LINKcat News

Circulation Best Practices - new blog flavor

After months of discussion, the Circulation Services Committee decided that our existing blog, LINK 2.0 Koha, is the most efficient vehicle for circulation staff to ask questions and share best practices about Koha.  We added the category "Best Practices" so staff can search specifically for these particular posts. 

If you want to submit a Circulation Best Practices blog post, please email your information to Heidi Oliversen (hjo@scls.lib.wi.us) with the subject line "Circulation Best Practice". 

Please note: this is a venue for ideas and questions. This is not a venue for complaints and frustrations! Please share work flow ideas, questions, or cool Koha features you've discovered.

News Summary: 4.10 Problem Logs and Fixes

4.10 PROBLEM LOG

• 03-19-2012: New Problem: Refunded Overdues: If patrons pay overdue fines and then the overdue items are checked in using a back-dated check in, the system will "refund" the overdue payments. Initially it thought this was the remainder of items checked out under the CircControl bug that was fixed in the 4.10 upgrade but recents tests show that it is a result of back-dating. Admin and Liblime staff run weekly reports to clear these refunds. This problem has been reported to LibLime and appended to SCLS Support ticket 40697 (3/19/2012) (SCLS Support ticket 40697)(Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet/4.10)
• 03-09-2012: New Problem: Problems with Author search: The Author search in the drop-down box on the main page of the PAC is searching title fields as well as author fields. this is more of a problem when searching for a "corporate author," such as a band name. The Author search in the Advanced search in the PAC is fine, but the Author search in the Advanced search of the staff client is also searching additional title fields. This problem has been reported to LibLime. (SCLS Support Ticket 41891) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet/4.10)
• 03-07-2012 Update: Patrons incorrectly blocked from placing holds while in library: Patrons are also incorrectly blocked if one item on the bib was checked out at the library and another item on the bib is in transit to the library; 02-10-2012 New Problem: If there are at least two items from a library and one is Checked out and one is Waiting on the hold shelf, the patrons are being blocked from placing holds on the bib if they are in that library. They get a message that they cannot place holds on available items while inside the library, even though one item is checked out and one is on the hold shelf. This has been reported to LibLime. (SCLS Support Ticket 41788) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet/4.10)
• 02-22-2012 Fixed: 02-15-2012 New Problem: Some patrons receive error when placing holds: Some patrons are receiving a "500 Internal Server Error" when they attempt to place holds from outside of the library. These patrons can place holds from inside the library. Please continue to report this problem on the Problems and Questions form. Please include the patron barcode, PIN, exact text of error message, and time and date the error message was received. This problem has been reported to LibLime. (SCLS Suport Ticket 41792) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet/4.10)
• 02-15-2012 Update: this is also true if you are creating a new patron record using the "Copy Patron" option and manually change the expiry date. You have to save the new record first, then go back into it and manually change it again. 02-07-2012 New Problem: Expiration Date for new patron records-auto-calc is broken. The auto-calculation for the Expiration date does not work when you add new patrons. You can manually enter an expiration date and it will be saved/retained when you save the patron record. The date must be entered in the format xx/xx/xxxx. (SCLS Support ticket 41777) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet/4.10)
