A new initiative co-founded by Index Data and Spokane Public Library puts public library priorities at the center of FOLIO’s future.

Spokane, WA and Boston, MA — PubLIB for FOLIO, a new development consortium co-founded by Index Data and Spokane Public Library, has launched to accelerate public-library-focused development within the FOLIO library services platform. The initiative gives public libraries a funded and governed mechanism to shape FOLIO’s roadmap while contributing all enhancements back to the open-source community.

FOLIO has emerged as one of the most dynamic library services platforms available today. It is open-source, API-driven and built on the principle that libraries should control their own technology future. Public libraries have compelling reasons to adopt it, but FOLIO’s development has been driven primarily by academic institutions. As a result, the distinct needs of public libraries, which include high transaction volumes, municipal reporting requirements, patron-facing workflows, and a broad range of community integrations, have not always had strong representation.

PubLIB for FOLIO is changing that.

Launched by Index Data and Spokane Public Library (SPL), PubLIB for FOLIO is a funded, governed, community-driven consortium dedicated to public libraries who aren’t just looking to adopt FOLIO but want to shape it.

Why Now

Public libraries are not just smaller versions of academic libraries. They serve wide communities across every age and background, are beholden to public funding, elected leadership and public support. They manage an operational complexity that most academic systems are not designed to handle. However, individual public libraries have not been able to justify the resources required to develop an open-source platform on their own.  

PubLIB for FOLIO provides the structure to change that. Development priorities are set through the FOLIO Public Library Special Interest Group (PubLib SIG), where participating institutions drive the backlog directly. Everything developed through this consortial initiative is contributed back to the open FOLIO codebase – no proprietary or vendor lock-in, no single-institution advantage; what gets developed by PubLIB belongs to every FOLIO library.

How It Started

In 2021, Spokane Public Library became the first public library in the United States to implement FOLIO using an open-source catalog. By building an open-source catalog solution, with help from the Index Data team, Spokane Public Library was able to utilize tax-payer dollars more efficiently and continue to offer excellent service to the community. 

Fast forward to 2026. Spokane Public Library has been on FOLIO long enough to know the platform’s genuine strengths, and long enough to have a clear picture of what public libraries still need from it. Rather than look elsewhere, SPL chose to invest in FOLIO’s future. And rather than do it alone, Joey Molloy brought the idea of a consortium to Index Data.

Joey Molloy, Community Technology Manager at Spokane Public Library said, “FOLIO is an open, community-owned platform with real momentum, and a strong foundation to build on. What’s been missing is sustained investment in the specific needs of public libraries. PubLIB for FOLIO fixes that — and having Index Data as our partner makes all the difference. They’re flexible, collaborative and experts on open source and FOLIO. I’m excited to finally put real funding behind public library priorities alongside a team I trust completely.”

Index Data’s response was immediate. As SaaS providers, developers in the FOLIO ecosystem, and long-time open source advocates, they recognized both the opportunity and the need. That conversation became PubLIB for FOLIO.

“We have been heavily involved in FOLIO development and governance since its inception,” said Mike Gorrell, Managing Director with Index Data. “Building features through PubLIB for FOLIO in this collaborative way fits naturally with the way we think about Open Source and community-owned platforms. Getting to do this work so closely with Joey and Spokane Public Library makes it that much more rewarding.“

A Funding Model Built for Public Institutions

The consortium is designed around the fiscal realities of public libraries. Participating SaaS clients may direct a defined percentage of existing hosting fees into the development fund, an amount that can be budgeted and justified without requiring a large standalone investment. Public libraries that are not yet FOLIO customers are welcome to participate as well; membership is open to any institution ready to commit resources and engage in governance, regardless of where they are investigating FOLIO as their next LSP, or already on their FOLIO journey.

An Invitation

PubLIB for FOLIO is a movement built by public libraries, for public libraries. If your institution is evaluating FOLIO or simply exploring whether it can meet your needs, we invite you to reach out. Contact Index Data at publib@indexdata.com to learn more about the consortium and how to participate, or reach out to Spokane Public Library at publib@spokanelibrary.org to hear firsthand what FOLIO looks like in a public library that’s been living with it for five years.

About Spokane Public Library 

Spokane Public Library aims to create a community where everyone learns and belongs. An award-winning library that spans seven locations and five kiosks, Spokane Public Library circulates nearly two million items, and welcomes more than one million visitors annually. Customers can enjoy traditional library media and can also access digital downloads, databases, historical collections, art exhibits, and interesting free programming. For general information about the library, visit spokanelibrary.org or call 509.444.5300. Access the Spokane Public Library media kit here.  

About Index Data

Founded in Copenhagen in 1994, Index Data has helped shape open-source library technology for more than 30 years, serving as the original architect of both the FOLIO Library Services Platform and Project ReShare. The company provides SaaS hosting, implementation, support, and development services to libraries and consortia worldwide. Its work centers on FOLIO, VuFind for patron discovery, and the Library Data Platform (LDP/Metadb) for reporting and analytics. With specialists distributed across four continents, Index Data’s “Partners not Vendors” ethos permeates all of its engagements. More information is available at www.indexdata.com.