The Koha Community, home of the world's first free and open-source library system, announced last month that the Koha 21.05 release is available. This major release includes 6 new features, 248 enhancements, 449 bugfixes. Full release notes are available at https://koha-community.org/koha-21-05-released/.

Release Manager, Jonathan Druart, recently commented on the release!

Thanks to those who are working every day to make Koha better day after day.

I would like to thank especially the whole development team and all those who contributed to the different topics from the roadmap we defined at the beginning of the release cycle.

I am excited to continue as release manager for one more development cycle. We, as a community, are comforting our capacity to work together and are continuously becoming more efficient. A lot of stimulating and interesting challenges are waiting for us.

Release Team

• The release team for Koha 21.05.00 is:
• Release Manager: Jonathan Druart
• Release Manager Assistants:
  • Martin Renvoize
  • Tomás Cohen Arazi
• QA Manager: Katrin Fischer
• QA Team:
  • David Cook
  • Agustín Moyano
  • Martin Renvoize
  • Marcel de Rooy
  • Joonas Kylmälä
  • Julian Maurice
  • Tomás Cohen Arazi
  • Josef Moravec
  • Nick Clemens
  • Kyle M Hall
  • Victor Grousset
• Topic Experts:
  • UI Design — Owen Leonard
  • REST API — Tomás Cohen Arazi
  • Zebra — Fridolin Somers
  • Accounts — Martin Renvoize
• Bug Wranglers:
  • Amit Gupta
  • Mengü Yazıcıoğlu
  • Indranil Das Gupta
  • Packaging Managers:
  • David Cook
  • Mason James
  • Agustín Moyano
• Documentation Manager: Caroline Cyr La Rose
• Documentation Team:
  • Marie-Luce Laflamme
  • Lucy Vaux-Harvey
  • Henry Bolshaw
  • David Nind
• Translation Managers:
  • Indranil Das Gupta
  • Bernardo González Kriegel
• Release Maintainers:
  • 20.11 — Fridolin Somers
  • 20.05 — Andrew Fuerste-Henry
  • 19.11 — Victor Grousset

Thank You to our Library Partners for the Sponsorship of New Features

• Altadena Public Library (CA)
  Bug 22773 - Bulk close invoices and filter invoice view (open/closed)
• Arlington Public Library (VA)
  • Bug 24469 - Record biblionumber in import_biblio when adding to basket via file
  • Bug 26181 - Holds placed via the REST API should not be forced by default even if AllowHoldPolicyOverride is enabled
• Bedford Public Library (TX)
  • Bug 18532 - Messaging preferences for auto renewals
• Camden County Library System (NJ)
  • Bug 20212 - Improve performance of acquisitions receive page
• Carnegie Stout Library (IA)
  • Bug 15563 - Add option to regularly delete patroncard and label batches to cleanup_database.pl cronjob
• Cedar Park Public Library (TX)
  • Bug 18532 - Messaging preferences for auto renewals
• Colorado Library Consortium (CLiC ) (CO)
  • Bug 26633 - Add advanced editor for transfer limits
  • Bug 24359 - Remove items from Holds Queue when checked in
• Hotchkiss School (CT)
  • Bug 15986 - Add a script for sending hold waiting reminder notices
• KanShare (KS)
  • Bug 24359 - Remove items from Holds Queue when checked in
• Pasco Libraries (FL)
  • Bug 23207 - Allow automatic checkin/return at end of circulation period
• Takoma Park Public Library (MD)
  • Bug 18532 - Messaging preferences for auto-renewals
• Virginia Tech Libraries (VA)
  • Bug 27719 - Receiving orders hangs on processing when missing a replacement price
  • Bug 26636 - Add objects.find Mojolicious helper

Thank You to our Library Partners and Staff who have Contributed Patches for Koha

• Tomás Cohen Arazi (211)
• Nick Clemens (162)
• Andrew Fuerste-Henry (4)
• Lucas Gass (29)
• Kyle M Hall (46)
• Owen Leonard (165)
• Lisette Scheer (1)

Thank You to our Library Partners and Institutions who Contributed Patches for Koha

• Athens County Public Libraries (165)
• ByWater-Solutions (241)
• Chetco Community Public Library (6)
• Latah County Library District (1)
• Theke Solutions (227)

Thank you to our Library Partners and Staff who Tested Patches for Koha

• Hasina Akhter (4)
• Tomás Cohen Arazi (101)
• Donna Bachowski (1)
• Allison Blanning (1)
• Nick Clemens (145)
• Sarah Daviau (1)
• Marti Fuerst (8)
• Andrew Fuerste-Henry (77)
• Brendan Gallagher (4)
• Lucas Gass (47)
• Kim Gnerre (3)
• Todd Goatley (2)
• Kyle M Hall (227)
• Abbey Holt (1)
• Ron Houk (8)
• Barbara Johnson (19)
• Christopher Kellermeyer (2)
• Rhonda Kuiper (2)
• Owen Leonard (125)
• Kelly McElligott (20)
• Liz Rea (1)
• Lisette Scheer (11)
• Deb Stephenson (1)

About Koha

Koha is the first open-source Integrated Library System (ILS). In use worldwide, its development is steered by a growing community of libraries collaborating to achieve their technology goals. Koha's impressive feature set continues to evolve and expand to meet the needs of its user base. It includes modules for circulation, cataloging, acquisitions, serials, reserves, patron management, branch relationships, and more.

Koha's OPAC, circulation, management, and self-checkout interfaces are all based on standards-compliant World Wide Web technologies, HTML5, CSS, and Javascript, making Koha a truly platform-independent solution. Koha is distributed under the open-source General Public License (GPL). For more information about Koha, please visit http://koha-community.org/.

About ByWater Solutions

ByWater Solutions is a full service, high-quality Open Source support and implementation company dedicated to providing libraries with a lower cost, more advanced level of support for their systems than a traditional proprietary solution can offer. ByWater Solutions has a proven track record in first-rate implementation and support services with library systems of all sizes for the Koha ILS, Aspen Discovery, Folio LSP, Coral ERM, and Libki PC Management.

Our highly ranked, comprehensive support is what sets our company apart from any other vendor in the industry. Partnering with ByWater Solutions not only lowers the cost of implementation and maintenance of OSS but more importantly empowers libraries by giving them the flexibility and freedom they deserve. For more information please visit https://bywatersolutions.com.