Koha, an integrated library management system in Ubuntu 18.04

In the next article we are going to take a look at Koha. It's about a integrated open source library management system used all over the world by different libraries, schools, universities, etc. It was created in 1999 by Katipo Communications for the Horowhenua Library Trust in New Zealand. It was written in PERL and released under the GNU General Public License V3 or later.

To install koha on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, we will have to go through two processes. That is to say, installing the user interface using the terminal and installation from the graphical user interface, using a web browser. In the following lines we will see only the installation from the terminal. In process from the graphical interface it is quite intuitive.

Koha General Features

Koha has all the necessary features in an integrated library management program, among which we can find:

Una simple and clear interface for librarians and patrons.
Configurable search.
We will have user reading lists.
Complete procurement system, including estimates and appraisal information.
We will find a procurement system available simpler, for small libraries.
System for newspapers and magazines.
Koha is web-based, so can be used on dumb terminals (terminals without hard disk or specialized hardware) for consultation and management of the library.
The librarian can manage the library remotely, using a mobile phone or a personal assistant.
This software handles a extensive repertoire of reports, reports and statistics favored by the use of a relational database.

Koha installation on Ubuntu 18.04

We will start the installation of this integrated system by opening a terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T) and updating the software available in the repositories:

sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get upgrade

Install MySQL server

We continue to install the MySQL server with the command:

sudo apt-get install mysql-server

After the installation, we can check version:

mysql --version

We log in to mysql:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Now we establish:

SET GLOBAL sql_mode='';

exit;

Add the Koha repository

Then we can add the repository and its corresponding key. To do this, we use the commands in the terminal:

wget -q -O- http://debian.koha-community.org/koha/gpg.asc | sudo apt-key add -

echo 'deb http://debian.koha-community.org/koha stable main' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/koha.list

Once again, we are going to update the system by typing in the terminal:

sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get upgrade

Install Koha

At this point we can proceed to Koha installation using apt:

sudo apt-get install koha-common

Configure koha-sites

To continue, let's change management port number to 8001. We will do it editing the koha-sites.conf file using the following command:

sudo vim /etc/koha/koha-sites.conf

For this example I use the Vim editor. Inside the file you have to find the following INTRAPORT and OPACPORT lines in the file and make the changes.

INTRAPORT="8001"
OPACPORT="8000"

Once the changes are made, we save and exit.

Apache configuration

Let use a2enmod command to enable modules on Apache web server.

sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo a2enmod cgi

Then we can restart the server with the command:

sudo service apache2 restart

Create a Koha instance for the name library

sudo koha-create --create-db library

Security setting for MySQL

In the next we will perform MySQL security settings. This can be done by typing:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

When running this script, for this example I answered na (not) to the first question. Then I replied And if) to all the others.

Adding ports

Before we assigned port 8001 for Koha staff and 8000 for OPAC. Now we are going to open the configuration file:

sudo vim /etc/apache2/ports.conf

Inside we will include the following lines, which we will have to copy after the line that says Listen 80:

Listen 8001
Listen 8000

After making the changes, we save and close.

Enable modules

sudo a2dissite 000-default
sudo a2enmod deflate
sudo a2ensite library

Restart apache

We must restart again Apache:

sudo service apache2 restart

Zebra rebuild command

The next step will be rebuild the Zebra database for a Koha instance with the command:

koha-rebuild-zebra -v -f library

Password for the Koha configuration file

sudo xmlstarlet sel -t -v 'yazgfs/config/pass' /etc/koha/sites/library/koha-conf.xml

Change the password for the koha_library database

We can change the database password to our liking by editing the following file:

sudo vim /etc/koha/sites/library/koha-conf.xml

Configure MySQL for koha

sudo su

mysql -uroot -p

use mysql;

SET PASSWORD FOR 'koha_library'@'localhost' = PASSWORD('library');

flush privileges;

quit;

For this example, the password using is'library'. It must be the same as the one we set in the edited file in the previous point.

Restart memcached

sudo service memcached restart

With this we will have finished the first part of the installation.

Continue the installation from the graphical environment

To continue the installation from the graphical environment, just open a web browser and write as URL:

http://127.0.1.1:8001

After we will have to fill in the different configuration windows that we are going to find in the browser.

Once the installation is finished, we will be able to access the catalog that we configure from the URL:

http://127.0.1.1:8000

For more information about the installation of this software, possible errors when executing it or to proceed with the uninstallation, users can consult the Wiki available.

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