Wellington to celebrate Koha’s 25 years transforming libraries

Wellington will host library technology professionals and advocates from around the globe as the city celebrates the 25th anniversary of Koha, an open-source library management system used by more than 20,000 libraries worldwide. The milestone will be marked by KohaCon25, a week-long event bringing together users and developers to discuss the platform's future and ongoing development.

Global adoption

Koha was first developed 25 years ago by a team in Horowhenua, New Zealand, to address a Y2K bug issue for a local library. Since then, it has become a widely used open-source solution for cataloguing, circulation, and library management, adopted by institutions ranging from community libraries to academic organisations. The software is maintained and improved by a distributed community of contributors.

The conference is expected to attract approximately 200 participants from both local and international libraries, reinforcing New Zealand's influence in the digital library sector. The week will feature expert-led presentations, collaborative coding sessions, and cultural exploration around Wellington.

Community development

Support and development for Koha have been ongoing since 2009 through organisations such as Catalyst, a technology firm that has been closely involved with the platform's progress. Community-driven development has been central to Koha's evolution, with volunteers and professionals contributing updates and features to match the changing needs of libraries worldwide.

"This could be one of New Zealand's best kept technology success stories. Koha's 25-year journey exemplifies what's possible when communities collaborate toward a common goal. The platform's open source nature has enabled unique innovation that responds to the changing needs of galleries, libraries, archives, museums and records organisations worldwide - solving problems and presenting opportunities for global collections around taonga," said Chris Cormack, Kohacon25 Organiser.

Conference highlights

The KohaCon25 programme includes a three-day main conference with contributions from technology leaders and library experts. Among the speakers, Peter-Lucas Jones, Chief Executive of Te Hiku Media, will discuss ethical and indigenous perspectives on artificial intelligence. Kirikowhai Mikaere, Lead Technician at Te Kāhui Raraunga, will address digital sovereignty and indigenous knowledge systems, reflecting ongoing discussions about the role of technology in cultural preservation.

Delegates will also have opportunities to participate in collaborative development, working on code to further improve and adapt Koha for its wide range of users. The schedule includes visits to local institutions such as Te Papa, Zealandia, Weta Cave and the Wellington City Library, as well as social events that promote informal networking among guests.

Continued evolution

Events like KohaCon25 underscore a quarter-century of changes in how libraries manage and share information. The platform's open-source approach enables it to adapt to new challenges and requirements across various regions and library types. Community involvement will continue to play a central role in its evolution.

"As the community gathers for KohaCon25 in Wellington, we're excited to help continue shaping the next chapter of this platform," said Don Christie, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Catalyst. "It's a really compelling story about how Levin has changed libraries across the world."