# Can you recommend a free/low-cost library management system? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 15, 2011, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-free-low-cost-library-management-system/571420 "2011-02-15T05:25:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-free-low-cost-library-management-system/571420/1 "2011-02-15T05:25:40Z")
We’re a small nonprofit with a library of about 700 books. Are there any software packages or websites that would allow us to easily import a list of ISBNs and/or titles and then convert that to an online, publicly-searchable library database? We’ve tried LibraryThing and Google Books, but those seem to be designed for mainly personal use. We’d like to eventually implement an electronic self-checkout system with a barcode scanner. There seems to be quite a few options out there, but I’m not familiar enough with the scene to know the better ones. Bonus points for: - Open source solutions, but that’s not absolutely necessary as long as it’s affordable. - Automatic cover image download from Amazon or Google Books - Integration with Worldcat and/or Google Book Search Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-free-low-cost-library-management-system/571420/2 "2011-02-15T12:50:54Z")
Can’t really help you more than this: Here in Sweden there is at least one discussion list for librarians, which is where I would have posted a question like that. Don’t you have something like it closer to you that you could use? ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-free-low-cost-library-management-system/571420/3 "2011-02-15T17:53:01Z")
Hmm, possibly. Let me look into that… ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-free-low-cost-library-management-system/571420/4 "2011-02-15T18:00:16Z")
I use Readerware for my book collection but it also has some features that might work for a library. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-free-low-cost-library-management-system/571420/5 "2011-02-15T18:56:37Z")
The library where I work use a (probably rather expensive) solution by Ex Libris. There are, it seems, quite a few free options: From [Highbeam.com](http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-179348488.html) (2008 article): > [@](#): > > There are already over 20 open source LMS projects of varying sizes visible through SourceForge. It is not uncommon for OSS projects to last only a few years and falter, either because of lack of ongoing patronage or lack of take-up (9); this is certainly evident in the case of LMS open source projects. Projects that are clearly moribund or have no current installed base are not evaluated here. The seven LMSs selected for analysis in this article are: > > - Emilda–a small open source project with an attractive interface and a good installed base in small libraries; > > - Evergreen–a more recent OSS with a good installed base and strong ‘hype’ in blogs; > > - Gnuteca–a Brazilian OSS with strong installed base in non-English speaking countries; > > - Koha–the oldest open source LMS, with a strong installed base; > > - OpenBiblio–a system popular in small libraries, with simple installation and an effective presentation; > > - PhpMyLibrary–developed in the Philippines and released not long after Koha, championing the use of MARC to facilitate adoption, and; > > - PMB a French OSS with a strong installed base in Europe. Googling “open source library management system” brings up a host of options - including a few comparisons between the systems. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-free-low-cost-library-management-system/571420/6 "2011-02-15T19:18:16Z")
Fair warning, the system itself sucks monkey balls, but it’s open source - check out Evergreen. [http://www.open-ils.org/](http://www.open-ils.org/) Some systems to look at to see how it functions: PINEs system in Georgia (USA): [http://gapines.org/opac/en-US/skin/default/xml/index.xml](http://gapines.org/opac/en-US/skin/default/xml/index.xml) SCLends Consortium system in South Carolina (USA): [http://sclends.lib.sc.us/opac/en-US/skin/default/xml/index.xml](http://sclends.lib.sc.us/opac/en-US/skin/default/xml/index.xml) Conifer is in Canada, and is a university library system, rather than a public library: [http://projectconifer.ca/](http://projectconifer.ca/) There’s a decent number of individual libraries using it, and more heading in that direction, due to the economy. Anyway, fair warning - it’s still a little buggy, and has some serious detractions to professional use, but it’s basic and it’s free. PM me if you want more details - I feel bad to trash it publicly, as it is my home library system. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-free-low-cost-library-management-system/571420/7 "2011-02-15T22:22:18Z")
> [@Lasciel](#): > > Fair warning, the system itself sucks monkey balls, but it’s open source - check out Evergreen. [http://www.open-ils.org/](http://www.open-ils.org/) That’s the package that the Wa State King County Library System (along with 3 other library systems in other states) recently implemented.