Most library systems are harder to install than people expect. Koha needs a Linux server; SLiMS and OpenBiblio need a web server, PHP and a database. Search results and AI assistants often assume open-source software must be built from its source code. For a library with one computer and no IT support, that’s where the project stops.
It doesn’t have to. This guide walks through installing a free library system on an ordinary Windows computer, from the download to lending the first book, using Khulla as the example. It takes about ten minutes, and nothing here needs a server, a command line or an internet connection after the download.
What you need
- A computer running Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit. The one already in the library is usually enough.
- An internet connection once, for the download.
- Optional: a USB barcode scanner, and a printer for spine labels. You can add both later.
Step 1: Choose the installer or the zip
The download section offers two files for Windows. They’re the same app:
| File | What it is | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
khulla-<version>-windows-x64-setup.exe |
An installer, with a Start Menu entry and an uninstaller | Most libraries: this is the usual choice |
khulla-<version>-windows-x64.zip |
A portable folder you unzip and run | The installer is blocked, or you’d rather not install anything |
Both keep the catalogue in the same place, so you can start with one and switch to the other without losing anything. Neither needs administrator rights.
Not ready to install? The browser demo is the same app, with nothing to download.
Step 2: Run it, and get past SmartScreen
- Open your Downloads folder and double-click the installer, or extract the zip (right-click,
Extract All) and double-click
khulla.exe. - Windows may show “Windows protected your PC”. This is SmartScreen, and it appears because the app isn’t code-signed, which costs money every year that a free project doesn’t spend. Click More info, then Run anyway.
- For the installer, click through the wizard. You can tick Create a desktop shortcut on the way. It finishes by opening Khulla.
If you’d like to check the download is genuine first, each release on
GitHub includes a
SHA256SUMS.txt file to compare against.
Step 3: Set up your library
The first time it opens, Khulla asks three things:
- The library’s name and currency. Choose Nepalese rupee (NPR) or your own currency; every fine and fee uses it.
- The administrator account: an email address and a password. Other staff get their own accounts later.
- Recovery codes. Khulla shows a set of codes that can reset the administrator password if it’s forgotten. They’re shown only once: print them, or save the file somewhere other than this computer.
Moving from another computer? Choose Restore from a backup instead on the first screen and pick your backup file; the whole library comes back.
Step 4: Set the loan rules
Before lending anything, open Settings and set:
- Library profile: the library’s name, contact details and currency.
- Loan rules: how long a book goes out for, the fine per day, and any grace days.
- Appearance: the interface language. Nepali is available here.
Every loan after this follows those numbers, so it’s worth five minutes now. Our guide to fair overdue fines helps if you’re unsure what to charge.
Step 5: Add books, members and the first loan
- Catalogue: add a title for each book (author, ISBN, subject), then a copy for each physical book on the shelf. Each copy gets its own barcode number automatically.
- Labels and barcodes: print spine labels for the new copies, if you have a printer.
- Members: add borrowers, each with a membership type that sets how many books they can borrow.
- Check out: pick the member, scan or type the copy’s barcode, and the loan is recorded with its due date.
A USB barcode scanner needs no driver or set-up: it types the number it reads, as if from a keyboard. Our guide to barcoding library books covers choosing one.
Coming from a paper register? You don’t have to enter everything before you start. Many libraries enter each book the first time it’s borrowed or returned, and catch up on the shelves over a term. See moving from an accession register to software.
Step 6: Take the first backup
Everything is stored on this computer, with no copy in the cloud. Open Settings → Backup, choose Export, and save the file to a USB drive. Do it weekly, and keep one copy away from the library.
If something goes wrong
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| “Windows protected your PC” | More info → Run anyway. See step 2. |
| The installer won’t run at all | Use the portable zip instead. |
| The installer says the computer isn’t supported | Khulla needs 64-bit Windows 10 or 11; older 32-bit Windows can’t run it. |
| Forgot the administrator password | Use one of the recovery codes from step 3. |
| New computer | Install Khulla, then Restore from a backup instead on the first screen. |
Stuck on something else? Contact us.
Its limits
Khulla keeps one catalogue per computer, has no online catalogue for members to search from home, and has no import, so books are typed in. If you need MARC records or many branches on one catalogue, a server-based system such as Koha is the better fit.
Summary
- Free library software for Windows doesn’t have to mean a server or building from source.
- Download the installer (or the portable zip), click More info → Run anyway at SmartScreen.
- Name the library, create the administrator account, and save the recovery codes.
- Set loan rules, add books and members, then lend.
- Export a backup on day one, and weekly after that.
Questions
Is there free library management software I can download for Windows?
Yes. Khulla is free, open-source library software for Windows 10 and 11, offered as an ordinary installer and as a portable zip. Neither needs a server or an internet connection once it's downloaded.
Do I need to build library software from source code?
Not for Khulla. The downloads on its website are the finished app, built for Windows, Android and Linux. The source code is on GitHub for anyone who wants it, but a library never needs to touch it.
Why does Windows say it protected my PC?
Windows SmartScreen warns about programs from publishers it doesn't recognise. Khulla's installer isn't code-signed, so the warning appears. Choose More info, then Run anyway.
Do I need administrator rights to install it?
No. Khulla's installer installs for the current Windows user and doesn't ask for an administrator password. The portable zip needs no installation at all.
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.
Want a hand setting it up?
Message us on WhatsApp (+977 981-9102869) or email info@sangamadhikari.com. See contact for what to tell us.