A modular-based information environment in line with sustainable solutions

The library at Hanken School of Economics, as the seventh university library in Finland, has moved into Koha – an open source Integrated Library System in use today worldwide. The transition has taken place within the framework of the national Koha project for Finnish university libraries, and in collaboration with the National Library and CSC. In contrast to the old system (Voyager), the library staff can now work more location-independently, as the system is completely web-based.

The library’s information environment consists of a modular-based solution with which customers continue to use the same user interface as before. Hence, the transition to Koha has not brought noticeable changes for the library’s customers. The Hanna user interface, a locally adapted version of the national search portal Finna, has also been constructed using open source software (e.g. VuFind). The National Library is responsible for the development and Finna’s source code is freely available to all.

Koha (meaning gift in Maori) was originally developed at the turn of millennium by the Horowhenua Library Trust in New Zealand. The system has a license that allows free use, modification and distribution, which made it being further developed by libraries in a global community. The increasing interest in open source code means less vendor-dependence and lock in effect. The digital solutions are reusable for others, making the solutions more efficient and sustainable in the long run.

Links:

Hanna: http://hanken.finna.fi

Kirjastojen Koha-projektin etusivu: https://www.kiwi.fi/display/KK/Kirjastojen+Koha-projektin+etusivu

Koha Library Software Community: https://koha-community.org

More information:

Tua Hindersson-Söderholm, tua.hindersson-soderholm@hanken.fi