KohaCon26 in Karlsruhe Concluded Successfully: KIT Library Honored for Its Active Open-Source Community

Karlsruhe, October 10, 2026 – A week dedicated to open source, international exchange, and collaborative innovation: KohaCon26 successfully concluded on Friday, October 9, at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). From October 5 to 9, library professionals, developers, and users of the open-source library software Koha came together to share experiences, discuss current developments, and collaborate on the software’s further development.

With over 400 registered participants from 45 countries and approximately 200 people on-site in Karlsruhe, the conference underscored the international significance of the Koha community. A particular highlight was KIT Library’s receipt of a Community Award in the “Hosting the Community” category. With this award, the international Koha community recognized both the organization of this year’s conference and KIT Library’s long-standing commitment to the community surrounding the open-source library software.

An International Community Visits Karlsruhe

Arne Upmeier, director of KIT Library, gave an enthusiastic assessment of the conference week:

It’s simply wonderful to see how the international Koha community has come together in Karlsruhe! The fact that over 400 people from 45 countries registered for KohaCon26 and around 200 of them came to Karlsruhe in person exceeds our expectations and makes us very proud. The enthusiasm, openness, and intensive exchange during this week impressively demonstrate what open source is all about: people from all over the world bringing their experiences, ideas, and commitment together to make a difference. The fact that we were able to welcome this community to KIT and were honored with the “Hosting the Community” Community Award is a very special recognition for our entire team. We will remember KohaCon26 as a week full of inspiration, connections, and shared successes.

An Award for Community in Action

Chris Cormack, one of Koha’s original developers and a longtime member of the community, praised the role of KIT Library with the following words:

KIT was the first big university library in Germany to move to Koha. They did not stop at using it. They have hosted hackfests, their people turn up in the community as contributors rather than customers, and this week they are hosting all of us. That is the whole ethic in one library: you take what the community gives you, and you put more back in than you took.

The award embodies a central tenet of the open-source movement: sustainability in software development thrives when organizations not only benefit from collaboratively developed solutions but also actively contribute their experiences, ideas, and resources to the community. KIT Library has been committed to this for years—through its use of Koha, its participation in further development, and its support of community events.

International Exchange and Collaborative Development

The conference program offered a wide range of technical presentations and hands-on workshops. Participants discussed technical advancements, accessibility, the use of artificial intelligence, electronic resource management, and experiences with the implementation and migration to Koha in various library systems.

A key component of KohaCon26 was the “Working Together Days.” Through workshops, the so-called “Hackfest,” and collaborative work on documentation and software, participants were able to directly contribute their knowledge and work together on concrete improvements. The program was complemented by guided tours of KIT Library and a cultural day, which provided opportunities for personal encounters and international exchange.

The event demonstrated that the Koha community is far more than just a network of software users: it is an international community that shares knowledge, learns from one another, and collaboratively shapes the future development of its software.

Karlsruhe as a Meeting Place for the Koha Community

With KohaCon26, Karlsruhe became the host city for the international annual conference. The fact that the conference is open to the international community and free of charge aligns with one of its fundamental principles: knowledge and opportunities for participation should be open to as many people and institutions as possible. Support from sponsors helps make this concept a reality.

To enable as many people as possible to participate, KohaCon26 was also live-streamed and recorded. This allowed members of the international Koha community who were unable to travel to Karlsruhe in person to follow the conference and take part in the technical discussions and presentations. 

With the conclusion of KohaCon26, the collaborative work continues: The connections made in Karlsruhe, the experiences shared, and the initiatives launched form the foundation for further cooperation within the international Koha community. Receiving the Community Award is not only recognition of KIT Library’s commitment but also an incentive to continue actively embodying the collaborative open-source spirit.

About Koha

Koha is a free, open-source integrated library system (ILS) developed and maintained by an international community. Libraries can adapt the software to their needs and benefit from the community’s ongoing developments. KohaCon is the international gathering of this community and combines professional exchange with the collaborative further development of the software.

Press Contact

KIT Library
Email: koha∂bibliothek.kit.edu
Website: https://www.bibliothek.kit.edu/
Further information about the conference: https://kohacon26.bibliothek.kit.edu/