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Bayonne Library Switching to Free, Open-Source Software

Recycling and Garbage collection bayonneMayor Jimmy Davis announced that the Bayonne Public Library is switching to open-source software, effective March 1.  Open-source software is free. The server will be hosted free of charge by Jersey Connect, which is provided by the New Jersey State Library.  Hardware maintenance and back-ups will also be the responsibility of the State Library. Mayor Davis said, “This is a major step forward for the library.  I would like to thank Library Director Sneh Bains for preparing the library for the technology of the future.”

                The new software license means the Bayonne Public Library and other participating institutional users will have the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change, and improve the software.

                ByWater Solutions has facilitated the library’s migration to the Integrated Library System, which is called “Koha.” That word means “gift” in Maori, the native language of New Zealand.  Koha is used by libraries around the world. After five years, the library will not be paying any license fee to any company.  Up till now, the library has been paying thousands of dollars each year in license fees. In the future, the library will own its data, and data will also be shared with other participating libraries. 

Financial aid from the State of New Jersey has been covering the $15,000 cost of migrating the library’s data.