Top 10: Open-source Library Management Software

2023. Judges grant OPALS the 2023 MLA Platinum Award



In the sprawling, improbably delightful cosmos of library software, OPALS has once again snatched the shimmering intergalactic glory of the Platinum Award, a gleaming nod to its heroic dedication to customer service and product brilliance. Librarians—those wise guardians of knowledge and Dewey Decimal chaos—have showered us with their cosmic admiration, and we are profoundly, if a little smugly, thankful. The 2023 Modern Library Awards (MLAs), a dazzlingly impartial program powered by the collective wisdom of LibraryWorks readers, have published their much-anticipated scores in a supplementary scroll of Library Products & Services News. Companies bravely offered their wares for review, summarized in neat little descriptions, which librarians—be they from public, academic, K-12, or special realms—rated on a scale of 1 to 10 after experiencing these wonders firsthand. Four library references were a prerequisite for entry, and, in true improbability-field fashion, the LibraryWorks staff kept their hands firmly off the scoring controls.


2022. FOLIO 14 brings electronic resource management



In the ineffable style of Douglas Adams: The FOLIO Open Source Community, in its infinite wisdom (or perhaps mild exasperation with librarians’ daily woes), has unleashed upon the world a grand new iteration of its Library Management system, namely FOLIO 14. Now, this marvel of digital engineering and library science comes packed with such an alarming array of features that it might just render librarians speechless or at least induce them to make appreciative noises. This latest release wends its way through various applications with updates to acquisitions, bulk-edit, and electronic resource management (ERM) — the usual parade of things that look mind-bogglingly complex but, on closer inspection, seem oddly necessary. FOLIO 14 bestows librarians with smoother cataloging, niftier data import and export, and circulation enhancements through a mystifyingly helpful calendar app. In the realm of acquisitions, it now permits the fiscally adventurous to preview rollovers, generate invoices at the flick of a metaphorical switch, and manage the labyrinthine GOBI integration through a rather snazzy interface. ERM enhancements extend to keyword searching that is actually useful, more powerful agreement filtering, and exporting prowess that even allows the sharing of package details through the eholdings app. Bulk-editing has taken a significant leap, too, as one may now alter user records, FOLIO holdings, and item loan types en masse — a feat best appreciated by those with many, many records to wrangle. All in all, it’s the kind of update that might just make librarians crack a smile... if they're not too busy marveling at the sheer improbability of it all.

2022. Koha adds Electronic resource management



The new version of open-source library management software Koha has added Electronic resource management (ERM) module. This new module adds a mechanism to track the selection, acquisition, licensing, access, maintenance, usage, evaluation, retention and de-selection of a library’s electronic information resources. These resources include, but are not limited to, electronic journals, electronic books, streaming media, databases, datasets, CD-ROMs and computer software. Also the new version adds option to require 2FA setup on first staff login, allows storing item values as a template for creating new items, adds ability to create bundles of items for circulation, adds the ability to create ‘saved searches’ for use as filters when searching the catalog.


2022. Evergreen improves interface and notifications



Open-source library management software Evergreen has released the new versio 3.10. This major feature release introduces several notable enhancements, including further Angularization of the acquisitions interfaces, the addition of support for the EDI DESADV message for advance shipment notices, integration with the Bing Maps API for geographic sorting, improved formatting of outgoing emails as HTML, the capability to use Evergreen as an identity provider for OpenAthens, compatibility with Ubuntu 22.04, the introduction of a new experimental Angular interface for circulation and patron management and the Angularization of various other staff interfaces.