SESSION 1317
Using
OPEN SOURCE software
in a Shared ILS
Speakers
 Shann Leighton, CEO
Shelburne Public Library
 Agnes Rivers-Moore, CEO
Hanover Public Library
 Wilda Allen, CEO
Grey Highlands Public Library
 Rose Dotten, CEO
Shelburne Public Library
Introduction
SHANN LEIGHTON
Selection, Consortium, RFP
THE MIGRATION PROCESS
AGNES RIVERS-MOORE
CEO / Chief Librarian,
Hanover Public Library
KOHA DATA MIGRATION
or, How we got from A to B
 Make migration choices
 Study tables and data in Spectrum and in Koha
 Study local library procedures
 Match up similar functionality in both systems
 Extract tables & data from Spectrum
 Clean up data (a little late…)
 Manipulate data to fit Koha tables
 Create method to insert data into Koha tables
 Run, test, amend, run, test, amend… repeat
 Insert all data to ‘sandbox’ system and test again
 Turn over to library staff
 Repeat with new data and GO LIVE
 Migration choices
 Critical decision – what do you need to keep?
Spectrum had about 60 tables, Koha about twice that many.
Our vendor offered to transfer almost everything over.
Most systems allow at least simple export and import of
MARC and Patron records.
Circulation, fines, holds, history can be very difficult.
Statistics were not possible to migrate over.
 Study Spectrum




Know where you are coming from.
A thorough understanding of how the old system
works is needed.
In our case we used in-house staff with systems
experience.
Remember, Garbage in, garbage out! Clean up the
data first as far as possible.
Extract and study the old system tables,
relationships, data formats etc.
 Study Koha
 Study the new system tables and relationships.
 Look for basic data elements –
 Spectrum
“p_patron” table is Koha “borrowers”
 Spectrum “loclseq” is Koha “itemnumber”
 Identify how tables are linked – hidden system IDs
 A partial diagram of key Koha tables:
 Study library procedures
 Look at the basic library procedures.
 Study Koha system options and rules.
 Apply what the new system can do to what the staff
and customers need.
 Just because the old system did it one way does not
mean that is the best way – prepare for change.
 We discovered that six libraries using the same
system had six different ways of doing everything!
 Match functionality
 Match up new functionality to old e.g. when a book is
checked out, which tables are accessed, how are they
linked?
 Check that each data element
has a place in the new system.
 Make a clear map of which data goes where.
 Make sure your vendor/consultant understands.
 Extract data
 Figure out how to extract the data you need.
 In Spectrum this required purchasing proprietary
software from the database vendor – the Spectrum
system vendor did not have the tools we needed.
… some folks would have given up here.
 Convert the extracted data into a
format you can work with.
 Clean up
 Data out is only as good as what you put in.
 This stage is a good time to look at the mess and
clean it up - reformat addresses to conform to
Canada Post requirements, fix postcodes etc.
 Weed out the old. Every stage will take longer if you
leave in ancient history and inactive accounts.
 Manipulate to fit
 Modify, combine, split or edit to fit:
 Koha needed date:time together - Spectrum stored
them in separate fields.
 Spectrum split patron notes into
different elements Koha has a single text area.
 Yes/No flags were 0/1 or -1/0
 Insert data
 Use import where possible (MARC records, patrons)
 Time to do some programming: for the rest, write
scripts to insert modified data, line by line, into the
new Koha SQL database tables.
 Run a sample, check result, modify, check.
Document every change carefully.
 Run full insert of each table, and … CHECK AGAIN.
 Set up ‘Sandbox’
 Set up a test system with all the rules and preferences
 Import every part of the data, as intended for the
final system
 Test it does what you believe it should do – due dates
calculate correctly, fines accrue, overdue reminders
are generated
(… if using email reminders, don’t connect to the
outside world yet!)
 Run, test, amend…
Check and double check:
 Once all the basic patron, MARC and item tables are
filled, check for functionality – check out, check in,
create hold, add patron, add item
 Add other data elements and check each works
(holds, fines, checkout history match up with the
correct patron and item)
 Staff testing
Turn it over to staff who know the data from their own
library to test it intensively.
 They will spot errors in the data
 They will learn to watch the screen
Ask the Librarian!
 This is when good trainers will be discovered
 Do it for real
(Of course there is a lot of staff training and other
preparation I am skipping over here.)
• Final data extraction – back up, back up, back up!
• Repeat the data manipulation exactly as documented
• Insert the data to the new Koha system
• Test that everything works one more time
• Turn OFF the test system!
• GO LIVE !
KOHA – GREAT FEATURES
ROSE DOTTEN
CEO / Chief Librarian,
Shelburne Public Library
KOHA: Great Features: what we like…
 Customizable …add graphics, logos, hours, change
for upcoming events etc.
 Access from home! – a great feature for our patrons
 Links to Amazon, other catalogues and sources etc.
 Logistics- Print and design our own barcodes, uses
Copy cataloguing and z39.50 protocols
OUR Library Home Page and access to KOHA
LOGIN SCREEN
Review your own file …
What you can do…
Your own
information
Purchase Suggestions
What Andrew has checked out
– ALL or last 50
Current Title Checked Out – Search sidebar
Sidebar Information during Search
Shelf Browse- a fun feature
Holds Queue
Holds Pending- date range
Holds awaiting pickup – great feature to quickly
check when catalogue says AVAILABLE
KOHA – MULTI-BRANCH ASPECTS
WILDA ALLEN
CEO / Chief Librarian,
Grey Highlands Public Library
 Start-up costs (approx. ¼ cost of proprietary
software)
 Costs for ongoing maintenance and yearly support
(1/4 cost of proprietary software)
Patron Memberships – registration at one branch is
membership at all branches
Patrons may:
 Borrow from any branch with card
 Return items to any branch
 Reserve item from one/all branch(es) through online
catalogue. May also indicate where they want to pick
 Online catalogue- provides option to search all
branches or single branch
Staff may access:
 Circulation Activity system-wide
Staff have real time access to circulation activity of materials at
the other branches- useful for checking on status of materials.
 Patron records-fines, messages, membership status


