Koha ILS Setup Guide

Why I wrote this: I untangled a Koha install that went sideways and wrote the version I wish they'd had.

If you don't script backups and updates from day one, your 'free' ILS will cost you in downtime.

Original chart I sketched while writing: rough checkpoints for Koha ILS Setup Guide. Mark your own numbers on top of mine.

Tutorial Series

Koha ILS Setup Guide - You are here
VuFind Discovery Implementation
Evergreen Consortium Setup

What You'll Learn

Koha installed and running on a server
Initial system configured (libraries, item types, patron categories)
Your first items cataloged and ready to circulate
When Koha is right for your library

Before You Start: Is Koha Right for You?

Consider Koha if:

You have staff with basic technology skills
You want to own your data and not be locked into vendor contracts
You're comfortable with community support instead of vendor support

Koha may not be right if:

You need 24/7 vendor support with contractually defined response times
Your library has no IT staff or implementation budget
Your board wants a vendor responsible if things break

What You'll Need

Infrastructure

Linux server (Ubuntu 20.04+ or Debian 11+)
4GB RAM minimum (8GB+ for >50,000 items)
20GB disk minimum
Stable internet connection

Expertise

Basic Linux administration
Library cataloging fundamentals
Your library's workflows

Installation

# Add Koha repository
echo "deb http://debian.koha-community.org/koha stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/koha.list
wget -q -O- https://debian.koha-community.org/koha/archive.asc | sudo apt-key add -

# Update and install
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install koha-common

# Create instance
sudo koha-create --create-db --marcflavour MARC21 --admin-user admin mylib

# Start services
sudo systemctl start koha-common
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Access at: http://mylib.localdomain/cgi-bin/koha

Initial Configuration

1. Change Default Password

First login: Administration > Users. Change admin password immediately.

2. Set Up Library Structure

Administration > Libraries and Groups. Add your main library with code, name, and contact info.

3. Define Item Types

Administration > Item Types. Set up Books, DVDs, etc.

4. Set Patron Categories

Administration > Patron Categories. Create Adult, Youth, Senior, Staff categories.

5. Configure Circulation Rules

Administration > Circulation and Fines Rules. Set loan periods and late fees.

Cataloging Your First Items

Manual Cataloging

Catalog > New Bibliographic Record. Fill in title, author, ISBN, publication date. Then add an item with barcode, item type, location, and call number.

Import from Z39.50 (Faster)

Catalog > Z39.50 Search. Search Library of Congress or WorldCat, import records.

Important Concepts

Bibliographic Records vs. Items

One record per unique book. One item per physical copy. 5 copies = 1 record with 5 items.

MARC Format

Koha uses MARC (Machine-Readable Cataloging), the international library standard.

Common Gotchas

Barcode format must be consistent and unique
Test call number sorting before adding thousands of items
Every item type needs circulation rules
Set up automated backups immediately

When to Consider Other Systems

Evergreen: For large consortia (10+ libraries) needing shared infrastructure.

VuFind: If you want modern discovery separate from cataloging.

Getting Help

Koha Community - Official documentation
Koha Forums - Q&A from librarians
Our Methodology - How we research library technology
Consulting Services - Professional implementation help

Next Steps

Catalog 50-100 items and test with staff
Customize your OPAC
Train staff on operations
Plan migration if moving from another system
Set up backups and monitoring