Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Date of this Version
2022
Document Type
Article
Abstract
The core aim of the study was to assess KOHA and SLiMS features in Government College Libraries of Sindh. The objectives of the study were (a) to explore the reasons of Koha and SLiMS adoption and (b) to recognize the problems face by library professionals in the implementation of Koha and SLiMS. To meet the objectives, the study used a quantitative research approach and the survey method based on the questionnaire. Purposive sampling technique was used. The data was gathered only from those librarians who were working in Govt Colleges of Karachi, Hyderabad, and Sukkur and were using Koha or SLiM software for the purpose of library automation. The response was received from 73 librarians out of 97. This study found that libraries were adopting Koha because Koha provided search facility for copy cataloguing through Z39.50, Koha provides multilingual support. It has popularity among professional community. It provides MARC21 standard for cataloguing and provision of discovery features. This study discovered that libraries adopted SLiMS due to availability of Web OPAC, MARC21 standard for cataloguing, multilingual support, and search facility for copy cataloguing through Z39.50. The study highlighted that library professionals encountered problems during the implementation of Koha included shortage of skilled manpower to install and maintain the software, shortage of finance for hardware requirement, and up-gradation of Koha versions development of software. The present study reported that requirement of highly networked and integrated environment, up gradation of SLiMS versions, support issues of UTF-8 languages, and shortage of finance for hardware requirement were the major problems in the implementation of SLiMS software.