Library Consortium Shared Library System Assessment

The MOBAC consortium included several libraries running stand-alone instances of the open source library system, Koha.   All were hosted by ByWater Solutions.  One member of MOBAC was running a hosted version of Polaris. The group was interested in exploring the options of joining together as a resource-sharing consortium using Koha.

Lori Ayre was hired to assess the options.  Her work included exploring the costs and benefits for each library including what it would mean for the Polaris library to transition from Polaris to Koha stand-alone as well as Polaris to the shared Koha catalog.  Ayre also explored the option of transitioning each library to INN-Reach, Innovative's resource-sharing product.  Options included the Koha libraries implementing INN-Reach as well as the Koha libraries moving to a shared catalog and then implementing INN-Reach.