Partner Spotlight - Southeast Kansas Library System (SEKLS)

by Elise Aiello on Oct 17, 2023

This month, our Partner Spotlight will focus on the Southeast Kansas Library System (SEKLS) in Kansas.

We spoke with Jason Robb, SEKnFind Coordinator at SEKLS, to tell us more about the consortium.

Tell us a little bit about SEKLS

The Southeast Kansas Library System (SEKLS), headquartered in Iola, KS, is one of seven regional library systems in Kansas. SEKLS serves public, school, academic, and special libraries in the southeast corner of the state. In addition to offering and administering SEKnFind (our shared Koha catalog), SEKLS provides funding, professional consulting, continuing education opportunities, technology support, a rotating books service, and a collection of literature, kits and tools to support development and growth of member libraries.

SEKLS chose community Koha to power our shared catalog in 2008 and moved to support and hosting with ByWater in 2013. SEKnFind currently connects 49 libraries, 48 public and 1 community college, to give quick and easy access to over 760,000 items. In 2022, patrons racked up almost half a million circulations with more than 55,000 items couriered between member libraries.

Tell us something unique/interesting about your library

In 2016, SEKLS celebrated its 50th anniversary. As part of the festivities, our former director Roger Carswell authored a book detailing the history of the system. We also compiled a cookbook with recipes from staff and member libraries that served as a fundraiser for the libraries. Both are available to borrow via ILL from various places in Kansas:

Booking along since '66 : a history of the Southeast Kansas Library System /

641.597819 (Southeast Kansas cooking) : favorite recipes from Southeast Kansas libraries /

How does being a part of the open source community help SEKLS?

The community – the people we meet and the connections we make – are what makes Koha truly special. The open source community has given us the understanding of Koha necessary to innovate and adapt the software to the needs of our members. Participating in and helping build community, from our local and state user groups all the way up to national koha-US gatherings and global KohaCons, has been one of the most rewarding perks of being a Koha user."