Library Systems (Koha, Evergreen, Sora)

A library is a school's largest content collection — physical books, ebooks, journals, digital audiobooks. The ILS (Integrated Library System) runs the catalogue. For text-only OER see Open Educational Resources; for media-server self-hosting see Self-host Photos & Media.

FOSS library ILS

• ★ ★ Koha — GPL; the dominant FOSS library ILS; cataloguing, circulation, OPAC, acquisitions, serials. Used by thousands of public, school, and academic libraries worldwide. Multiple commercial support vendors (ByWater Solutions, PTFS Europe, Catalyst, etc.).
  • https://github.com/Koha-Community/Koha
• ★ Evergreen — GPL; FOSS ILS; built for consortium-of-libraries deployments; used by state-wide library networks (Georgia PINES, Indiana Evergreen, etc.).
  • https://git.evergreen-ils.org/
• FOLIO — Apache 2.0; modern modular FOSS LSP (Library Services Platform); EBSCO-led; ramping up in academic libraries 2024+.
  • https://github.com/folio-org
• Invenio — GPL; CERN-developed digital library framework; powers Zenodo.
  • https://github.com/inveniosoftware

Commercial ILS / LSP

• Ex Libris Alma + Primo — paid; the dominant academic LSP; site-licence.
• OCLC WorldShare — paid.
• SirsiDynix Symphony / BLUEcloud — paid.
• Innovative Sierra / Polaris — paid.
• Follett Destiny — paid; the dominant US K-12 school-library system.
• Alexandria (COMPanion) — paid; K-12.
• Mandarin — paid; small school libraries.

Digital lending (ebook / audiobook)

• ★ Sora (OverDrive Education) — paid; the dominant US K-12 ebook / audiobook lending app; most school districts have a subscription.
• ★ Libby (OverDrive) — free with public-library card; ebooks + audiobooks via your library.
• Hoopla — free with public-library card; ebooks + audio + video; instant-availability model.
• Kanopy — free with public-library card; documentary / academic streaming.
• cloudLibrary — free with public-library card.
• EBSCO Mobile, ProQuest, JSTOR — academic database access.

Reading-management for classrooms

• Beanstack — paid; library reading-challenge / log platform.
• Goodreads — free; the social-reading default; owned by Amazon.
• The StoryGraph — free + paid; ad-free Goodreads alternative.
• BookWyrm — AGPL; FOSS / federated; Goodreads on the Fediverse.
  • https://github.com/bookwyrm-social/bookwyrm
• Calibre + Calibre-Web — GPL; personal-ebook library management; serves OPDS.
  • https://github.com/janeczku/calibre-web
• Kavita, Komga — FOSS comic / book / ebook media servers; popular self-host picks.

Discovery / metadata

• Open Library / Internet Archive — free; book metadata + scanned text; controversial controlled-digital-lending model challenged in court (Hachette v. Internet Archive, 2024).
• WorldCat (OCLC) — free; the largest library catalogue.
• LibraryThing — free + paid; cataloguing community.
• Z39.50 / SRU — open library-protocol standards.
• MARC 21, MODS, Dublin Core, BIBFRAME, RDA — bibliographic standards.

Classroom reading platforms

• See Math for Kids for Epic!, Raz-Kids, Reading Coach etc.

Maker / makerspace in libraries

• See STEM Hardware (micro:bit), 3D printing, and CAD for kids.
• Maker Library Network (UK), Library Makerspace resources.

Pick this if…

• Default FOSS ILS, all sizes: Koha.
• Consortium of libraries: Evergreen or FOLIO.
• Academic library, paid: Alma + Primo.
• K-12 school library, paid US: Follett Destiny.
• K-12 ebook lending: Sora / Libby (OverDrive).
• Personal ebook library: Calibre + Calibre-Web.
• Self-host comics / ebooks for the home: Kavita or Komga.