LINKcat News

Upgrade to 4.9 Sandbox: fixes to holds management and agency code at checkin

We recently received an upgrade to our Koha sandbox. Links to the sandbox can be found on the ILS web site Training page. Koha now displays the full library name and the agency code when checking in transit holds. You can try this out yourself in the sandbox. This is the development project we contracted to fix SCLS Support Ticket 40354.

I also would like to bring your attention to a substantial improvement in the way that holds management works from the staff side.  This is the completion of our first post go live development project which was contracted to improve the following:

You cannot place holds on titles with a large number of holds (e.g. Smokin' seventeen, The King's speech (DVD)) in the staff client. You can place holds on these titles in the PAC. Also, you cannot view the holds lists or change pickup locations for these titles. (SCLS Support Ticket 39880)

LibLime has provided us with documentation for the new holds development which you can find on the Training page under the Testing Documents section. Holds management will look quite different, so now is a good time to read the document and try out this new functionality in the sandbox before it is added to our production database. [Note: as of right now the sorting feature has ascending and descending order reversed.  We have reported this to LibLime.]

New Check Out receipt option

A  new checkout receipt template has been added to each library's set up.  The new receipt lists:

• Item(s) checked out today (section header in italics)
  • Date due in boldface
• Item(s) previously checked out (section header in italics)
  • Renewed item have Date due in boldface and Number of renewals = 1 or more
  • Overdue items have Date due in boldface and Number of renewals = blank

We are not able to compartmentalize the items previously checked out into separate sections for overdue and renewed items.  Having the due date in boldface should help patrons identify overdue items.  If we wish to separate the overdue items and/or renewals on the receipts, we will have to pay for additional development.

Here is an example using this new template : 1027receipt.

If you are interested in using this template when you select the "Print Slip" option, fill out a Circulation Work Request Form  requesting that the "All Check Outs" receipt be assigned to your Print Slip option.  If you have had additional changes made to your current check out receipt that you want included in this new receipt, you must include those changes in this request as well. 

No changes have been made to the Quick Slip template, which still prints only "Item(s) checked out today".

Workflows for two problem item reports

Drafts of workflows for the Claims Returned report and the Long in Transit report have been posted to the ILS Support Reports web page.  Please use and review these drafts and report any changes or suggestions on the Koha Problems and Comments form, Circulation Module. Please enter the name of the report in the Comment box.

News summary, week of 10/17/2011

News

• 10/21/2011 We are offering 4 sessions (11/8, 11/10, 11/14, 11/15) of the Serials Clones Online Workshop. You may register online here.
• 10/19/2011 The Serials Clones memo for 2012 is now available. Online training sessions for serials maintenance will be held in mid-November.
• 10/18/2011 156 items in the system with an item type of "Magazine, new, no loan" were batch changed to "Magazine, adult" or "Magazine, juvenile", depending upon the collection code of the item. The item type "Magazine, new, no loan" was removed from the system. (This item type was a temporary item type used for items with the Dynix ITYPE MANEW at the time that we migrated in April.)
• 10/17/2011 139 items in the system with a status of In Transit/Transit Hold were batch changed to Lost in Transit. Also, the In Transit/Transit Hold statuses were removed from the Lost status category. (In Transit/Transit Hold was a temporary status used for items that were in transit at the time that we migrated in April.)
• 10/17/2011 The PAC Development Committee is meeting at 1pm on Tuesday, October 18 to discuss searching improvements to Koha.
• 10/17/2011 The LINKcat patron survey is now linked from the LINKcat home page. The survey will be available to patrons through Nov. 18. A button image is available to libraries for use on library websites.

