Search for library software in Nepal and you’ll find the same few names: Koha, SLiMS, the library module in a school management package, and a handful of local vendors. Most of them are “free” in some sense, but they need very different things before the first book goes in. A university with an IT department and a school with one teacher-librarian shouldn’t choose the same system.
This guide compares the free options libraries in Nepal actually use, what each one needs to install, and which kind of library each one suits.
What “free” means here
Three kinds of software get called free, and only one of them costs nothing to run:
| Kind | Software cost | What you still pay for |
|---|---|---|
| Open source, runs on a server | Nothing | A server, set-up, and someone to maintain it |
| Open source, runs on your computer | Nothing | Nothing, beyond a computer you likely have |
| A free trial or free tier from a vendor | Nothing at first | A licence or renewal once the trial ends |
Our guide to library software prices in Nepal covers the paid options in detail. This article sticks to software you can use without paying for a licence.
The main free options
| Software | Runs on | Needs to install | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koha | A Linux server, used through a browser | Debian or Ubuntu, Apache, MySQL, command-line skills | Universities, large colleges, networks of libraries |
| SLiMS | A web server with PHP and MySQL | A web server, or Portable SLiMS on Windows | Small and medium libraries comfortable with a local server |
| School ERP library modules | The vendor’s server | Nothing; the vendor runs it | Schools already paying for that ERP |
| Khulla | Windows, Android, Linux, or a browser | An ordinary installer, or a zip | Schools, colleges and community libraries with no IT help |
Koha: the standard for large libraries
Koha is the most widely used open-source library system in the world, and in Nepal it runs in universities, government bodies and larger colleges. EIFL has supported a shared Koha catalogue for Nepali libraries. It follows MARC21, handles many branches, and gives members an online catalogue.
The catch is installation. Koha’s download page asks for “a Linux server” and “a better than average level of skill with the command line, Apache, and MySQL tools”. Most libraries in Nepal that run it have an IT team or pay a company to host it; our guide to Koha in Nepal covers what that looks like in practice.
Choose it when you have a server, someone to maintain it, and need MARC records or several branches.
SLiMS: lighter, but still a web server
SLiMS (Senayan Library Management System) is a PHP web application popular with small and medium libraries. It covers cataloguing, circulation, membership, barcodes and a public online catalogue. It needs Apache, PHP and MySQL or MariaDB. On Windows, Portable SLiMS bundles all of these in one zip: you extract it and start the web server and database from their batch files, then open the library in a browser at a local address.
Choose it when you want an online catalogue and are comfortable starting and looking after a local web server.
Library modules in school management software
Many schools in Nepal already pay a local vendor for school management software that includes a library module. If yours does, it costs nothing extra to try. It’s rarely free on its own, though, and your records sit on the vendor’s server, so check you can export them before you rely on it.
Khulla: a desktop app, built in Nepal
Khulla is a free, open-source library system written for schools and community libraries that don’t have a server or an IT person. It installs like any other program:
- Windows 10 and 11: a normal installer that needs no administrator rights, or a portable zip you unzip and run.
- Android and Linux: ready-made downloads.
- In a browser: a demo you can open without installing anything.
The catalogue, loans and returns, members, holds, fines, barcode labels and reports all work with no internet. The interface is available in Nepali, Nepali Unicode works in titles and names, and fines are recorded in Nepalese rupees. There’s no server to set up and nothing to build from source: the downloads on the site are the finished app.
Its limits: one catalogue per computer, no online catalogue for members to search from home, and no MARC or spreadsheet import, so books are typed in one at a time.
Choose it when the library runs on one computer and the person at the desk is a teacher or volunteer, not a system administrator.
Which one fits your library
- University or large college with an IT team: Koha. It’s the standard, and your staff can share records with other Koha libraries.
- College or school with one library computer and no IT help: Khulla. It installs in a minute and works when the internet doesn’t.
- A library that wants an online catalogue and can run a local server: SLiMS.
- A school already paying for an ERP with a library module: try the module first, and check the export.
- Community library or reading room: Khulla, or a well-kept register until the collection grows.
Our comparison of open-source library software goes into Evergreen, OpenBiblio and BiblioteQ as well.
Questions to ask before choosing
- Who will install it, and who will fix it? If the answer is “the teacher-librarian”, rule out anything that needs a server.
- Does it work when the internet is down? Load-shedding and slow connections are normal in much of Nepal; the desk shouldn’t stop because of them.
- Can you get all your data out? Open-source software can always be run again later, but check there’s an export or backup you can keep.
- Does it handle Nepali? Type a few Nepali titles into the demo and search for them.
Summary
- Koha is the best free choice for large libraries with a server and IT staff.
- SLiMS is lighter but still a web server, even in its portable form.
- School ERP modules are only free if you already pay for the ERP.
- For most schools, colleges and community libraries in Nepal, a desktop app such as Khulla is the easiest free option: an ordinary Windows installer, no server, and a Nepali interface.
Questions
What is the best free library management software in Nepal?
It depends on the library. Koha suits universities and large institutions with IT staff and a server. For a school, college or community library with one computer and no IT help, a desktop system such as Khulla is easier: it installs like any Windows program, works without internet and has a Nepali interface.
Is Khulla free to use?
Yes. Khulla is open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence, with no licence fee, no subscription and no limit on books or members. The Windows installer, a portable zip, Android and Linux builds are all free downloads.
Do I need a server for free library software?
Koha needs a Linux server, and SLiMS needs a web server with PHP and a database, even when that server runs on the library's own computer. Khulla doesn't: the catalogue is a file on the computer it's installed on.
Which free library software supports Nepali?
Koha handles Nepali Unicode in the catalogue. Khulla has a full Nepali interface, accepts Nepali Unicode in titles, authors and member names, and records fines in Nepalese rupees.
Try Khulla in two minutes
Open the demo in a browser: nothing to install, no account to create. When it fits, download Khulla for Windows, Linux or Android.
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