- 1Runs onAPI, Linux, self-hosted, Web
- 2CostsFree plan
- 3Circulation toolsYes
- 4AcquisitionsYes
- 5Borrower portalYes
- 6Custom reportingYes
- 7MARC recordsYes
- 8Deploymenton-premise
Overview
Koha is a free library management system for single-branch and multi-branch libraries, as well as consortia. It brings together acquisitions, circulation, cataloging, serials management, authorities, reporting, label printing, notices, and offline circulation. The system is multilingual and translatable, with additional languages made available over time. Its catalog can use content from Amazon, Google, LibraryThing, Open Library, Syndetics, and other sources. Koha's web-based public catalog, circulation, management, and self-checkout interfaces use XHTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It supports standards and protocols including MARC 21, UNIMARC, z39.50, SRU/SW, SIP2, and SIP/NCIP. The software is distributed under GNU GPL version 3 or later. The project recommends a Linux server and lists Debian, Apache, MariaDB or MySQL, Perl, and root access among immediate-use installation requirements. Packages are available for modern Debian-based distributions, and the project prefers packages where feasible. Libraries can support the system themselves or obtain help from support companies.
Who it is for
Koha suits libraries ranging from single branches to consortia that need a broad set of library workflows. Libraries can self-support or seek installation, migration, training, maintenance, and other help from support companies.
What is good
- Covers acquisitions, circulation, cataloging, and serials.
- Supports consortia and multi-branch libraries.
- Web-based public catalog and self-checkout interfaces.
- Free software under GNU GPL version 3 or later.
What to know first
- Self-installation requires a Linux server and root access.
- Immediate use calls for command-line and server administration skills.
Verdict
Koha covers a wide range of library operations and supports common library standards and protocols. Self-installation has specific Linux server requirements, though support companies may provide assistance.
Koha plans and pricing
All plansCompared on school library management software
- Free plan
- Yeskoha-community.org
- Circulation tools
- Yeskoha-community.org
- Acquisitions
- Yeskoha-community.org
- Borrower portal
- Yeskoha-community.org
- Custom reporting
- Yeskoha-community.org
- MARC records
- Yeskoha-community.org
- Deployment
- on-premisekoha-community.org
Facts
- Product
- Koha is a fully featured, scalable library management system.koha-community.org · 4 Oct 2026
- Library workflows
- It includes acquisitions, circulation, cataloging, serials management, authorities, reporting, label printing, notices, and offline circulation modules.koha-community.org · 4 Oct 2026
- Library types
- Koha supports consortia, multi-branch libraries, and single-branch libraries.koha-community.org · 4 Oct 2026
- Languages
- Koha is multilingual and translatable, with available languages and more added over time.koha-community.org · 4 Oct 2026
- Catalog content
- The catalog can use content from Amazon, Google, LibraryThing, Open Library, and Syndetics, among others.koha-community.org · 4 Oct 2026
- Interoperability
- Koha supports library standards and protocols including MARC 21, UNIMARC, z39.50, SRU/SW, SIP2, and SIP/NCIP.koha-community.org · 4 Oct 2026
- Interfaces
- The OPAC, circulation, management, and self-checkout interfaces are web-based and use XHTML, CSS, and JavaScript.koha-community.org · 4 Oct 2026
- License
- Koha is free software distributed under GNU General Public License version 3 or later.koha-community.org · 4 Oct 2026
- Packages
- Koha packages are available for modern Debian-based distributions, and the maker prefers packages where feasible.koha-community.org · 4 Oct 2026
- Support
- Libraries can self-support or obtain help from support companies, which offer services such as installation, migration, data integrity testing, training, maintenance, and development.koha-community.org · 4 Oct 2026
- Security reporting
- Security reports are visible only to the reporter and Koha security group members, and the project asks reporters to allow volunteers time to respond and arrange a security release.koha-community.org · 4 Oct 2026
Company
- Founded
- 1999koha-community.org · 28 Sept 2026
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Sources
- koha-community.org· checked 4 Oct 2026
- koha-community.org/about/· checked 4 Oct 2026
- koha-community.org/download-koha/· checked 4 Oct 2026
- koha-community.org/support/· checked 4 Oct 2026
- koha-community.org/security/· checked 4 Oct 2026