[Koha] E-library - using Koha as a digital library

[Rachel Hamilton-Williams]

Hi
>          Can any one Use as a document manager or digital library in koha. 
> Thanks in advance:-
>   
Yes. We've got several client organisations using Koha as a digital 
library, and we use one ourselves.

There are some issues however. Koha doesn't have an easy browse/upload 
mechanism for adding the actual files (PDF's etc), so we use it with our 
CMS.

We get the files up to the webserver using the CMS, and then catalogue 
them in Koha. We've done a little custom work to get the CMS to pass the 
core details (like file path name etc) through to Koha to make that part 
of things easier.

You then catalogue etc in Koha as you would for any other web link.

Being a digital library isn't really what Koha is best at. If you have a 
mixed library - some physical assets, some digital then it can handle 
both. You just need to make sure you have an itemtype that is "Web", 
then Koha will put in the URL/link to the file on the results screens in 
place of the barcode.

The only provisio on that is it's what we had our 2.? doing, whether the 
latest versions have that functionality or not I'm not sure.

There is of course also a lot of Koha functionality that you don't need 
for a digital library - like circulations.

We (Katipo) have been making a piece of software that we think is 
complementary to Koha (Although it doesn't use the same programming 
framework). We call it Kete and it's aimed much more squarely at the 
digital archive/library space. It's also open source, and you're welcome 
to check it out at www.kete.net.nz.

Cheers
Rachel

-- 
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Rachel Hamilton-Williams
General Manager
Katipo Communications Ltd

Phone:  +64-4-934 1285
Mobile: 021 389 128
E-mail: rachel at katipo.co.nz
Web:    www.katipo.co.nz