“Open source” appears on most lists of free library software, usually without an explanation. For a library choosing a system, it matters more than it seems: it decides whether the software can be taken away from you, what you’re allowed to do with it, and what it really costs. Here’s what it means in practice.
What “open source” means
Open-source software is published with its source code, under a licence that lets anyone:
- use it, for any purpose,
- study how it works,
- change it,
- share it, changed or not.
The Open Source Initiative maintains the definition, and approves the licences that meet it.
Why it matters to a library
Nobody can take it away
With a subscription product, the company decides the price, the features and whether it continues. If it closes or is sold, your catalogue goes with it. Open-source software can’t be withdrawn: the code is public, and anyone can keep running it, fix it or pay someone else to.
No licence fees
There’s nothing to pay for the software itself, however many books, members or staff you have.
Your data stays yours
Open-source systems store data in documented formats, and you can see exactly how. Moving to another system is easier when nothing about your data is secret.
A community, not a vendor
Popular projects have communities of libraries, developers and support companies. You can ask for help, hire anyone to customise it, or contribute improvements back.
What it doesn’t mean
- Free to run. Server-based systems need a server, hosting and maintenance. See what Koha really costs.
- Free support. Community help is generous but not guaranteed; paid support is available for the larger projects.
- Automatically better. Judge it like any product: features, ease of use, how actively it’s maintained.
The licences, briefly
Open-source licences fall into two broad families.
| Family | Examples | What it asks |
|---|---|---|
| Permissive | MIT, BSD, Apache | Keep the copyright notice. Changed versions can be kept private. |
| Copyleft | GPL, AGPL | If you distribute a changed version, share its source under the same licence. |
The AGPL (GNU Affero General Public License) adds one thing to the GPL: offering a changed version to users over a network, as a hosted service, counts the same as distributing it. So a company that modifies AGPL software and runs it as a paid service has to publish its changes. The AGPL’s Wikipedia entry explains the history: it closes the loophole that let hosted services keep changes to GPL software private.
For a library that installs the software and uses it, none of these licences asks for anything. The conditions only apply to people who distribute or host changed versions.
Open-source library systems
| System | Licence | How it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Koha | GPL-3.0 | Server, used in a browser |
| Evergreen | GPL-2.0 | Server, for library networks |
| SLiMS | GPL-3.0 | PHP web application |
| OpenBiblio | GPL-2.0 | PHP web application |
| BiblioteQ | BSD-3-Clause | Desktop app |
| Khulla | AGPL-3.0 | App for Windows, Linux, Android and the web |
See open-source library management software, compared for who each one suits, and library software without a server for what “server” in that last column means for a small library.
Khulla’s licence
Khulla is open source under the AGPL-3.0. Any library, school, college or NGO can download it, use it for its own collection, study it and change it, at no cost. If someone distributes Khulla, or lets people use a modified version over a network, they must share that version’s source under the same licence.
For organisations whose plans don’t fit those terms, such as selling a closed, rebranded version or hosting it without sharing changes, a separate commercial licence is available. For a library using Khulla as it is, the AGPL asks nothing at all.
Questions to ask about any open-source system
- Is it maintained? When was the last release? Are issues answered?
- Can you run it? Does it need a server and someone to maintain it?
- Can you export your data in an open format?
- Is there help? A community forum, documentation, paid support if you need it?
- What’s the licence, and does anything you plan to do (host it for others, resell it) trigger its conditions?
Summary
- Open source means anyone can use, study, change and share the software.
- For a library, that means no licence fees, no lock-in, and data you control.
- It doesn’t mean free to run or guaranteed support.
- Licences only ask something of people who distribute or host changed versions.
- Check maintenance, running costs and data export before you choose.
Questions
What is open-source library software?
Library software whose source code is published under a licence that lets anyone use, study, change and share it. Koha, Evergreen, SLiMS, OpenBiblio, BiblioteQ and Khulla are examples.
Is open-source library software really free?
The software costs nothing to download and use. Running it may still cost money: a server, hosting, set-up or training, depending on the system. Desktop apps avoid most of those costs.
What does the AGPL licence mean for a library?
For a library that installs the software and uses it, nothing: it can use it freely. The AGPL's conditions apply to people who distribute a modified version or offer one to others over a network; they must share their changes.
Is open-source library software safe to use?
As safe as the project behind it. Check that it's actively maintained, that releases are published regularly, and that you can back up and export your data.
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