Excellent point - sometimes I'm sure I can't see the forest for the trees, and maybe this is one of those times. I will say, that despite its small size, using an OPAC like Koha would allow us to potentially serve patrons who live across a wide geographic area, i.e. across South Africa. Also, we're thinking a Koha installation might encourage collaborative activity as multiple organisations learn to share an ILS, and make a wider range of library resources available to respective members, and perhaps eventually to non-members or other libraries via inter-library loans. Perhaps Koha could help us make a valuable resource more accessible to society. Finally, as a non-librarian myself, my understanding is that one of the key qualities of an ILS like Koha is its ability to point the user to appropriate books, etc. according to the need - i.e. strong search features build into the software (I assume Koha has this). Often our students find books by simply looking on the shelf, then choosing ones that look interesting. However, more advanced library users may find first-rate materials through a more abstract process of heading to the computer for some leads. Again, thank you for the reality check. I'll keep considering what you've said. From: Erik Lewis [mailto:elewis@ngrl.org] Sent: 18 February 2009 05:17 PM To: Nelson Fredsell -CCE Subject: Re: [Koha] Counting the cost I'm going to say it, but is automating a library with fewer than 50 transactions a day really needed? The bulk of the functionality of a ILS is to replicate manual processes that libraries began with because those tasks became to arduous to perform manually. To each their own but to me it seems like a sledge hammer to kill a fly? I'm all for the growth of Koha and free solutions, but I think there are times to stand back and ask do I need a shovel or backhoe? On Feb 18, 2009, at 9:43 AM, Nelson Fredsell -CCE wrote: I am considering Koha for our very small libraries (Fewer than 50 transactions/day). We might get some help doing the initial setup on a CentOS 5.2 server. We're wanting a basic install, allowing patrons to do online search of catalogues of multiple collections in a single library, and multiple libraries belonging to legally separate NGOs. +Once set up, is it possible that it could need very little support/maintenance? We could pay something for set up, but ongoing annual support fees we'd like to avoid. +And I suppose that support could be provided remotely, perhaps on an hourly basis, with the exception of possibly needing to reboot the server. +We have limited IT skills inhouse and NO full time library staff. + Staff who do the cataloguing would not be professional librarians. +We've developed our own cataloguing system, not standard in any way - can Koha work with this? Maybe over time we'd like to standardize. +If so, the chaser question is that each very small (NGO/school) library has its own cataloguing system: would this be a problem for Koha - single install, multiple administrators (one at each library). I don't want to bite off more than we can chew, and I don't want to leave my NGO in the lurch after I'm no longer employed there. I have about three months to implement something, and make sure it's stable. Thanks very much for feedback, Nelson Administrator / resident techie Centre for Creative Education Cape Town, South Africa www.cfce.org.za _______________________________________________ Koha mailing list Koha@lists.katipo.co.nz http://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha *************************************************** Erik Lewis, Branch Manager Dalton-Whitfield County Library 706-876-1376