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Instead of ABCD

ABCD alternatives

ABCD brings cataloguing, public access, circulation and purchasing into a configurable system for libraries, archives and museums. It supports MARC, ISAD-G, Dublin Core and custom database models, with tools for validation, pick-lists, tailored displays, exports and printing. Institutions can import records through Z39.50, harvest OAI metadata and provide borrower access. Free pricing and on-premise deployment can suit organisations that want control over their database structures and local workflows across Linux, Windows and the web.

1. 1 L

   Librarika

   Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+4

   Hosted, multi-branch libraries with mobile access — Librarika adds hosted delivery, mobile apps, branch management, reservations, SIP2 and SAML SSO beyond ABCD.

   7.4 Free plan · paid from $139/yr Visit site
2. 2 S

   SLiMS

   Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+2

   Libraries needing digital attachments and detailed reporting — SLiMS adds attached office files, media, MODS and JSON-LD records, configurable loan rules, stocktaking and statistics.

   7.0 Free plan Visit site
3. 3 P

   Pinakes

   Free plan AndroidAPISelf-hosted+1

   Self-hosted schools and collections with digital lending — Pinakes adds ebook and audiobook streaming, ISBN imports, reservation queues, REST APIs and SRU export alongside library workflows.

   7.1 Open source Visit site
4. 4 K

   Koha

   Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1

   Consortia and libraries needing broad standards support — Koha provides serials, authorities, label printing, notices, offline circulation and extensive MARC, SIP2 and NCIP interoperability.

   7.4 Free plan Visit site
5. 5 O

   OpenLibry

   Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1

   School libraries prioritising local privacy — OpenLibry focuses on school members, classes, barcode loans, Excel imports and local hosting without external servers.

   7.2 Free plan Visit site
6. 6 L

   LibraryWorld

   Free plan AndroidiPhoneWeb

   Libraries wanting hosted automation and a trial — LibraryWorld adds serials, barcode circulation, email receipts, self-service circulation, discovery interfaces and mobile search.

   7.2 From $540/yr · 30-day trial Visit site
7. 7 O

   Orell Library Management Software

   Paid AndroidiPhoneWeb

   Educational institutions needing RFID and digital resources — Orell adds RFID and smart-card circulation, digital-resource reading, procurement, inventory reconciliation and SMS or email alerts.

   5.4 Pricing on request Visit site
8. 8

   Abraquest

   Free trial Windows
   6.1 From £149.95 · 14-day trial Visit site
9. 9 L

   LibStack

   Free trial AndroidiPhoneWeb
   6.1 14-day trial Visit site
10. 10

    Artemis

    Free trial Web
    6.0 Pricing on request Visit site
11. 11 R

    ResourceMate

    Free trial LinuxMacWeb+1
    5.9 From $495 Visit site
12. 12

    Accessit Library

    Paid AndroidiPhoneWeb
    5.8 Pricing on request Visit site
13. 13

    Atriuum

    Paid AndroidiPhoneWeb
    5.8 Visit site
14. 14

    Lyra

    Free trial Web
    5.7 From $795/yr · 30-day trial Visit site
15. 15 A

    Abracadabra.net

    Paid Web
    5.6 From £299 Visit site
16. 16 M

    Mandarin M5

    Paid Self-hostedWebWindows
    5.5 From $500/yr Visit site
17. 17 R

    ReadByte

    Free trial Web
    5.5 From £99/yr Visit site
18. 18

    Surpass

    Free trial WebWindows
    5.5 From $55/mo (annual) Visit site
19. 19 D

    DS School Library Management System

    Paid Web
    5.4 Pricing on request Visit site
20. 20 O

    Oliver

    Paid APIWeb
    5.3 Pricing on request Visit site
21. 21 S

    Sonet Library Management

    Paid Web
    3.9 Pricing on request Visit site

An alternative may fit better if you want hosted service, mobile applications, school-focused administration or broader digital-content support. ABCD’s Backup Manager requires the PHP zip extension, and its platform coverage is narrower than several options here. Compare who hosts the system, how catalog records enter and leave, which circulation and reporting tasks are covered, and whether branches, identity integrations, ebooks or media access matter. Check each product’s pricing model and deployment requirements against the staff time and infrastructure your institution can provide.

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