Certificate program
Certificate in Koha Cloud
Eight weeks, hands-on, powered by AI
A two-month certificate course covering the whole of a modern library system — cataloging, circulation, acquisitions, serials, the public catalog, reports and AI tools — practised on a real platform rather than a demo install.
- 8 weeks
- 6 hrs/week
- Basic + in-depth
- Online
- English / Urdu
Next batch: Batch - SEPT 1st - OCT 30· starts September 1, 2026
Why you need this
What this program is for
What this course is
Koha — hands-on, not slides — with AI built in to make everyday library work faster.
What you’ll learn
- Cataloging — MARC21, copy cataloging, classification
- Circulation — issues, returns, renewals, holds, fines
- Patrons — registration, categories, cards, clubs
- Acquisitions — orders, budgets, receiving
- Public catalog (OPAC) — content, navigation, themes
- Reports & data quality
Powered by AI
- Catalog a book from just its ISBN
- Check a book out by speaking — in English or Urdu
- Add members, suppliers and shelf locations by asking, one sentence each
- Auto-fill call numbers, subjects and metadata
- Find and clean up duplicate records
- Draft notices and reports in plain language
- Ask it how to do anything on the system
- Nothing is ever saved until you confirm it
How you’re assessed
Graded automatically from the work you complete each week — no separate quizzes.
Who it’s for
Librarians, library staff and LIS students. No programming background needed.
Weekly schedule
8 weeks, one step at a time
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
What you'll master
The hard parts of Koha, and how we cover them
AI tools
AI-assisted cataloging & natural-language catalog search
In Koha
Koha has no AI layer at all: search is keyword/Zebra-based and cataloging is entirely manual.
On this program
You work on a platform that ships natural-language catalog search (lib/nlq.ts) and search-synonym expansion, with AI-assisted MARC cataloging and recommendations on the roadmap.
MARC & copy cataloging
Full MARC21 — MARCXML, ISO 2709, frameworks and Z39.50/SRU copy cataloging
In Koha
Z39.50 in Koha means a YAZ install and server configuration on the command line — the step most courses skip because it cannot be done from the browser.
On this program
Copy cataloging is built in: a pure-TypeScript Z39.50 client (no YAZ dependency) plus SRU, MARCXML and ISO 2709 import/export, all configurable from the staff panel.
Circulation
The circulation features most Koha courses never reach
In Koha
Recalls, bookings, item bundles, article requests and return claims are the parts of Koha circulation that get left out of a two-week class.
On this program
All of them are built here and you use them hands-on: checkout, check-in, renewals, holds, recalls, bookings, item bundles, article requests, return claims, transfers and offline circulation.
Cataloging
Bibliographic records, holdings and authorities on a live catalog
In Koha
Koha splits a title across biblio and biblioitems and keeps authorities in a separate index — the model new catalogers most often get wrong.
On this program
You catalog real records with frameworks, authorized values, authority control and batch MARC import, on a catalog that is genuinely yours for the length of the course.
Acquisitions
Acquisitions — vendors, baskets, funds and invoices
In Koha
Acquisitions is the module most installs never switch on, so few librarians ever see the ordering cycle end to end.
On this program
You run the full cycle: vendors, baskets, orders, funds, budgets, invoices and purchase suggestions from the OPAC.
Serials
Serials & subscriptions — prediction patterns and receiving
In Koha
Serial prediction patterns are notoriously fiddly in Koha and are usually demonstrated, not practised.
On this program
You create subscriptions, generate the expected issues and receive them, so the pattern makes sense before you meet it at work.
Reports
Reports — guided reports and saved SQL
In Koha
Useful Koha reports mean writing SQL against a schema of nearly 300 tables.
On this program
You build saved reports on the platform and learn the data model behind them well enough to answer questions nobody wrote a report for.
OPAC
Run a real public catalog, not a demo
In Koha
OPAC customization in Koha means editing HTML in system preferences and CSS files on the server.
On this program
You manage a live OPAC from the panel: block-based content, a two-level navigation tree, news, FAQ and themes — and your work there is part of your graded assignments.
Administration
Administration — branches, staff permissions, circulation rules
In Koha
Koha assumes one library, one install and a sysadmin with shell access for anything structural.
On this program
You configure branches, patron categories, circulation rules and staff permissions yourself, on a hosted multi-library platform where none of it needs a terminal.
How it works
Hands-on from day one
- 1
Apply
Fill in the enrollment form and pick a batch. It takes two minutes.
- 2
Get confirmed
Send the fee quoting your reference and we confirm it by hand.
- 3
Get access
Start working through the modules — cataloging, circulation, patrons and more.
- 4
Learn by doing
Practise every topic hands-on. Your assignments are scored automatically from the work you actually do.
Every week is hands-on practice, not slideware. That is the whole point of the program.