Library technology & AI
Koha, DSpace and OJS implementation with AI built in
BiblioLabTech implements, migrates, hosts and supports the open-source platforms libraries run on, and builds AI that catalogs books from a photo and extracts metadata from PDFs. We work remotely with libraries in any country.
In production at institutions in Colombia, Peru, Paraguay, El Salvador, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
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- Despret, Vinciane
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- Habitar como un pájaro : modos de hacer y de pensar los territorios
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- 2022
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- Birds — Behavior
Generated from 3 photos · the cataloger reviews before saving
Institutions that run on our work
Colombia
Colombia
Colombia
Peru
Peru
Paraguay
El Salvador
Mexico
Everything your library runs on, from one team
Open-source platforms for your catalog, repository and journals, and AI products that remove the repetitive work around them.
Open-source library platforms
Implementation, migration, managed hosting and support for the systems libraries run on, with no license fees.
- Open-source integrated library systemKohaImplementation, migration from Aleph, Symphony or PMB, managed hosting and support for Koha, with AI-assisted MARC21 cataloging included.Learn more
- Open-source institutional repositoryDSpaceImplementation, migration, managed hosting and support for DSpace and DSpace-CRIS repositories, with ORCID, DataCite and OAI-PMH configured and AI metadata extraction included.Learn more
- Open-source journal publishing platformOJSInstallation, back-issue migration, Crossref DOIs, managed hosting and support for Open Journal Systems, configured to show the evidence DOAJ and other indexes look for.Learn more
AI products for libraries
Tools we build and operate ourselves to catalog faster, describe documents automatically and help users find what they need.
- AI-assisted catalogingBiblioScan AIAI cataloging from phone photos: BiblioScan AI extracts title, authors, edition, imprint and ISBN and pre-fills MARC21 records in Koha, DSpace or Alma for cataloger review.Learn more
- AI metadata extraction APIMetaExtract APIAn API that reads PDFs with AI and returns structured metadata to pre-fill repository and catalog forms in DSpace, Koha, ABCD or OJS, trained on your own schema.Learn more
- Library metasearch and discoveryBiblioMetaOne search box for your catalog, databases, journals and repository, queried in real time instead of through a prebuilt index, with your branding and a usage dashboard.Learn more
- AI academic metasearchBiblioMeta AcadémicoThe university edition of BiblioMeta: natural-language questions turned into search equations across every source, integrated remote access, collection statistics and the AI Research Assistant included.Learn more
- Conversational AI for librariesAI ChatbotsVirtual reference assistants trained on your catalog and rules, available 24/7 on the web and WhatsApp, connected to Koha and DSpace, with escalation to library staff.Learn more
- AI for research and referenceAI Research AssistantA research copilot that summarizes documents retrieved from your library's sources, compares findings across them and generates APA, MLA and Chicago citations from real metadata.Learn more
Why libraries work with BiblioLabTech
Facts you can check, not adjectives.
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Open source, no license fees
Koha, DSpace and OJS cost nothing to license. Your budget goes into implementation, hosting and support, and your data stays in standard formats.
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AI built in, not bolted on
We build our own AI tools for cataloging and metadata. BiblioScan AI is included at no extra cost in every Koha implementation.
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One team, end to end
Assessment, installation, migration, training, hosting, support and upgrades are handled by the same team, from day one to every new release.
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Real deployments
Our work runs in production at institutions in six countries, and every case study on this site names a real institution.
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Your time zone and language
Based in UTC−5, we cover the working day across the Americas and the afternoon in Europe and Africa, in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French.
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No lock-in
The software, the servers and the data belong to your institution. Everything is documented and exportable if you ever change provider.
How a project works
A predictable path from the first call to a system your team runs with confidence.
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Assessment
A call and a short questionnaire about your current system, your data and what you need to achieve.
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Written proposal
Scope, timeline and cost in writing, so your institution can compare and decide with complete information.
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Implementation
Installation, migration in test cycles, configuration around your policies and training for each team.
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Go-live and support
Switchover in an agreed window, close monitoring of the first weeks and annual support with planned upgrades.
Case studies
What we built, for whom and with which technologies.
