The Colibrí program began its development in 2010 as a result of the experience gained in teaching library management systems within the course «Automation of Information Units», part of the Documentation studies at UCM. Based on an analysis of its operation, the main weaknesses and improvements necessary for a new library management system were identified, incorporating the latest advances in bibliographic catalog syndication and redistribution.

Logotipo del programa de gestión integral de bibliotecas Colibrí

Logo of the Colibrí integrated library management program

Colibrí is designed for easy and rapid implementation in libraries and information centers with collections ranging from 1,000 to 700,000 documents. The guiding philosophy of the entire project is simple: «made by librarians for librarians,» ensuring adaptability to any type of library. The program is conceived to accommodate future document types and authority formats, providing maximum descriptive capacity inspired by MARC, ISBD, ISAD-G, and ISAAR-CPF standards.

On the other hand, one of the features that distinguish Colibrí from other comprehensive library management systems is that the information is not owned by Colibrí, but by you. This means there are no limits on the import and export of bibliographic records or any information entered by the library. The program does not retain content, fully respecting ownership and the free disposition of data by your library, offering a level of freedom comparable to any open-source software.

Colibrí is also pioneering in pre-cataloging processes. In addition to traditional procedures for importing and retrieving bibliographic records via Z39.50 (currently under development), it offers alternative methods that enable the retrieval of bibliographic records from third-party libraries or bookstores by scanning their commercial UPC barcode. This assists librarians during the initial document analysis.

Another common demand among libraries is the availability of simple cataloging forms tailored to each document type. Colibrí has addressed this need, as a specialized cataloging model saves time and enhances document retrieval capabilities. Thus, it is possible to specialize cataloging for Conference Proceedings, Seminars, Workshops, Audiovisual Materials, Catalogs, Brochures, Photographs, Reports, Legislation, Manuscripts, Maps, Monographs, Reference Works, Periodical Publications, Web Resources, Reprints, and all derived document subtypes.

The future of item location lies in phototopography, and Colibrí has already implemented it. This allows precise tracing of a document’s location—from the building, through the floor, room, shelf, and folder—identifying each element with its corresponding topographic code.

Another advantage of Colibrí is its triple classification system: whether using a multilingual thesaurus with four levels of depth, primary and secondary decimal classification, or semantic tagging, the librarian has the freedom to choose the method best suited for creating access points to the document.

Regarding Colibrí’s graphical interface, it is designed to keep all essential options and functionalities visible at all times, enabling the librarian to perform documentary tasks efficiently. It does not generate pop-ups or new windows with information; instead, Colibrí has fully integrated these elements, avoiding unnecessary distractions and artificial complexities. Moreover, Colibrí not only integrates all standard ILS functions but also includes the library’s homepage and direct access to the OPAC, significantly reducing the number of clicks required to reach the catalog and key institutional information.

Colibrí is designed with semantic capability, allowing for the creation of various relationships among documents, their authorities, and the tags that classify them. Although not implemented in versions 2.0 and 2.1, this feature is planned for introduction in version 2.2 with an integrated automatic semantic inference engine within the OPAC.

Web positioning techniques applied to Colibrí enable the description of the library’s homepage and bibliographic records in the OPAC using diverse metadata, significantly enhancing the institution’s visibility on the web and its retrieval capability outside it, for example on Google.

Colibrí is a pioneering program in implementing modernized call numbers with QR codes, meaning that with a code reader or even a simple mobile phone, it is possible to load the web page of the book’s catalog record. Thus, users can instantly access additional information.

Regarding the OPAC design, it meets industry standards with a simple and clean interface, allowing full-text searches, queries by specific fields, filtering by document types, authorities, and classification, as well as multiple display modes—gallery, basic, and advanced—ensuring maximum relevance in search results.

