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Central Kansas Consortium chooses Koha

Press Release: LibLime [September 11, 2007]

ATHENS, OH -September 11, 2007- LibLime, the leader in open-source solutions for libraries, announced today that the Central Kansas Library System--one of seven regional library systems in Kansas, and serving 17 counties in the state--has selected Koha ZOOM for 'Pathfinder Central', a new region-wide ILS consortium.

A project of the Central Kansas Library System (CKLS), 'Pathfinder Central' is a new public library automation and lending network serving 31 libraries in 17 counties of central Kansas. LibLime's Koha ZOOM solution will provide Pathfinder Central members with a shared integrated library automation system, including a web-based union catalog and integrated circulation, acquisitions and serials control modules.

James Swan, Administrator of CKLS says, "Pathfinder Central is unique in Kansas because it is the first regional library system to develop a system-wide ILS consortium. Pathfinder Central will automate more libraries in a single project than any other system in Kansas. The goal in the next three years is to automate as many of the public libraries in Central Kansas as want to participate."

CKLS chose LibLime's fully-managed Koha ZOOM Hosted package. In this model, the system is installed, operated and maintained at one of LibLime's data centers. LibLime will provide CKLS with installation, data migration, systems administration, ongoing maintenance, software development, and staff training.

Freedom to customize was a major consideration in their decision. Swan explains, "An overwhelming majority of CKLS librarians that wanted to participate in the project said they preferred Koha ZOOM over other ILS options. With Koha ZOOM, CKLS won't have to wait to develop features the librarians want in the automation system they use. They won't have to wait for the commercial vendor to decide to include a suggestion in the next release of the software."

"We believe the Open Source model, embodied by Koha ZOOM, reflects the spirit of public libraries. Funding projects that benefit everyone means more libraries will switch to open-source library automation and sponsor new developments that other libraries will benefit from too. CKLS libraries will be able to grow with Koha ZOOM for a long, long time," says Swan.

Pathfinder Central is set to go live in early 2008.

About Central Kansas Library System

The Central Kansas Library System is one of seven Regional Systems of Cooperating Libraries that were created in 1965 to provide legal access to library service for everyone in Kansas—extending library service to the unserved. The mission of the Central Kansas Library System is to help member libraries give their patrons what they want by extending library service to the unserved and improving library service where it already exists. Central Kansas Library System supports library services in 17 counties over an area of some 13,988 sq. miles. To learn more about CKLS, please visit their website: http://www.ckls.org.

About LibLime

As the leader in open-source solutions for libraries, LibLime offers a refreshing alternative to expensive proprietary software. Rather than sell software licenses for static, hard-to-customize software products, LibLime promotes the benefits of open source, enabling libraries to make choices about how best to provide their communities and staff with better technology services. LibLime enables libraries to use open-source software to its full potential by providing outstanding commercial support services - hosting, migration assistance, staff training, support, software maintenance, and development--solutions tailored to each customer's needs.

Use of open source not only lowers the per-library cost of running software, it also empowers libraries with a higher level of control over customization and the overall direction of software development.

About Koha

Since it was first put into production in early 2000, Koha has enabled new realities of open access, affordability, and free innovation for a diverse community of hundreds of academic, consortia, public, special collection, religious and school libraries around the globe.

Koha has lived up to its name, which means ‘Gift' in the Maori language of New Zealand. From the outset, libraries understood the power of this gift. They downloaded it, they installed it, they changed it, and they contributed their solutions back to the library community.

Several companies around the world support Koha, providing libraries with a full array of services including installation, migration assistance, data integrity testing, staff training, software maintenance, support and customization. To learn more about what services are available visit http://koha.org/support/.

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Publication Year:2007
Type of Material:Press Release
Language English
Issue:September 11, 2007
Publisher:LibLime
Company: LibLime
Products: Koha
Libraries: Central Kansas Library System
Subject: System announcements -- selection
Record Number:12718
Last Update:2024-12-14 01:14:36
Date Created:2007-09-11 08:34:15
Views:70