What is Index Data and what does it do?

Updated

Index Data is a software company that builds products, discovery tools, and custom development projects for libraries and the wider library ecosystem. It focuses on open source platforms, and its two most visible projects are FOLIO and ReShare. If you work in a library, a library consortium, or a vendor serving libraries, Index Data is relevant as a development and operations partner rather than a pure service vendor.

What Index Data actually does

The company describes itself as operating in four overlapping roles: operator, developer, innovator, and partner. In practice that means:

  • Building software products — including discovery tools and the open source platforms that power modern library services.
  • Delivering custom software development — projects tailored to a library or consortium's needs.
  • Operating and sustaining platforms — not just handing over code, but helping keep systems running.
  • Partnering with institutions — working alongside libraries rather than selling a fixed service and stepping away.

The emphasis on "making open source work" is the core positioning. Open source in libraries is not just about licensing; it requires ongoing development, hosting, integration, and community coordination. Index Data positions itself in that sustaining role.

The named projects: FOLIO and ReShare

Project What it is Who it's for
FOLIO An open source library services platform Libraries and consortia replacing or augmenting traditional ILS systems
ReShare A resource sharing / interlibrary loan platform Libraries and consortia coordinating lending and borrowing

Both are listed on the company's homepage as flagship work. If your library is evaluating an open source library services platform or a resource-sharing system, these are the two entry points to look at first.

Who Index Data serves

The target audience is the library ecosystem, which includes:

  • Individual academic, public, or special libraries
  • Library consortia and networks
  • Organizations that need custom library software development
  • Institutions looking for a partner to build and sustain open source infrastructure

The company's own framing — "we don't just sell services, we work with you to build and sustain" — signals that engagements tend to be collaborative and long-term rather than transactional.

When Index Data is worth contacting

Reach out if you are:

  • Considering FOLIO or ReShare and need development or operational support
  • Planning a custom software project specific to library workflows
  • Looking for a partner to help sustain an open source platform over time
  • Part of a consortium needing shared infrastructure

If you only need a one-off commercial product with no ongoing development or open source involvement, Index Data's model may be more than you need. The fit is strongest when open source, customization, and long-term partnership are all part of the picture.

The homepage's "Let's Talk" call to action is the direct route for scoping a project or asking about FOLIO and ReShare support.