Everything you need to launch your library.
Registration, data migration, admin access and support — the full walkthrough for getting your Koha instance live with BestBook Buddies.
10 steps to start your library
From registration to going live — here's the full sequence, in order.
- Register your library. Begin the process by submitting your registration with BestBook Buddies.
- Receive confirmation. You'll get a Confirmation of Registration by email once your registration is processed.
- Read these FAQs in detail. They cover data migration, credentials, pricing and support in full.
- Collect the required files. Download the data-migration and information files listed in the Downloads section below.
- Fill and return the info form. Download and complete the form, then email it back to us immediately with all requested details.
- Receive your instance credentials. Your Koha-Library instance URL, OPAC login and Admin login will be sent to you by email.
- Change your admin password. Do this immediately for security — full steps are in the section below.
- Upload your data. Bring your bibliography and patron records into your new instance.
- Set your library rules. Configure circulation and membership rules to match how your library runs.
- Go live. Start using your Koha library with all standard features.
Change your admin password
Do this the moment you receive your credentials.
Your admin login controls every part of your Koha instance. Setting a password only you know is the single most important first step after go-live.
Takes under a minute- Log in to your admin page using the credentials sent to you by email.
- Click your name, "admin", in the top-right menu.
- Select My Account from the drop-down list.
- On your account page, click Change Password to set a new one.
- Choose a unique combination of characters and numbers for safety.
Downloads
Everything referenced in the onboarding steps above, in one place.
Detailed FAQs
Credentials, data migration, support channels and our commitment on hosting.
The Terms & Conditions (our proposal)
The Terms & Conditions (our proposal), agreed between us at the time of your registration, are readily available as Terms and Conditions.
The Terms & Conditions for ICAR institutions (our proposal), agreed between us at the time of your registration, are readily available as Terms and Conditions with ICAR Institutions.
What credentials will I receive?
You'll receive your OPAC and Koha admin details by email once your instance is created:
- OPAC: http://(short name of your library).bestbookbuddies.com
- Admin URL, login name and password for your Koha instance.
For security, change your admin password immediately on receiving these — see the steps above.
What's the on-boarding process at BBB?
Send us the info form filled in with all requested details — this creates your Koha instance and guides you through the rest of the process. You'll then prepare your data for migration from Libsys, MySQL, MS SQL, MS Access, a flat file, or XLS.
The data from any of the above needs to be brought into the XLS file available as Excel data file templates.
For Libsys data, the steps are given as Export data from Libsys → BBB.
Please note that import of data from any proprietary application may not be 100% successful due to restrictions of that application, and you will accordingly be required to complete those parts after migration to Koha.
Where can I get help using Koha?
Beyond the Koha Community website, help is available through:
- The Koha manual, for reference documentation.
- Video tutorials covering the core features.
- Our user forum — a help desk built by and for Koha users at BBB, where you can search past answers or ask new questions. It's also a chance to build community with other libraries on the platform.
On request, we also offer paid training over Skype or in person where feasible, delivered directly or through support partners, as an optional service.
Is hosting really free forever?
Yes. As committed in the terms and conditions: once your Koha data is with us on the current stable release (Koha 16.x), hosting, maintenance and upgrades are provided at no cost, for as long as you're with BBB.
I'm already on Koha — how do I move to BBB?
Take a backup of your current instance, upgrade it to the current stable release (Koha 16.x), and send us the SQL backup file to get started.
Are there any charges for migration or backups?
Most services are free once you're on BBB, with a few nominal exceptions for older or non-Koha data:
All future upgrades remain free of cost, per the terms and conditions. Regular backups of your Koha instance are also provided at no charge.
How complete is data migration from other systems?
We can't guarantee 100% completeness when migrating from a proprietary format. We try multiple extraction methods, but some fields can go missing due to restrictions in the source software — these can be re-entered directly in Koha's interface after migration.
Who should hold admin access, and what about backups?
As an expert librarian, you'll know misuse or mistakes by an untrained admin can damage your instance. We recommend keeping admin access with one trained, responsible person, and taking a backup every week.
Most damage can be repaired from a backup. If it goes beyond that, rebuilding your instance requires special effort, billed at US$15 per hour — so it pays to be careful with admin access.
Where can I find the Terms & Conditions?
The Terms & Conditions agreed at the time of your registration are available for download above, along with a separate version for ICAR institutions.