Koha OPAC Design Studio
Create a Koha-style OPAC using real Koha editable areas. Built for librarians with generic library templates, live preview, sliders, online resources, and large copy-ready code panels.
[koha_opac_design_studio]
Old shortcodes also work.
Real Koha OPAC layout preview
Preview follows Koha regions: opacheader, OpacCustomSearch, OpacNav, OpacMainUserBlock, OpacNavRight, OpacNavBottom, and opaccredits.
Central Library
OPAC — Online Public Access Catalogue
Currently Open: 8:30am - 8:00pmWelcome to our library OPAC.
Quote of the day
Reading gives us someplace to go. — Mason Cooley
Choose a generic library type
No third-party brand names. These templates are named for real library categories.
Edit each Koha block
Generated Koha Code
Large panels show the full code clearly. Use Full Screen for long CSS or JavaScript sections.
Header / opacheader
Paste in Tools → HTML customisations → opacheader.
Custom Search / OpacCustomSearch
Paste in Tools → HTML customisations → OpacCustomSearch. Skip it if you want the default Koha search.
Upper Left Navigation / OpacNav
Paste in Tools → HTML customisations → OpacNav.
Bottom Left Navigation / OpacNavBottom
Paste in Tools → HTML customisations → OpacNavBottom.
Right Navigation / OpacNavRight
Paste in Tools → HTML customisations → OpacNavRight.
Main User Block / OpacMainUserBlock
Paste in Tools → HTML customisations → OpacMainUserBlock.
Login Instructions / OpacLoginInstructions
Paste in Tools → HTML customisations → OpacLoginInstructions.
Footer / opaccredits
Paste in Tools → HTML customisations → opaccredits.
Global CSS / OPACUserCSS
Paste in Administration → System preferences → OPACUserCSS.
Global JS / OPACUserJS
Paste in Administration → System preferences → OPACUserJS.
Generated Code
What This Koha OPAC Builder Does
This tool helps you design different parts of the Koha public catalogue using simple form fields. Instead of manually writing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, you can select a ready-made library template, edit the content, preview the layout, and copy the generated code into Koha.
The tool supports important Koha OPAC customization areas, including:
| Koha Area | What It Controls |
|---|---|
opacheader | Header, logo, banner, top links, and main menu |
OpacCustomSearch | Custom search bar and search links |
OpacNav | Left navigation links |
OpacNavBottom | Bottom-left navigation links |
OpacNavRight | Right sidebar content |
OpacMainUserBlock | Main homepage content |
OpacLoginInstructions | Login help text |
opaccredits | Footer content |
OPACUserCSS | Styling and layout design |
OPACUserJS | Slider and interactive behavior |
Koha allows catalogue customization through areas such as opacheader, OpacCustomSearch, OpacNav, and OpacMainUserBlock, and these areas are useful for adding banners, links, sliders, and library information.
Why a Better Koha OPAC Design Matters
Your OPAC is often the first place users visit when they want to find a book, check their account, explore online resources, or contact the library. If the page looks confusing, outdated, or empty, users may not know where to start.
A well-designed Koha OPAC can help visitors:
- Find the search box faster
- Understand where to log in
- Access e-books and digital resources
- Discover new arrivals
- Read library announcements
- Contact library staff
- Navigate services without asking for help
This is especially useful for libraries where users include students, teachers, researchers, doctors, lawyers, public readers, or community members with different levels of computer experience.
Ready-Made Library Templates
The tool includes practical templates for different library types:
School Library
A colorful layout for students, teachers, reading programs, textbooks, and learning links.
College Library
A clean academic layout for course books, departments, past papers, digital resources, and student support.
University Library
A research-focused design for e-journals, theses, research guides, institutional repositories, and academic databases.
Public Library
A friendly community design for membership, events, reading programs, children’s resources, and public services.
Medical Library
A professional layout for medical journals, PubMed, clinical databases, health sciences resources, and research support.
Law Library
A structured design for case law, legislation, legal journals, research help, and legal databases.
Special Library
A flexible layout for organizations, institutes, archives, reports, subject collections, and specialist information services.
Digital Library
A modern design for e-books, repositories, open access resources, digital archives, and online learning materials.
