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Evergreen ILS vs CollectiveAccess

Evergreen ILS logo

Evergreen ILS

Software

Highly scalable open source library software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
C

CollectiveAccess

Software

Open source collections management and presentation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Evergreen ILS server installation is supported only on Debian 10, 11, 12 and 13 and Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04; CollectiveAccess requires technical knowledge to install and configure on web servers
  • They diverge on capability: Evergreen ILS covers Circulation management, CollectiveAccess covers Configurable cataloging.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Evergreen ILS and CollectiveAccess actually diverge.

Attributes where Evergreen ILS and CollectiveAccess differ
AttributeEvergreen ILSCollectiveAccess
Pricing modelopen-sourceUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, ApiWeb
Founded20062003

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Evergreen ILS

  • Circulation management
  • MARC cataloging
  • Acquisitions
  • Serials management
  • OPAC with faceted search
  • Patron management
  • Offline circulation
  • Consortia support

Only in CollectiveAccess

  • Configurable cataloging
  • Digital asset management
  • Relationship mapping
  • Provenance tracking
  • Loan management
  • Exhibition management
  • Web publishing (Pawtucket)
  • Import/export tools

Both cover

  • LDAP
  • LDAP
  • Role-based access
  • Self-hosted deployment
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Evergreen ILS

  • Running a consortium-scale library catalogue and circulation systemnot CollectiveAccess
  • Self-hosting an open source integrated library system across multiple branchesnot CollectiveAccess

CollectiveAccess

  • Museum collection managementnot Evergreen ILS
  • Archival descriptionnot Evergreen ILS
  • Digital asset managementnot Evergreen ILS
  • Exhibition developmentnot Evergreen ILS

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Evergreen ILS

  • Server installation is supported only on Debian 10, 11, 12 and 13 and Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04
  • PostgreSQL 14 is the minimum supported version
  • OpenSRF 3.3.0 or later must be installed separately before Evergreen itself
  • Installation is a manual multi-service process requiring a dedicated PostgreSQL superuser account and shell access

CollectiveAccess

  • Requires technical knowledge to install and configure on web servers
  • Limited commercial support compared to proprietary alternatives

Pricing, plan by plan

Evergreen ILS

Free
  • Self-HostedFree
    • Full ILS functionality
    • Circulation system
    • OPAC
  • Hosted (via partners)$200/month
    • Everything in Self-Hosted
    • Managed hosting
    • Professional support

CollectiveAccess

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CollectiveAccess review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Evergreen ILS if

  • You need circulation management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Api.
  • You also want marc cataloging.
Evergreen ILS review

Choose CollectiveAccess if

  • You need configurable cataloging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want digital asset management.
CollectiveAccess review

Questions people ask

Is Evergreen ILS or CollectiveAccess better?
Neither clearly leads. Evergreen ILS starts at Free and CollectiveAccess at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Evergreen ILS or CollectiveAccess?
Evergreen ILS starts at Free and CollectiveAccess at Free.
Does Evergreen ILS or CollectiveAccess run on more platforms?
Evergreen ILS runs on Web, Desktop, Api. CollectiveAccess runs on Web.
Can I use Evergreen ILS for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Evergreen ILS best used for?
Evergreen ILS is most often used for running a consortium-scale library catalogue and circulation system, self-hosting an open source integrated library system across multiple branches. Of those, running a consortium-scale library catalogue and circulation system and self-hosting an open source integrated library system across multiple branches are not what CollectiveAccess is typically brought in for.
What can Evergreen ILS do that CollectiveAccess cannot?
Evergreen ILS covers Circulation management, MARC cataloging, Acquisitions, Serials management. CollectiveAccess covers Configurable cataloging, Digital asset management, Relationship mapping, Provenance tracking. Both handle LDAP, LDAP, Role-based access, Self-hosted deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CollectiveAccess: Is CollectiveAccess free?

Yes, CollectiveAccess is completely free and open-source software licensed under the GNU Public License version 3, with no commercial licensing model.

CollectiveAccess: What does CollectiveAccess do?

CollectiveAccess is web-based collections management software for cataloguing and publishing museum and archival collections, with multi-user support allowing collaboration on metadata entry and collection organization.

CollectiveAccess: Who uses CollectiveAccess?

CollectiveAccess is used by hundreds of institutions from national museums to local history consortia, highly specialized archives, and catalogues raisonnés, including the Munich City Museum which manages over 200,000 objects.

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