protocol. When you install Koha, it also has numerous z39.50 sources. Also, there are unlimited sources when you search “z3950 servers” on Google.
To facilitate the works of the librarians in your institution, you can add simple definitions to login screens on Marc screens when you write catalogues. For example 082: Dewey number, 100: author area, 245: publication/book entrance area etc. 9-10 sections will be enough and you can add other areas later. Also, you can benefit from annual access and record downloading services of some companies on Z39.50 by paying a small amount of catalogue database fee. Thus, when the librarians send the list of the books purchased by the institution to that company, they can easily make the catalogue records of the books. If you are using Koha as a central system and also using other open-source systems such as Moodle and dSpace, you can integrate these and create a united structure. Various companies around the world and in Turkey offer support for Koha.
Koha Library System:
Sample: Access to the end user interface: library.yoursite.k12
Normally, not all users need to log in to the system at the beginning. They can make simple searches on a large scope when they make a search on the page and find all printed or digital publications. Users (teacher, student, administrator, staff) can enter the interface to log in to the system in different ways such as ID no/password, a separate name.surname, username/password etc. If your institution is actively using a Domain Controller (DC), you can make users log in with a single login (SSO) on a Windows user account or with OpenID with Google corporate account authentication (G. Auth.).
You can use your library system open to outside or only inside the institution (intranet). If you open your library outside, you will create a positive impression for your own institution and you can show the high number of your books when you make the update. In short, there is nothing wrong with opening the system to the outside. Since this is not personal data, neither an individual can see a student nor anyone can see who borrowed which books. Additionally, if you have book records or documents you want to hide, you can specifically hide them. For example, if you are planning to open some course sources as an e-book, you can set invisible for individuals who do not log in with a suitable account and let students who have logged in view the sources. Since the main rule in being a librarian is to have everything open, you need to make information sharing easier and facilitate students to access a book.
If your institution has a chain structure and if you have multiple campuses, you can create a single library and you can give access to campuses to access the books in your library. If you have a book in your library, the library of the other campus can easily copy the book to its library with a right-click by selecting the book and add it to its own library.
The users can easily search the catalogues on Koha. For example, you can list the books with the word “logo” in the work name and “keskin” in the author name.
Sample : Access to the administration page interface: library.yoursite.k12:8080
One of the main tasks librarians should do is to add books in the cataloguing area and to manage circulation such as borrowing/returning.
As the main menu to be used;
Circulation: In this process, book borrowing, returning, extending the returning term, user search and catalogue search are possible.
Cataloguing: You can add a new book and add a MARC record by completing a form with few clicks. A unique inventory number is assigned on the next page.
Lists, Authorities, Periodical, Check-Up titles are not frequently used. Although these are important titles, they are not important for simple use.
Reports: In this model, it is possible to set all monthly or annual report types for once and get the related reports with one click when these reports are needed. For example, listing users, the most popular books in the last 3 months etc.
Useful links / Bibliography;
1. Official site: https://koha-community.org
wiki: https://wiki.koha-community.org
2. Koha word meaning and origin:
https://bit.ly/kohakelimeanlami
https://bit.ly/kohakokeni
3. Youtube installation videos;
Debian | Koha | Debian: debian.org
4. Demo screens for using Koha: https://koha-community.org/demo & https://koha.devinim.com.tr
5. National Collective Catalogue TO-KAT http://www.toplukatalog.gov.tr
6. Exm. Marc records; 1. ODTU : https://lib.metu.edu.tr/tr/odtu-kutuphanesi-z3950-parametreleri
ITU: http://kutuphane.itu.edu.tr/arastirma/z39-50-k%C3%BCt%C3%BCphaneleri
Source LOC covering all books published in the USA: https://www.loc.gov/z3950/lcserver.html
7. https://www.devinim.com.tr/content/kohaferans2018
8. Koha usage tutorials : https://kygm.ktb.gov.tr/Eklenti/39714,resimli-koha-kullanim-klavuzu-mart–2015.pdf?0
Terminology;
OPAC: Online catalog accessible from the intranet in institutions (Online Public Access Catalog)
Intranet : It is a web site network created specifically for institutions that provides communication and internal communication within an institution.
MARC : It is the cataloging language (Machine Readable Cataloging) developed by a project initiated by the American Library of Congress and used in libraries today
DC : Domain controller (Domain Controller) is a server that responds to authentication requests and authenticates users on computer networks.
SSO : Single Sign-On, a user can log in with a single user ID and password to access several related systems.
DEWEY : Library classification based on decimal system.
Z39.50 : It is a protocol that provides search and information retrieval from a remote database and is an international standard developed for library and information transmission systems. A simple scanning interface is used, which enables simultaneous scanning of multiple databases.
