Softwr

Software · head to head

Evergreen ILS vs LibraryThing for Libraries

Evergreen ILS logo

Evergreen ILS

Software

Highly scalable open source library software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
LibraryThing for Libraries logo

LibraryThing for Libraries

Software

Enrich your OPAC with social discovery features

From
$500/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Evergreen ILS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; LibraryThing for Libraries oPAC enhancement only, not a complete library management system
  • They diverge on capability: Evergreen ILS covers Circulation management, LibraryThing for Libraries covers Book cover images.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Evergreen ILS and LibraryThing for Libraries actually diverge.

Attributes where Evergreen ILS and LibraryThing for Libraries differ
AttributeEvergreen ILSLibraryThing for Libraries
Starting priceFree$500/year
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, ApiWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20062005

Identical on both: 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 LibraryThing for Libraries

  • Book cover images
  • Similar books recommendations
  • Tag browsing
  • Series information
  • Author biographies
  • User reviews
  • Lexile measures
  • Awards information

Both cover

  • 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 LibraryThing for Libraries
  • Self-hosting an open source integrated library system across multiple branchesnot LibraryThing for Libraries

LibraryThing for Libraries

  • OPAC enhancementnot Evergreen ILS
  • Reader advisorynot Evergreen ILS
  • Catalog enrichmentnot Evergreen ILS
  • Discovery improvementnot 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

LibraryThing for Libraries

  • OPAC enhancement only, not a complete library management system

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

LibraryThing for Libraries

$500/year
  • Small Library$500/year
    • Book covers
    • Similar books
    • Tag browsing
  • Medium Library$1200/year
    • Everything in Small
    • Lexile measures
    • Author information
  • Large Library$2500/year
    • Everything in Medium
    • Stack maps
    • Custom widgets

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 LibraryThing for Libraries if

  • You need book cover images.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want similar books recommendations.
LibraryThing for Libraries review

Questions people ask

Is Evergreen ILS or LibraryThing for Libraries better?
Neither clearly leads. Evergreen ILS starts at Free and LibraryThing for Libraries at $500/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Evergreen ILS or LibraryThing for Libraries?
Evergreen ILS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Evergreen ILS and $500/year for LibraryThing for Libraries.
Does Evergreen ILS or LibraryThing for Libraries run on more platforms?
Evergreen ILS runs on Web, Desktop, Api. LibraryThing for Libraries runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Evergreen ILS for free?
Yes. Evergreen ILS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. LibraryThing for Libraries starts at $500/year.
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 LibraryThing for Libraries is typically brought in for.
What can Evergreen ILS do that LibraryThing for Libraries cannot?
Evergreen ILS covers Circulation management, MARC cataloging, Acquisitions, Serials management. LibraryThing for Libraries covers Book cover images, Similar books recommendations, Tag browsing, Series information. Both handle Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

LibraryThing for Libraries: What does LibraryThing for Libraries add to an existing OPAC?

LibraryThing for Libraries enriches OPAC displays with tags, book reviews, ratings, series data, awards information, shelf browsing, similar books recommendations, and QR codes from over 153 million books.

Source
LibraryThing for Libraries: How many tags does LibraryThing provide?

LibraryThing provides access to over 169 million library-vetted tags across 153 million books, enabling browse-based discovery beyond traditional keyword search.

Source
LibraryThing for Libraries: Does LibraryThing offer mobile access?

Yes, Library Anywhere provides mobile web catalog access and native apps for iPhone and Android phones without installation or maintenance required.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Evergreen ILS

More on LibraryThing for Libraries

Keep looking

Other head to heads