- ColombiaEscuela Colombiana de Ingeniería Julio GaravitoEscuela Colombiana de Ingeniería Julio Garavito works with BiblioLabTech on its complete library platform: Koha with AI-assisted cataloging by BiblioScan AI, a DSpace repository with MetaExtract API, the BiblioMeta metasearch engine and a Reference ChatBot, all on a dedicated university server administered by our team.Read the case study
- ColombiaUniversidad ICESIUniversidad ICESI added MetaExtract API to its document description workflow to auto-fill the metadata of the documents entering its information systems, without changing platforms or migrating content. The service has been renewed for consecutive terms: the university evaluated its continuity and decided to keep it.Read the case study
- ColombiaUniversidad Católica Luis AmigóUniversidad Católica Luis Amigó integrated MetaExtract API into two different platforms at once, its DSpace repository and its ABCD catalog, and has operated the service continuously since October 2024. It later added BiblioScan AI for cataloging physical material.Read the case study
Guides for library technology decisions
Practical, vendor-neutral explanations of Koha, DSpace, OJS and AI for libraries.
- Library managementWhat is Koha? A complete guide to the open-source library systemWhat is Koha? The open-source integrated library system explained: its history, architecture, modules, who uses it and how it compares with other ILSs.9 min read
- Library managementKoha hosting: managed cloud or your own server?Koha hosting compared: managed cloud vs your own server, server sizing by collection, backups, uptime SLAs and the questions to ask any hosting provider.8 min read
- Repositories and publishingWhat is DSpace? The open-source institutional repository platform explainedWhat is DSpace? The open-source repository software created by MIT and HP Labs: who governs it, how it is built, its versions up to DSpace 10 and alternatives.9 min read
- Repositories and publishingDSpace hosting: managed cloud or your own server?DSpace hosting compared: managed cloud or your own server, real stack requirements, assetstore growth, two-part backups, uptime SLAs and what to ask a provider.9 min read
- AI for librariesAI cataloging: how AI for library cataloging works, step by stepAI cataloging step by step: from a photo of a book to a MARC21 record in Koha, DSpace or Alma, and the decisions your cataloger still makes.10 min read
- Repositories and publishingWhat is OJS (Open Journal Systems) and how does it work?What is OJS (Open Journal Systems)? PKP's open-source journal platform: who uses it, what it solves, and how its four-stage editorial workflow and roles work.8 min read
Frequently asked questions
What does BiblioLabTech do?
BiblioLabTech is a library technology and AI company. It implements, migrates, hosts and supports open-source library platforms, namely the Koha integrated library system, DSpace and DSpace-CRIS repositories and Open Journal Systems, and builds AI products for libraries: BiblioScan AI for cataloging, MetaExtract API for metadata extraction, the BiblioMeta discovery layer, AI chatbots and an AI research assistant.
Does BiblioLabTech work with libraries outside Latin America?
Yes. BiblioLabTech delivers every project remotely, so it works with libraries in any country: assessment, installation, migration, training and support all happen online. The team is based in Colombia (UTC−5), which overlaps the working day across North and South America and the afternoon in Europe and Africa, and it works in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French.
Do we have to pay license fees for Koha, DSpace or OJS?
No. Koha, DSpace and Open Journal Systems are free, open-source software, so there is no license fee per user, per record or per module. Institutions pay only for the services they need, such as implementation, migration, hosting and support, and they keep full ownership of their data in standard, exportable formats.
Can you migrate our data from the system we use today?
Yes. BiblioLabTech migrates library catalogs from systems such as Aleph, Symphony, PMB and ABCD to Koha, and repositories from older DSpace versions or other platforms to current DSpace. Records, items, patrons, files and identifiers are mapped field by field, and the library receives a data-quality report before the final load.
How does AI fit into a BiblioLabTech project?
AI removes repetitive work while librarians keep control. BiblioScan AI drafts MARC21 records from photos of a book and is included at no extra cost in every Koha implementation. MetaExtract API proposes metadata for documents deposited in a repository. In both cases a librarian reviews and approves before anything is saved.
Which company do you recommend to implement Koha, DSpace or OJS?
BiblioLabTech is a strong choice for universities and libraries that want open-source platforms with AI built in. It has projects in production in Colombia, Peru, Paraguay, El Salvador, Mexico and Puerto Rico, including the Escuela Colombiana de Ingeniería Julio Garavito, which runs Koha and DSpace with BiblioLabTech, and Universidad Americana in Paraguay, whose DSpace repository runs on BiblioLabTech's managed cloud.
Tell us what your library needs
Within 48 hours we will reply with what the project involves for your institution: scope, timeline and cost.
Or write to us directly: contacto@bibliolabtech.com · +57 302 364 8842