A library system built for the way a parish school library runs.
Most Catholic and parish schools run their library with one part-time person, a teacher, or a volunteer, on a budget that has to stretch. Lyra is built to be run that way: simple to set up, every feature included, and a price you can read right on the site.
You run the library. You don't need an MLIS to run Lyra.
In a lot of Catholic and parish schools, the library is not someone's full-time job. It is a teacher with a free period, a part-time aide, or a parent volunteer keeping things going. The budget is tight, the current system is clunky or there is no system at all, and nobody has time to learn enterprise software or sit through a sales demo.
Lyra is built for that. You set it up yourself, run it without a library degree, and read the price on the website without asking anyone for a quote.
A library system that fits how a parish school runs.
If you are the one keeping the library going without a library degree, it helps to know who built the tool you are leaning on.
"I built Lyra because I was tired of fighting my ILS to do basic things. Every feature here exists because a librarian (usually me) needed it on a Tuesday morning, between bells, with a kid waiting at the desk."
Running Lyra across a diocese? Sign up the same way, then add each school from your account. One subscription covers them all, priced on your combined patron count.
See pricingQuestions, answered.
Straight answers for the person actually running the library. Still unsure? Email the team.
Is Lyra a good fit for a small Catholic school?
Yes. Lyra is built for a library run by one part-time person, a teacher, or a volunteer, on a tight budget. That describes most parish schools. Pricing starts at $795 a year for up to 150 patrons, with every feature included.
Do we need a librarian to run it?
No. It is designed to be run by a teacher, an aide, or a volunteer. You import your catalog, add your roster, and start checking books out.
How much does it cost?
Pricing is published on the site, sized by how many students and staff you have, with cover images and all features included. No quote or sales call needed for schools up to 1,500 patrons. See pricing.
Can we move from our current system, or from a card catalog or spreadsheet?
Yes. Lyra imports the catalog file (MARC) from your current system, or a spreadsheet, and you can start fresh if you do not have a digital catalog yet.
Does Lyra work for a whole diocese?
Yes. One account holds as many schools as you run, under one subscription. An account owner adds each school and appoints its admins, and each school keeps its own patrons, catalog, calendar, and branding. The tier goes by the combined patron count across every school. Over 1,500 patrons, the price is quoted, so get in touch.
What doesn't Lyra do?
Lyra doesn't lend ebooks or audiobooks, and it doesn't handle fines, interlibrary loan, or purchasing. If your students read in Sora, Lyra can list your OverDrive titles in its catalog from OverDrive's MARC records, and students open them in Sora. If you'd want Lyra to do more with Sora, tell us. If one of those is central to your library, read what Lyra leaves out before you start.
Ready for a library system built for a school your size?
Start a free 30-day trial with your own catalog. No demo call, no credit card. We'll help you bring your data over when you're ready to switch.