Materials Check-in- pop up "transfer" messages for materials
belonging to other branches
 Interbranch loans- "transfer" feature allows for tracking of the item
from time hold is placed to transfer of material until it is checked in
by the borrowing library. "waiting" feature- until patron picks up
item.
 Importing of marc records- holdings for branches;
allows for unique call numbers at branches
 Donated materials- additional holdings can be added
to records in database
 Weeding of materials-staff can check database for
other copies.
 Bulk loans or blocks of materials can be moved to
other branches by "transfer" feature.
 Web-based product- allows administrators to log in
to any branch from any computer
The SAUGEEN LIBRARY CONSORTIUM welcomes
new members interested in using KOHA.
Contact: Shann Leighton
shannleighton@primus.ca
The support of the Government of Ontario through the
Ministry of Tourism and Culture is acknowledged.
SAUGEEN LIBRARY CONSORTIUM
COST TO IMPLEMENT SYSTEM IN
SIX LIBRARIES
SAUGEEN LIBRARY CONSORTIUM
 Saugeen Library Consortium Feb. 2011
 Finances
 Grant Applicaton
 Actual Costs
 Difference
$133,107
$180,983
-$47,876
SAUGEEN LIBRARY CONSORTIUM
 BREAK DOWN OF EXPENSES
GRANT
$14,500
Data Migration
$37,012
Hardware Set-up
$26,385
Cust. Sup. & Datbs Managmt $16,450
Staff Training
$5,700
Promotion to Public
$15,000
 Manag. & Admin.





ACTUAL
DIFFERENCE
$14,750
-$250
$37,984 -$972
$35,335 -$8,950
$21,300 -$4,850
$6,908 -$1,208
$5,731
$9,269
 DONATED SERVICES AND MATERIALS
GRANT
Library Staff Admin.
ACTUAL
DIFFERENCE
Computer Hardware
$6,160 $46,803 - $40,642
$11,900 $12,174
-$274
Total
$133,107 $180,985 -$47,878
SAUGEEN LIBRARY CONSORTIUM
 Revenue
 LSDF Grant






GRANT
ACTUAL
DIFFERENCE
$50,000 $50,000
Grand Valley Library $8,348
$9,106
-$758
West Grey Library
$9,984 $12,419 -$2,435
Hanover Library
$10,710 $10,624
$86
North Perth Library $13,097 $14,996 -$1,899
Shelburne Library
$9,836 $11,089 -$1,253
Grey Highlands Library$13,072 $14,072 -$1,000
SAUGEEN LIBRARY CONSORTIUM
 Donated Services and Material
 Library Staff Admin
.
 Computer Hardware
 Total
GRANT
ACTUAL
$6,160
$11,900
$133,107
$58,677
DIFFERENCE
(combined)
-$40,617
$180,983 -$47,876