Librarian as data migrator: a functional pathway from Millennium to Koha
| Date | 12 February 2018 |
| Pages | 60-69 |
| Published date | 12 February 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/DLP-09-2017-0035 |
| Author | Christopher R. Todd |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library technology,Records management & preservation,Information repositories |
Librarian as data migrator:
a functional pathway from
Millennium to Koha
Christopher R. Todd
Barco Law Library, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Abstract
Purpose –This case study aims to demonstratethat in-house integrated library systems migrationcan be
accomplished by a dedicated team of librarians without advanced tools or prior experience with data
migrationor systems integration.
Design/methodology/approach –This migration was accomplished by academic librarians using
freely availabletools: OpenOffice Calc, MarcEdit and theKoha Integrated Library System.
Findings –The data migration pathway presentedhere was developed and successfully used to transfer
over 48,000records in less than two months.
Practical implications –This case study presents an original process that is particularly effective for
smaller libraries.
Originality/value –While similar case studies exist, most employ expensivethird-party contractors for
data migrationor rely heavily on institutional IT departments.
Keywords Systems integration, Koha, Integrated library system, Data migration,
Library cataloging, Millennium
Paper type Case study
Introduction
While integrated library systems (ILS) are a crucial element of modern library services,
many institutions are hampered by expensive proprietary systems with limited access to
training or customization. A great deal of professional literature explores the benefits of
migrating to an open-source ILS; however, many libraries outsource the more technically
challenging migration processes. This case study records the experiences of faculty
librarians at a small college librarywho completed a Millennium to Koha migration without
reliance on IT personnelor third-party assistance.
Our migration team performed an extensive literature review in preparation for the
transition to Koha. The majority of case studies published on this topic fell into two categories:
(1) ILS migrations that relied heavily on an IT department; and
(2) those that were performed by a third-party contractor.
Migrations at the New York University Health Science Library and the Arcadia University
library depended on substantial involvement of a robust IT department (Walls, 2010;Kohn
and McCloy, 2010). Whereas the Paine College Library and the New York Academy of
Medicine utilized outside companies for data migration services (Dennison, 2011;Genoese
and Keith, 2011).
Restricted by a timeline of less than two months, our team at the Northern Marianas
College Library resolved to complete the migration from Millennium to Koha without any
DLP
34,1
60
Received25 September 2017
Revised25 September 2017
Accepted3 October 2017
DigitalLibrary Perspectives
Vol.34 No. 1, 2018
pp. 60-69
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2059-5816
DOI 10.1108/DLP-09-2017-0035
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
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