Versions

2.1 – 2013-10-21 – [in development]

2.0 – 2013-01-19 – Stable version

1.0 – 2010-10-21 – Base program version. Development initiation

System Requirements

  • Apache2 + PHP5 + MySQL5+ server (for example, a distribution such as AppServ or Xampp with basic libraries would enable optimal functionality)
  • Multiplatform: Windows, Linux, MacOS

Specifications

  • Pre-cataloging Module. The pre-cataloging interface enables immediate retrieval of document information through scanning of its commercial barcode, assignment of the cover image, classification of document type, authority control, and topophotographic location.
  • Registration Module. Emulates a library register book containing all pre-cataloged, cataloged, and registered documents. Allows editing of records, cataloging, duplication, deletion, linking, and retrieval of any document.
  • Cataloging Module. Enables visualization and cataloging of all document types, management of linked records and copies, topophotographic location, automatic call number assignment, and full-text retrieval. The system includes a variable and specialized cataloging method tailored for each document type, fully adapted for comprehensive description.
  • Periodicals Module. Catalog of periodical publications, multi-level editing, item cataloging, article-level document analysis, and journal emptying.
  • Authorities Module. Allows comprehensive description of authorities: personal, corporate, familial, collections, conferences, publishers, places, and series. The system also enables creation of new authority types not originally specified.
  • Classification Module. Thesaurus (multi-level and multilingual), Dewey Decimal Classification, and semantic labeling system.
  • Loans and Circulation Module. Designed to manage loans, returns, reservations, and verification of circulating items.
  • Reporting Module. Printing of barcode labels (Code39) and signatures (with QR code) on standardized label sheets; statistics on distribution of the collection by document type, status, subject classification, labels, and decimal classification. Also includes reports on user types, subscriptions, current loans, overdue items, and pending reservations.
  • DSI Module. Content syndication is applied as the primary method of redissemination according to the query filter established by the administrator. It also provides an alert service via mass email distribution lists for users.
  • Configuration Module. Designed to easily modify all aspects of the library management system. Allows editing of all user types, authorities, loan policies, periodicity, semantic relationship types, authority functions, conservation statuses, analysis phases, loan statuses, media types, rights, rights case scenarios, etc. Also includes configuration of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), OPAC page settings, and default values.
  • Users and Administrators Module. User and administrator registration, along with configuration of restrictions, functions, and privileges.
  • Maintenance Module. Functions for table optimization, defragmentation, repair, reindexing, alphabetization, signature generation, and character replacement.
  • Data Migration Module. Import and export in CSV, SQL, and XML formats (MARC, MARC-XML coming soon).
  • OPAC. Online Public Access Catalog with integrated library website. Triple visualization method. Filtering system by document type, authority type, authorities, and classification. Includes link and QR code with permalink. Allows export of marked records, automatic citations, and references.

    • Updates in version 2.1

    • Syndicated collective catalogs. Retrieval of bibliographic records through content syndication, collective transfer, and querying.
    • Z39.50 protocol. Functions for retrieval and pre-cataloging have been incorporated.
    • Import and export of records in MARC and MARC-XML formats

    Updates in version 2.2

    • Acquisitions module. Will enable forecasting documents for acquisition via purchase, donation, or exchange, with corresponding budgetary control, vendor management, receipt, and integration into the collection.

    Screenshots

    Library management system entry homepage

    Library management system entry homepage

    Simple OPAC Colibrí display

    Simple OPAC Colibrí display

    Gallery view of the Colibrí OPAC

    Gallery view of the Colibrí OPAC

    Advanced view of the Colibrí OPAC

    Advanced view of the Colibrí OPAC

    Videos

    Colibrí: Overview of the application

    Review of the modules of the Colibrí library management system. Some screens corresponding to the configuration, user and administrator management, maintenance, migration, pre-cataloging, registration, cataloging, authorities, classification, circulation, DSI, and OPAC modules are demonstrated.



    Colibrí: Labeling and call number system

    The Colibrí library management system has been designed to facilitate labeling and call number assignment, enabling any library to generate these on standardized label sheets. Additionally, new features have been incorporated regarding document identification through QR codes implemented in the call numbers, simplifying the tasks of locating, positioning, and referencing documents. In the video, a user retrieves the permalink URL of the bibliographic record for a document via its call number from the library’s OPAC.



    Institutions using Colibrí