In late 2007, the Stowe Free Library, the Carpenter-Carse Library (Hinesburg), and the Kimball Public Library (Randolph) joined with Sheila Kearns of the Vermont Department of Libraries to explore a replacement ILS for Follett, the system currently used by all three libraries. After exploring many options, the group settled on Koha, an open source ILS solution originally created in New Zealand.
In May of 2008, the group chose the name vokal — the Vermont Organization of Koha Automated Libraries — as a name for the group and the project.
vokal has since grown to 29 libraries, all of whom are contributing funds to the consortium to provide additional design and programming services to create a Vermont version of Koha. This version is expected to be in beta by the end of 2008 (available only to participants) and then released for free to other Vermont libraries in Summer 2009. vokal’s Koha ILS is currently in production at the Carpenter-Carse Library in Hinesburg, VT and set to go online by summer in Warren, Stowe, Norwich, and at the Marlboro School. This development phase, Phase I, is no longer accepting participants.
Following this release, as well as the release of Koha version 3.2 in early Fall 2009, the vokal project will enter Phase II of its development, working on a consortium version of the ILS. We welcome the addition of new development partners for Phase II.
Interested libraries and individuals are also able to become a “Friend of vokal.” This option would be perfect for a library or an individual within a larger institution to show their interest and support in the Vermont project, even though they are not able or may not want to participate in the beta testing of the vokal-developed ILS. This is also a wonderful option for those interested in supporting the project prior to Phase II.
Libraries interested in becoming Phase II development partners or a Friend of vokal should contact the the vokal project at vermontkohaproject[at]gmail.com.
For more information about the project, please review the vokal Fact Sheet (PDF) and visit the vokal wiki at http://openilsvt.pbworks.com/.
1 Comment
23 June 2009 at 4:58 pm
I’d like to know the steps to joining VOKAL this fall; also costs; what we need to do to get prepared, etc.
Thanks.