• 02-14-2012 New Problem: Patrons able to check out over 100 max limit: there is a bug in the system that allows patrons to check out over the max. cko limit for their patron category if they check out at different locations. Staff do not get the pop-up message informing them that the patron has reached the max. limit. (SCLS Support ticket 41372) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet/4.10)
• 02-13-2012 New Problem: Edit holds screen display for holds placed on multiple bibs: If you are placing holds on multiple bib records for a patron, you will get a "no holds found" screen display after you confirm the holds. The system is using the Edit holds screen to try and display the results of the holds placed but, since the holds were placed on multiple bib records, the display fails. That results screen looks like it was designed to display the holds for a single bib record. The holds on multiple bibs do succeed, but this situation should have the return go to the patron's holds list instead of the bib record's holds list. (SCLS Support ticket 41791) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet/4.10)
• 02-13-2012 New Problem: Patron searches on Circulation Checkout screen: failed patron searches (zero results) on the Circulation Checkouts screen no longer produces the message "No results found". If you get a partial results list searching from this page, you will get a New (patron) button. Clicking this button after selecting a patron category will redirect you to a "Patrons/Add xxx patron" screen. We have requested that a failed patron search (zero results) from the Circualtion Checkout screen produces the "No results found" message. In the meantime search for patrons from the Patron screen for the most effective response and results. (SCLS Support ticket 41789) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet/4.10)
• 02-10-2012 Fixed. 02-07-2012 New Problem: Pass function does not work on holds queue report: the ability to pass a single item, or pass all items does not work on the holds queue report. This has been reported to LibLime (2/7/2012) (SCLS Support Ticket 41779) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet/4.10)
• 02-10-2012 Fixed. 02-07-2012 New Problem: Problem with Transfer function: Staff reported a problem with using the Transfer function in Circulation to change the Current Library for pool materials to be transferred to a new library location. Please use the applicable portion of the BOCC guidelines for transferring shared materials from one library to another. (SCLS Support Ticket 41775) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet/4.10)
• 02-07-2012 New Problem: Wrong call number on holds queue report: when an item is passed by a library and it shows up on the holds queue report for the next library, it is printing the call number of the previous item on the report instead of the new library's item. (Look for two libraries in the Passed to column as a clue.) We have reported this to LibLime (SCLS Support Ticket 41778) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet/4.10)
• 02-07-2012 New Problem: Problem with Edit Holds button: staff report problems accessing the list of holds on a bib record using the Edit holds button on the Item Detail screen.  If you are experiencing this problem, please clear the cache on your staff workstation(s).  In the Firefox toolbar, click Tools then select Clear Recent History.  Un-check all boxes except the Cache, then click Clear now.  Try replicating the problem with the same titles/barcodes.
  If you continue to have this problem after clearing your cache, please close all applications on your PC and do a complete shutdown.  Wait 20-30 seconds and then start up your PC.  After logging back into Koha, try to replicate the problem with the same title/barcodes.  If you continue to have this problem please report it on the Koha Problems and Comments and include the title and/or barcode(s). (SCLS Support ticket 41774) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet/4.10)