New Problems Identified

• Nonpublic note disappears: The Non-public note field in the item record does not seem to save correctly. Initially it may appear that the note is saved, but the information in the field later disappears. (10/21/2011) (SCLS Support Ticket 40838) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet)
• "HOLD FOR..." button disappears: When placing a hold from a patron record using the "Search to Hold" button, re-sorting the search results list causes the "HOLD FOR..." button to disappear. (10/19/2011) (SCLS Support ticket 41302) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet)
• Address problems when creating Juvenile patron records: If you create a Juvenile record by clicking on the "Add child" button in the parent/guardian's account, Koha will not allow you to enter information (address, phone, Home Agency) that differs from the guarantor's account. If you enter different information, Koha will revert to what's currently listed on the guarantor's account once you save the registration. This is also the case if you create a Juvenile account from scratch and then link to a parent/guardian's account through the Guarantor Information fields. (10/18/2011) (SCLS Support ticket 40848) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet)

Promoting the LINKcat survey on your library's website

We have created a button image that you can use to promote the LINKcat patron survey on your library's website.

You can download the button image here:
http://help.linkcat.info/images/linkcat-survey-button-with-checkmark.gif
(right-click on the image, select "Save Image/Picture As," and save to your computer)

Use this URL to make links to the survey (e.g. text links such as "LINKcat Survey" or a link placed on the button image):
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DP8ZMJP

If you have questions about using the button on your library's website, please contact Rose.

News summary, week of 10/10/2011

News

• 10/14/2011 Two new forms are available for batch changing items.
• 10/14/2011 The patron LINKcat survey will be starting on Monday, Oct. 17 and will be available until Friday, Nov. 18. A preview of the survey is available. Please do not share this link with patrons. This is a test survey only - results submitted using this URL will not be included in the final survey results.
• 10/14/2011 A new form to request Custom Item and Patron Reports is now available. Read about it and other reports in the Koha Reports Update.
• 10/14/2011 The October 5 ILS Committee minutes have been posted.
• 10/12/2011 How are patrons able to override the 75 holds limit? Read the recent blog post Max. Hold Limit problem identified.
• 10/11/2011 The minutes from the September 28 Circulation Services Subcommittee have been posted.
• 10/10/2011 A new Known Problems Spreadsheet has been posted. See the LINK2Koha blog post for more develoment update information.

Problems Fixed

Talking Tech did not call patrons between Thursday, October 6 and Monday, October 10. This failure was due to a server problem not related to Koha.  All missed calls have been made.  Holds for items with phone notices were extended as follows:

Hold filled date of 10/5 & 10/6 to expire on 10/20
Hold filled date of 10/7-10/9 to expire on 10/21

New Problems Identified

• MARC view in PAC: When you click in the "MARC View" tab details page, you get a pop-up with the MARC details. After you close the pop-up you are taken back to the bib details page, but the Back button is now broken. You can't use the Back button at all to get back to your list of search results. (10/12/11) (SCLS Support Ticket 41219) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet)
• Patrons with more than 75 holds: If a patron has not yet reached the max. hold limit of 75 holds, they will be able to place more than 75 holds using the Lists feature in the PAC. The Lists function doesn't have the ability enforce the hold limit mid-list. For example, if a patron already has 70 holds and creates a list of 10 more titles and selects them as a list, the system allows all 10 holds to be placed. If the patron has 75 holds and attempts to place one hold or 10 holds, they will be blocked.
  We can't prevent this from happening without turning off the very popular List feature. There have been only three reports of this problem occurring (so far).  We can now run a report to keep an eye on those patrons that happen to go over 75 holds and then let each library know who they are so they can deal with this on a case by case basis.  Patrons may not realize that they are doing this.  If you point out to the patron that they have gone over the limit and they continue to choose to do so, you may have to suspend their record until you can get them to agree to the limit voluntarily. (10/11/2011) (SCLS Support ticket #41121) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet)
• Circulation/Patron record/Messaging tab: Unlike other printed notices, the Billing notice/Notice of Unresolved Charges does not change its Status from "Pending" to "Sent". This is a bug; a Development request has been created requesting this be changed. (10/10/11) (SCLS Support ticket #41200) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet)

 

Batch change request forms available

Forms for requesting batch changes to items are now available on the Forms page of the ILS web site. There are two forms dealing with batch changes to items:

• Batch Change Collection Codes/Shelving Locations/Item Types
• Batch Change Status

Please use these two forms for all batch change item requests.

