ByWater Solutions
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Library software, Open-source software services |
| Founded | 1 March 2009 in California, United States |
| Founder | Brendan A. Gallagher, Nathan A. Curulla |
| Headquarters | California , United States |
Area served | North America |
Key people | Brendan A. Gallagher (CEO), Nathan A. Curulla (CRO) |
| Products | Koha Integrated Library System services (implementation, hosting, support, consulting, development) |
Number of employees | 25 |
ByWater Solutions is a privately held enterprise established in California in March 2009 by CEO Brendan A. Gallagher and CRO Nathan A. Curulla. The company focuses on delivering implementation, hosting, support, consulting, and development services for open-source platforms, with a particular emphasis on the Koha Integrated Library System.
History
Since its inception, ByWater Solutions has grown its specialized Koha team to 25 staff members and provides support to more than 1,100 library locations throughout North America. These include public, academic, school, nonprofit, and special libraries. The organization secured its inaugural contract in June 2009 and has since formed strategic alliances with international open-source software companies to improve Koha through enhanced documentation and software development. These partnerships have bolstered ByWater’s influence in the market and reinforced its competitive standing within the integrated library system sector.
Company name origin
The name ByWater Solutions is inspired by Bywater, a village featured in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings series. Situated near the Shire—the residence of notable characters Bilbo and Frodo Baggins—Bywater is famous for the Inn of the Green Dragon, a place known for fostering collaboration and sharing news. This setting reflects the cooperative nature of Koha and open-source software, aligning closely with the company's dedication to library technology solutions. The founders, who have been lifelong friends, selected this literary allusion to symbolize both their personal bond and professional vision.
Collaborations
In March 2015, ByWater Solutions formed a partnership with EBSCO Information Services to facilitate direct integration between EBSCO Discovery Service and Koha ILS, improving interoperability for library customers. Building upon this relationship, ByWater pledged support for the FOLIO Library Services Platform initiative in collaboration with EBSCO, enhancing its role in library automation and broadening its international reach.