The Vermont Organization of Koha Automated Libraries (VOKAL) is an organization of

libraries A library is a collection of Book, books, and possibly other Document, materials and Media (communication), media, that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or electron ...

in the U.S. State of

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

. It provides a unified, online

library catalog A library catalog (or library catalogue in British English) is a register of all bibliography, bibliographic items found in a library or group of libraries, such as a network of libraries at several locations. A catalog for a group of libra ...

using the

open source Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use and view the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open source model is a decentrali ...

, Koha integrated library system. It was established as a part of the Green Mountain Library Consortium.

History

The Vermont Organization of Koha Automated Libraries had its earliest beginnings in the fall of 2007, when several Vermont libraries, using Follett Co.'sbr>Destiny

Integrated Library System An integrated library system (ILS), also known as a library management system (LMS), is an enterprise resource planning system for a library, used to track items owned, orders made, bills paid, and patrons who have borrowed. An ILS is usually ...

(ILS) (with the help of the

Vermont Department of Libraries The Vermont Department of Libraries Is the official state library agency of Vermont located in Barre, Vermont. It is a department under Vermont's Agency of Administration. History The State Library came into existence in 1825 when Robert Pierp ...

), began looking at open source alternatives. In September 2010, the first libraries began being added to the VOKAL catalog.

Current status

As of February 2016, it had grown to 57 member libraries (55 public libraries, 1 school library, and 1 church library). VOKAL's catalog also allows users to search Listen Up Vermont (http://www.listenupvermont.org), a shared database of lendable

e-book An ebook (short for electronic book), also spelled as e-book or eBook, is a book publication made available in electronic form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat-panel display of computers or other electronic devices. Al ...

s and

audiobook An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. A reading of the complete text is described as "unabridged", while readings of shorter versions are abridgements. Spoken audio has been available in sch ...

s, also operated by the Green Mountain Library Consortium. In addition, VOKAL's catalog also allows users to search the Project Gutenberg Archive, and download its items.

Database hosting

VOKAL's common Koha database and software are hosted by

ByWater Solutions ByWater Solutions is a privately owned and funded company founded in California in March 2009 by CEO Brendan A. Gallagher and CRO Nathan A. Curulla, which provides implementation, hosting, support, consultation, and development services for open so ...

Catamount Library Network

There is currently one other unified public library catalog in Vermont, the

Catamount Library Network The Catamount Library Network (CLN) is a consortium of public libraries in the U.S. State of Vermont. It provides a unified library catalog using the open source, Koha integrated library system. Organization The Catamount Library Network is ...

, also hosted by

Member libraries

Total number of members:

References

External links

VOKAL

VOKAL Catalog

VOKAL Facebook Page

Green Mountain Library Consortium

Vermont Department of Libraries
{{authority control Library consortia in Vermont