FIXED IN 4.10 UPGRADE

• Provide an option to prevent patrons from receiving hold notices in any format. Currently, patrons can't opt out of notices. (6/22/11) (SCLS Support Ticket 40356) (Fixed 2/7/12; 4.10 upgrade)
• Not receiving hold confirmation when placing holds in PAC: If patrons begin placing a hold before logging in, they are prompted to log in. However, after logging in they are brought to their list of checked out items instead of receiving a confirmation for the hold, and the hold is not actually placed. To avoid the problem, patrons can log in before starting the place hold process. This problem has been reported to LibLime. (2/8/2012) (SCLS Support Ticket 41782) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet) (Fixed 2/9/12)
• Cannot save changes to LEADER (7/8/11) (SCLS Support Ticket 40467) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet) (Fixed 2/7/12; 4.10 upgrade)
• Same bib displays multiple times in PAC search results list, while other bibs do not display at all. This is happening on some (but not all) sets of bib records for TV series where each disc is on a separate bib record. (8/10/11) (SCLS Support Ticket 40684) (Fixed 2/7/12; 4.10 upgrade)
• Error message when placing holds in PAC: Improve the error message that patrons get when placing a hold that is already on their hold list. Right now it says "Sorry, none of these items can be placed on hold" which is confusing. (5/26/11) (SCLS Support Ticket 40104) (Fixed 2/7/12; 4.10 upgrade)
• Placing holds on on order items in PAC: Patrons unable to place holds on on order items while in the library. (8/18/11) (SCLS Support Ticket 40813) (Fixed 2/7/12; 4.10 upgrade)
• Placing holds in staff client: 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. (4/25/11) (SCLS Support Ticket 39880) (Fixed 2/7/12; 4.10 upgrade)
• At Checkout, if you see the pop-up message "Please Confirm Checkout - Item (title) checked out to Patron X. Check in and Check Out? Check out anyway?, click "No, Don't Check Out". Leave the Check Out screen, go to Check in and check the item in before proceeding with the check out to the current patron. There is a bug that is causing display problems in patron records when Lost and Claims Returned items are "checked in" at Check Out; the current patron information will display in the previous patron's Account screen. SCLS staff will run daily reports and submit them for data cleanup until the next upgrade. (1/19/2012) (SCLS Support ticket 41371) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet) (Fixed 2/7/12; 4.10 upgrade)
• Clear Date button for the Override Check In Date Check in option is not clearing the date: If you select an Override check in date and check in some items, the system properly assigns the backdated date as the return date.  You can click the Clear Date button and the date is 'cleared' from the field but, unless you perform a check in transaction or click the "Submit" button with the date field cleared, the first backdate you 'selected' will return any/every time you go back to the Check In screen, regardless of which hyperlink you use. Libraries have also reported that sometimes they do not get the Clear Date button unless they click the "Submit" button or until after the first item is checked in. (12/12/2011) SCLS Support Ticket 41619) (Fixed 2/7/12; 4.10 upgrade)
• CircControl bug: these previously reported problems are all part of a bug that is not using the checkout library's circulation rules:
  • Another Renewals and Fines problem: We've had one report of new fines-related problems when overdue items are renewed at a location other than the checkout location. The system credited the paid overdue fines on those items because the Circulation Rules were different at the renewal (check in) location. (9/7/2011) (SCLS Support ticket 40697)(Fixed 2/7/12; 4.10 upgrade)
  • System is ignoring the Max. Accruable Fine per Issue setting: sporadic report of the system assessing a higher Max. Accruable Fine per Issue than what is in a library's Circulation Issuing Rules. (9/7/2011) (SCLS Support Ticket 40917)(Fixed 2/7/12; 4.10 upgrade)
  • Grace period may be ignored when system assesses fines: older report from one library and a new report from another library prove that the system sometimes ignores the grace period in a circulation rule, other times it works correctly. (9/2/2011) (SCLS Support Ticket 40899)(Fixed 2/7/12; 4.10 upgrade)
  • If a patron checks out an item at Library A and asks Library B to renew the item for them, if the item goes to overdue after the renewal, the system will charge overdue fines based on the renewal library(check in library) or owning library, not the checkout library. Overdues are applied based on the check in library's rules, not the check out library's rules. (8/11/2011) (SCLS Support Ticket 40697).(Fixed 2/7/12; 4.10 upgrade)
• Provide the agency code on the holds checkin note when a transit hold is checked in. [Note, prior to the 4.8 upgrade, checking in the hold twice, did present the agency code]. (6/22/11) (SCLS Support Ticket 40354)(Development delivered 2/7/12; 4.10 upgrade)
• There is a problem with check-in notes showing up for the following items that are checked in. We have reported this to LibLime. The temporary work-around is to select Keep Note. Click the Main circulation link and select Checkin again. Please do not discard the note. (4/20/11) (Problem/Medium) (SCLS Support Ticket 40272) (Fixed 2/7/12; 4.10 upgrade)

News Summary for1/23/2012 through 3/16/2012

News

Due to the length of this post, news and the problem logs are being split into two different posts.

For the most current news, see the ILS Support Main page.

