Plan your move to Koha
A useful library plan starts with your collection, your daily work and the people who use it. Here is where to begin.
Before you move a catalogue, write down what your library needs to do. A shared plan gives your team something concrete to review and helps you spot questions that need an answer before migration.
Describe your collection
Start with the size of your collection, the kinds of material you hold and the system you use today. List your branches and shelving locations. Keep a note of unusual cases, such as reference copies, equipment or material that cannot leave the library.
The BibOS guide to catalogue records and items explains how a title relates to the individual copies on your shelves. Use it to agree on the information you need to preserve.
Write down how lending works
Describe the rules your staff actually use. Who can borrow which items? How long can they keep them? What happens when someone places a hold or returns an item to another branch?
Review these questions with the people at your service desk. The guides to checkouts, returns and holds and loan rules give you a structure for that conversation.
Prepare a small sample
Choose a manageable selection of records that represents your collection. Include straightforward examples and the cases that usually cause questions. Keep your original exports so you can compare them with the results of a trial import.
Work through the migration guide with your team and record decisions as you go. A rehearsal is also a chance to check counts, item information and the workflows your staff need.
Keep your plan close to hand
In the BibOS workspace, you can record your library details, work through a migration checklist and export your plan. Plans are saved in the browser you use, so export a copy when you need to share it or keep it outside that browser.
You can return to the wiki whenever a question comes up. Each guide brings the relevant concepts together and points you towards the official documentation for more detail.