[Libs-Or] Choosing a free online library catalog

[Diedre Conkling]

Koha is free,
https://koha-community.org/. I’m saying this knowing that it might be more
difficult to setup than something like Librarything. If you’re up for it
setting up Koha would give you a full and robust ILS.



On Thu, Mar 7, 2019 at 12:30 PM Jennifer Belle <jbelle at g.emporia.edu> wrote:

> Hello Library Community,
>
> My name is Jennifer Belle and I am currently volunteering with an
> organization called the B-17 Alliance. It is located at McNary Field in
> Salem. The primary purpose of the organization is to fully restore a WWII
> era B-17 bomber called the Lacey Lady. It was purchase by a local named Art
> Lacey in 1947 and affixed above a gas station in Milwaukie, OR. The station
> passed on from Art to his daughter Punky Scott, and is now owned by her son
> Jayson Scott. The organization is directed by his wife Terry Scott.
>
> For an interesting background story, here are two links to read more:
>
> https://katu.com/news/local/taking-the-lacey-lady-from-roadside-attraction-to-flying-museum
>
> https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/lacey-lady-b17-wwii-bomber-restored-former-glory.html
>
> The B-17 Alliance Foundation consists of the restoration, museum, and
> library collection. The organization is based entirely on volunteer and
> community support, with no paid positions. Most volunteers are military
> veterans and most involved are over the age of 65. They all have amazing
> stories to share and the alliance is dedicated to video-recording as many
> stories as possible.
>
> So, my contribution to the organization is assisting in the library. There
> are approximately 3500 library materials. They are primarily published
> books, but there are archival materials, DVD's, navigation, maintenance,
> magazines and serials, and the alliance collection of recorded stories. The
> person who previously put the library together and managed it was an
> ex-library director. She has since fallen ill and is now in an assist
> living facility. I received my Master in Library and Info Science nine
> months ago with a focus in Archival Studies. I volunteered to work at this
> facility to keep active in an archival setting and because my husband's
> family has a military aviation background. I knew they were looking for
> able volunteers and I believe the work they do is an important preservation
> and educational contribution.
>
> The library collection catalog is currently constructed and stored in
> Excel spreadsheets and the content is in the process of being updated. The
> Alliance website, http://www.b17alliance.com/, is currently also being
> professionally updated with an emphasis on 'branding' to expand marketing
> and fundraising efforts. There is also an active Facebook page, where the
> B-17 Alliance currently has 10,077 likes and 9,968 followers. The goal for
> the library collection is to encourage public access and research use. We
> also wish to make the catalog searchable, shareable, and are striving to
> connect the catalog to the renovated website when finished shortly. The
> library collection and materials are not intended to be used outside the
> facility, so we have no need of circulation software, only a cataloging
> platform.
>
> I have a few idea I am considering and, so, the purpose of the post is to
> invite the library community to share suggestions, experiences, and
> recommendations for online/cloud-based catalog programs. Here are the
> options I am currently aware of:
> https://www.librarything.com/
> Seems to be most popular, but feels more like an informal library
> sharing and review site that may not be a fit for the specialized nature of
> our collection; only $25 for a lifetime membership for unlimited items is a
> bonus
>
> https://www.libib.com/
> Seems more geared towards small professional collections. The free service
> allows up to 5000 items, which fits our library. The pro option increases
> the items allowed to 100,000 and expands service functions to allow
> circulation features, which we currently don't need, for $99 per yr, plus a
> 25% nonprofit discount. The pro does include custom branding which is
> important to our org's image.
>
> https://librarika.com
> This service is an Integrated Library System, designed for professional
> libraries. It offers four package sizes, with a basic that is free, but
> only 2000 items, and the next size is 10,000 items and becomes ad-free, for
> a yearly cost of $139.
>
> I would love and appreciate your input if you have time to respond. Thank
> you in advanced for taking the time.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Jennifer Belle
>
> PS. If you know of anyone who would be interested in learning more about
> the B-17 Alliance, or wants to get involved, feel free to visit our
> website, Facebook, call, email, or stop by for a fun tour. The docents are
> very knowledgeable and passionate about their stories. We are especially
> trying to increase school field trips and have provided tours to school
> groups of all ages, as young as Pre-K, with great success. The Alliance is
> focus on sharing history and "Honoring the American Spirit".
>
-- 
*Diedre Conkling*
*diedre08 at gmail.com* <diedre08 at gmail.com>

“If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change
your attitude.”―Maya Angelou
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