• 3/12/12 Three Koha searching webinars are now posted. See the LINK 2.0 Koha blog post for details.
• 3/9/12 GetIt libraries will need to create a shortcut to PortableFirefox after the Firefox upgrades next week. Please read both the instructions on creating a PortableFirefox shortcut and the Technology News blog post on the Firefox upgrades.
• 3/9/12 GetIt will be upgraded starting at 6 am on Tuesday, March 13. Please see the Release Notes for details on the upgrade.
• 2/24/12 The minutes from the Circulation Services Subcommittee Meeting on February 14th are now online.
• 2/24/12 Libraries will begin printing their own notices on Monday, February 27th. Please view the blog post Printing Notices on the LINK 2.0 Koha blog. The workflow is available on the Circulation Workflows page.
• 2/23/12 The Koha Searching: Formats and Your Questions webinar is now posted online.
• 2/21/12 The monthly batch delete of withdrawn items will take place this Friday, Feb. 24. All items with a status of Withdrawn will be deleted.
• 2/21/12 The Troubleshooting patron holds in LINKcat document has been updated.
• 2/14/12 The Koha Searching: Problems and Koha Searching: Tips and Tricks webinar are now posted online.
• 2/14/12 New post on Changes in the procedure for placing multiple copy holds and new staff use of other libraries' materials policy.
• 2/10/12 New post on the LINK 2.0 Koha blog: Patrons can now opt out of hold notices. This bug fix was applied as part of the 4.10 upgrade this week.
• 2/10/12 The relevancy ranking enhancements were added to the system last night. The changes apply to the title keyword index only. See the Release notes for more details.
• 2/9/12 The problem with holds not being placed if patrons started placing a hold before logging in has been fixed.
• 2/6/12 The Koha staff module will be upgraded to 4.10 between 10pm and 1am tonight.  The PAC will be unavailable for no more than 15 minutes between 10:30pm and 12:30am tonight.  The ILS Help Desk will be available to take phone calls beginning at 7:30am tomorrow morning (608-242-4720). If you have not already done so, please look through the 4.10 Release notes:
  http://psw.scls.lib.wi.us/ils/manuals/Library%20release%20notes%204.10.pdf
• 2/6/12 27917 Withdrawn items were deleted this morning. 1375 bibs were also deleted when the last item on the bib was deleted. The next batch delete of Withdrawn items will take place on Feb. 24 (last Friday of the month).
• 2/1/12 Withdrawn items will be deleted on Feb. 6. See the LINK 2.0 Koha blog post for more details.
• 1/31/12 New blog post available about Printing Notices on the LINK 2.0 Koha blog. Libraries will begin printing their own notices on Monday, February 27th, 2012. The workflow is available on the Circulation Workflows page.
• 1/31/12 Ben Miller's (Sauk City director) online presentation of The Philosophy of Open Source presentation that he did at the ILS Users Group last fall is now available.
• 1/31/12 The Koha 4.10 Upgrade will take place on the evening of February 6, 2012 after libraries have closed. LINKcat may be down between 10:30pm and 12:30am (2/7) for a maximum time of 15 minutes only. We will update all of the public information areas. Staff will be unavailable between 10pm and 1am during the upgrade. ILS Staff will be available at 8am on February 7 to offer support for unexpected problems following the upgrade.
• 1/30/12 The Koha 4.10 Upgrade has been postponed until the evening of February 6, 2012. An email was sent to link-announce explaining the reasons.

Patron Messaging Preferences - Advance Notice vs. Item due

If patrons want to receive advance warning when items are about to become overdue, please set and use the Advance Notice messaging preference in the patron's record instead of the Item Due messaging preference.  These are emails notices only.

The Item Due notice is only delivered one day before the item is due and it is not a digest of the patron's notices - the patron will get an individual Item Due notice for each item that is overdue on that day for that patron.

The Advance Notice is delivered two or more days before the items is due [Two days is the default setting; some patron have requested more days].  The Advance Notice, if both the "Email" and "Digests only?" boxes are checked, is a digest notice of all the pre-overdue notices for that day for that patron.

For example, Patron A has 18 picture books due on Friday, March 23.  

• If the Item Due messaging preference is checked in his record, he will get 18 Item due notices via email on Thursday, March 22.
• If the Advance Notice messaging preference is set to 3 days and both boxes are checked in his record, he will get one Advance notice via email on Tuesday, March 20.

 

Ignore button fix

LibLime has applied a fix to the Ignore button in the Hold Found pop-up messages.  There is still a problem with one check-in scenario but overall the button is working correctly.

When you click the Ignore button in both of the Hold Found pop-up messages ("Hold at" XXX and "Transfer to: XXX" ), the system will

• "keep" the item at your library,
• record your library as the Current Library and
• re-queue the patron back into the holds queue as a "Next Available" hold. 

The Ignore button is freezing when you try to use it for the following scenario:

• An item is sent to you in Delivery and it was not checked in/put into transit from the sending library.
• When you click the Ignore button in the Hold Found pop-up, the Ignore button does not seem respond to your click and remains on the screen.
• You will need to use the back button to get out of the screen.
• However, the actions of re-queuing the patron's hold and "keeping" the item at your library are completed.

We have reported this remaining problem on the original problem ticket, SCLS Support ticket 40636.  As soon as this is fixed we will send out an update.  The Circulation  Services Committee is working on revising the workflows for Damaged, Parts Missing and Defect Reported items to incorporate the use of the Ignore button.

 

 

 

Koha searching webinars available

Three Koha searching webinars are now available online:

• Koha Searching: Problems
• Koha Searching: Tips & Tricks
• Koha Searching: Formats and Your Questions

Each webinar is approximately 30 minutes long. Thanks to Dennis Reynolds and Gregg Drexler from Madison Public Library for presenting these webinars.