Guides & how-tos
The Koha Blog
Practical guides for libraries running Koha — installation, hosting, migration, cataloging and the maintenance nobody warns you about.
Featured
What Is Koha Library Management System? A Complete Guide
Koha is the world’s most-deployed open-source library management system. Here is what it does, who runs it, what it really costs, and how to get started.
4 August 2026
Koha SIP2 Integration: Connecting Self-Check and Third-Party Systems
Configure SIP2 in Koha to connect self-check machines, kiosks and sorters — server setup, per-device accounts, testing, security and the common failures.
8 September 2026
Koha Customization: How Far Can You Actually Go?
Customizing Koha is a ladder, and every rung up costs more at upgrade time. The five levels, what each can do, and what each will cost you later.
4 September 2026
Koha and MARC21: A Cataloger’s Guide to Fields and Frameworks
How Koha stores and uses MARC21 — the essential fields, the 942 and 952 fields that are Koha’s own, frameworks, and how to fix records that import badly.
1 September 2026
Koha Data Migration: How to Move From Your Old ILS
What moves cleanly, what needs mapping, what gets rebuilt — a practical Koha migration guide with a go-live checklist and the failures to plan for.
28 August 2026
Koha Cloud Hosting: Benefits, Risks and How to Set It Up
Running Koha in the cloud — the two very different things people mean by it, the real benefits, and the risks nobody mentions until you hit them.
25 August 2026
Koha Hosting Cost: Monthly and Annual Pricing Explained
What Koha hosting actually costs per month and per year by library size — self-managed versus managed, and the recurring costs most quotes leave out.
21 August 2026
Koha Hosting Guide: On-Premise, VPS, or Managed?
The three ways to host Koha compared — server sizing, backups, security and upgrade responsibility for each, plus the questions to ask before you sign.
18 August 2026
Koha Installation Cost: What It Really Costs in 2026
Koha software is free; installing it is not. A breakdown of real installation costs — server, setup, migration, training — with three worked examples.
14 August 2026
Koha vs Other ILS: An Honest 2026 Comparison
How Koha compares to FOLIO, Evergreen, Alma and Sierra on cost, features and lock-in — including an honest look at where Koha is the wrong choice.
7 August 2026