Features Included in the Tool
Live Koha-Style Preview
The preview is built around the actual Koha OPAC layout. It shows the header, search bar, menu, left sidebar, main content area, right sidebar, and footer, so librarians can understand where each section will appear.
Header and Banner Builder
You can add a library name, subtitle, logo, opening hours, background image, left image, right image, and top utility links.
Custom Search Area
You can design a clearer search area with a search title, button text, placeholder text, and quick links like Advanced Search, Authority Search, Recent Comments, and Tag Cloud.
Menu Builder
You can add your own OPAC menu links, such as Home, Downloads, Digital Library, E-Journals, Library Website, Contact, and Login.
Sidebar Builders
You can create left-side and right-side blocks for library guides, digital content, login help, opening hours, OPAC search tips, and contact support.
New Arrivals Slider
The main user block can include a slider for new books, staff picks, recommended reading, course books, reports, or latest publications.
Online Resources Slider
You can add links to e-books, databases, open access journals, Google Scholar, institutional repositories, and other online library resources.
Footer Builder
You can create a professional footer with address, phone number, email, quick links, social links, and copyright text.
Large Code Output
The generated code appears in large output boxes, with copy buttons and fullscreen viewing. This makes it easier for librarians to copy the correct section without missing anything.
How to Use This Koha OPAC Customization Tool
- Choose a library template that matches your institution.
- Edit the header, menu, search bar, sidebars, main block, sliders, footer, and colors.
- Check the live preview on desktop, tablet, and mobile.
- Open the Output tab.
- Click Generate or Refresh Code.
- Copy each section into the matching Koha area.
- Test the OPAC in a private browser window before sharing it with users.
Where to Paste the Generated Code in Koha
For most newer Koha versions, HTML blocks are usually managed from:
Tools → HTML customisationsFor CSS and JavaScript, use:
Administration → System preferences → OPACUserCSS
Administration → System preferences → OPACUserJSIf your Koha version is older, some homepage content may be managed differently. Always test changes carefully and keep a backup of your previous code before replacing it.
Who Can Use This Tool?
This tool is useful for:
- School librarians
- College librarians
- University library teams
- Public library staff
- Medical librarians
- Law librarians
- Special library administrators
- Koha support teams
- Library IT staff
- Institutions using Koha for their online catalogue
You do not need advanced coding skills to start. The tool creates the code for you, and you only need to copy it into the correct Koha customization area.
Best Practices Before Updating Your Koha OPAC
Before pasting new code into Koha, save a backup of your current OPAC customization. If anything looks wrong, you can restore the previous version quickly.
Also check your OPAC on:
- Desktop
- Laptop
- Tablet
- Mobile phone
- Different browsers
A good OPAC design should not only look attractive. It should also make searching, logging in, reading announcements, and finding library services easier for users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Koha OPAC customization means changing the public catalogue layout, design, links, colors, header, footer, sidebars, homepage content, and other visible areas of the Koha online catalogue.
No. The tool gives you form fields, templates, and a live preview. It generates the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code for you.
No. It does not connect to your Koha server. It only generates copy-paste code that you can manually add to Koha.
Yes. The tool includes a School Library template with student-friendly colors, reading links, textbook sections, and learning resources.
Yes. You can create academic-style OPAC layouts with research guides, e-journals, theses, course books, digital repositories, and online databases.
Yes. The tool includes an Online Resources Slider where you can add resources such as open access journals, e-books, repositories, databases, and research links.
Yes. You can change the main color, menu color, accent color, page background, header text color, and menu text color.
Yes. You can add your logo using an image URL. You can also add a header background image and optional left or right header images.
The tool creates standard HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for Koha customization areas. Still, you should always test changes first and keep a backup of your old code.
The generated code is designed for common Koha OPAC customization areas. Some Koha versions may use different admin paths or handle content areas differently, so testing is important.
Build a Better Koha OPAC Today
Use the Koha OPAC Design Studio to create a cleaner, more helpful, and more professional catalogue page for your library. Start with a template, customize the design, preview the result, and copy the code into Koha.
No complex coding. No confusing layout work. Just a simple way to improve your library’s online catalogue.
