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Library Automation

Notes Many learning and installation aids for Koha are now available for the help of library
professionals. Koha Live CDs are useful for installation and learning purpose. It assists
the librarians to install Koha in their library without the help of a Linux expert. Linux
operating system and Koha are bundled together in the live CD. Installation process is
simple and Koha is ready to use after the completion of installation from live CD.
Availability of Koha live CD can be one of the reasons that increased the popularity of
Koha among library professionals in India.
Difficulties in Moving to Koha
Data migration, network problems, protest from staff, and approval from organisation
are the main problems encountered by Indian libraries in Koha adoption process.
Libraries have no control over the proprietary software system and data. By purchasing a
proprietary automation system, library does not get the ownership of the software. Library
only gets the privilege to use the system till the end of the service period. Often the vendor
of library management system does not give provision to export data in the standard
format (e.g. MARC). In certain cases libraries have to make additional payment to terminate
the services and get back the data if they like to switch over to a new system.

Display and Screen Layouts
Koha’s web interface is easy to use by both library professionals and end users. Web 2.0
features are also added for the enhancement of user experience. Users can change the
display and layouts for matching with the theme and aims of the library. Layouts are
suitable for adding external elements like social network widgets, bookmarking tools
and dynamic contents. Koha users (35.71%) have expressed that display and layouts are
excellent.

User Manuals
About 51.85% Koha users have expressed their satisfaction level as very good. Koha
community maintains an extensive online user manual with screen shots with the help of
library professionals. In addition, Koha has an onscreen pop-up screen in every page for
instant help.

Ease of Cataloguing
Koha makes use of MARC 21 and UNIMARC standard for cataloguing framework. It also
attached Z39.50 standard for downloading the cataloguing details from remote library
servers (e.g. Library of Congress). Koha lacks customised cataloguing framework with
minimum data entry fields. It displays all MARC fields and users have to customise it to
minimum number of fields required for the library. This feature may cause difficulty for
new Koha users. Among Koha users, 32.14% marked ease of cataloguing as excellent and
53.57% marked it as very good.
Circulation
The circulation module of Koha was the most highly rated module with 51.72% rating it as
excellent. Circulation process in Koha is time saving and it helps to complete the circulation
transactions with ease. Circulation module options are attached to the universal task bar
and library staff can easily switch to check in or check out of documents during other
works.

Acquisition
Acquisition module is in transition process and lots of changes have been added to the
latest version. Placing and receiving orders in a few steps is the advantage of acquisition
Contd...

78 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY