OS Readings Series: Avery

Avery, Joshua M., ‘Implementing an Open Source Integrated Library System (ILS) in a Special Focus Institution’, Digital Library Perspectives, 32 (2016), 287

These notes have turned into a list of advice... the start of the article contains a very nice literature review on similar projects, and observations about same.

• A list of ILS selction criteria are listed in Bossels 2008, Muller 2011, Pruett and Choi 2013. Sing and Sanamann 2012 and Yang and Hofmann 2010
• Current literature shows Koha is a better fit for small less complex library systems. 
• Opac is highly customizable
• Discussions with local IT began well in advance of migration. A task management system (Asana) was put in place (manage, schedule, track and update stages)
• Knowledge gathering via listserv, chat-boards, weblogs, tutorials, documentation and contacts
• Read online handbook 
• Talk to institutions of same size
• Test server allow release and updates to be tested before going live
• Koha implementation check list is available online
• Install than, branches, item types, patron types, collections. Locations and other rules and preferences > then data migration
• Migration means questioning rules, config., etc. 
• Data mapping > MARC EDIT USED to edit marc records for import
• 952 = holdings data
• 942 = class and item type
• Data is loaded in batches so carefully label each batch using the comment function in the koha batch upload tool 
• Try to keep batches <10,000
• Batch load Circ data via offline circ
• One month before live = final opac customizations and intensive training for staff on new system
• Old system was kept live for 24 months and staff did harvest data from it on occasion. 
• Each library’s migration and day to day experience is different.  
• Consider formal per and post measures of staff and student satisfaction with the ILS
• Local understanding of the limits of MySQL, CSS, HTML, Linux, Apache and Perl is needed
• Clearly determine who is responsible for which task
• Waive fines and fees
• Have regular meetings with all parties – face to face