 

Koha Reports Update

Custom Item and Patron Report Form Now Available

We are pleased to announce that there is a new Custom Report Form available for you to request item and patron reports.  The form is available on the Reports page as well as the Forms page. When filling out this form, be sure to provide a detailed explanation of the type of information you are looking for in addition to completing the selection boxes. Please continue to use the Weeding Form for all weeding report requests.

Purchase Alert Report Almost Complete

Cindy Weber has been working with LibLime to develop the purchase alert report for Koha. The work on this report is almost done and we are just fine-tuning it now.  Look for it to be available very, very soon.

Year End Reports

It is the time of year when we begin thinking about year-end reports--while everyone else is thinking about the holidays!  This year you will have two sets of reports.  We have already generated the annual reports from Dynix (many of which we are holding).  We are now focusing on creating annual reports on Koha.  The good news is that many of the reports are just an annual version of the monthly reports. We will be sure to provide a detailed memo and we will conduct workshops to assist with compiling your statistics for the state annual report.

Max. Hold Limit problem identified

Patrons with more than 75 holds: If a patron has not yet reached the max. hold limit of 75 holds, they will be able to place more than 75 holds using the Lists feature in the PAC. The Lists function doesn't have the ability to enforce the hold limit mid-list. For example, if a patron already has 70 holds and creates a list of 10 more titles and selects them as a list, the system allows all 10 holds to be placed. If the patron has 75 holds and attempts to place one hold or 10 holds, they will be blocked.
We can't prevent this from happening without turning off the very popular List feature. There have been only three reports of this problem occurring (so far).  We can now run a report to keep an eye on those patrons that happen to go over 75 holds and then let each library know who they are so they can deal with this on a case by case basis.  Patrons may not realize that they are doing this.  If you point out to the patron that they have gone over the limit and they continue to choose to do so, you may have to suspend their record until you can get them to agree to the limit voluntarily. (10/11/2011) (SCLS Support ticket #41121) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet)

News summary, week of 10/3/2011

News

• 10/6/2011 The Known Problems Acquisitions section has been updated.
• 10/6/2011 Do you have staff patron records? See the recent blog post about Using only the ADS Patron Category for staff.
• 10/6/2011 Wondering how fines work in Koha? See the recent blog post "How overdue fines work in Koha."
• 10/6/2011 The PAC Subcommittee Minutes for the September 21 meeting are posted.
• 10/3/2011 Don't Miss List for October are now available: http://lists.linkcat.info/
• 10/3/2011 The agenda for the ILS Users Group scheduled Oct. 19 from 1-4 p.m. has been posted. Registration is open through Oct. 14.

New Problems Identified

• Holds/Holds Queue report: If an item appears on a Holds Queue report, and its status is later changed to a status in the Lost status category (Mending, AV Repair, etc.), the item does not automatically drop off the Holds Queue report. If there are other Available items to fill the hold, try Passing the item to remove it from the Holds Queue report. This includes items that are marked Trace from the item record. Items should be marked Trace from the Holds Queue report, not from the item record. (10/7/11) (SCLS Support Ticket 41024) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet)
• Item status/Withdrawn: If an item is marked Withdrawn and subsequently checked in, the Withdrawn status will clear and it will become available to fill holds. If that item is checked out to a patron while marked Withdrawn, the Withdrawn status will clear, but will not be checked in off of the patron's record. You must check it in again and then mark the item Withdrawn again. Do not use checkin to confirm the status of a Withdrawn item; use the search box. (10/7/11) (SCLS Support Ticket 41192) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet) (Bug in 4.8)
• Serials/Maintenance: MPL serials user cannot edit subscription records for all MPL locations. Serials receiving is NOT affected. (10/3/11) (SCLS Support Ticket 41118) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet - primarily affects MPL) (Bug in 4.8)