Circulation Rules For Groups/Consortia
Hello, We are a consortium of libraries and trying to grasp circulation for Koha in a group scenario as we are having some challenges understanding what is possible. We are separate libraries in a shared instance and with a shared patron/bib database. What we would like to have happen is: 1. A patron from one institution can borrow from another (either walk in person or via placing a hold) using fixed consortial borrowing rules. For example 60 days for a book. This should be separate from the lending library's own local patrons which may get more generous terms. 2. We would like to have a single set of patron categories that are standard across the group. For example Faculty, Student, etc. The issue seems to be that Koha views the patron as "local" rather than from another library. Is there a way for Koha to be configured to take into account a patron's home library when determining rules? We would like to have the default most general rule be our reciprocal lending terms (60 days for a book), but it seems that Koha always lends the item as if the patron is part of the library lending it - rather than a patron not affiliated directly with that library. Please let me know if I can clarify, but it seems there should be a setting somewhere or something in the rules definitions we are missing. We noticed in the rules definition there is the term "same library" which is considered by the system but it doesn't seem to be doing that in regards to the patron and their home library. We were hoping to avoid needing separate patron types for all of our libraries to make this work, if possible. Thanks so much! ---Noah Noah Brubaker PALNI Associate Director (317)721-8198 | nbrubaker@palni.edu | www.palni.edu c/o Irwin Library, 4553 Clarendon Road, Indianapolis, IN 46208
Hi Noah, Maybe someone more knowledgable about consortia issues can answer, but my first instinct is to ask what is the setting you set in the CircControl system preference? When Koha says "same library", it will look at the library of the item or the patron depending on CircControl. Regards, Caroline On 2025-10-09 14:51, Noah Brubaker wrote:
Hello,
We are a consortium of libraries and trying to grasp circulation for Koha in a group scenario as we are having some challenges understanding what is possible. We are separate libraries in a shared instance and with a shared patron/bib database. What we would like to have happen is:
1. A patron from one institution can borrow from another (either walk in person or via placing a hold) using fixed consortial borrowing rules. For example 60 days for a book. This should be separate from the lending library's own local patrons which may get more generous terms.
2. We would like to have a single set of patron categories that are standard across the group. For example Faculty, Student, etc.
The issue seems to be that Koha views the patron as "local" rather than from another library. Is there a way for Koha to be configured to take into account a patron's home library when determining rules?
We would like to have the default most general rule be our reciprocal lending terms (60 days for a book), but it seems that Koha always lends the item as if the patron is part of the library lending it - rather than a patron not affiliated directly with that library.
Please let me know if I can clarify, but it seems there should be a setting somewhere or something in the rules definitions we are missing. We noticed in the rules definition there is the term "same library" which is considered by the system but it doesn't seem to be doing that in regards to the patron and their home library.
We were hoping to avoid needing separate patron types for all of our libraries to make this work, if possible.
Thanks so much!
---Noah
Noah Brubaker
PALNI Associate Director
(317)721-8198 | nbrubaker@palni.edu | www.palni.edu
c/o Irwin Library, 4553 Clarendon Road, Indianapolis, IN 46208 _______________________________________________
Koha mailing list http://koha-community.org Koha@lists.katipo.co.nz Unsubscribe: https://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha
Caroline Cyr-La-Rose, M.L.I.S. (she/her) Librarian | Product Manager 1-833-INLIBRO (465-4276), ext. 221 caroline.cyr-la-rose@inlibro.com https://www.inLibro.com
Thank you Caroline, for the quick response! I tried all three of the options there with what seem to be the same result. I believe this is because with each CircControl Setting the following happens: 1. "the library the item is from" - will circulate the item with the rules that apply to the institutions own/home patrons to another patron regardless of their home library 2. "the library the patron is from" - will circulate with rules from the patron's home library NOT the library loaning the item 3. "the library you are logged in at" - got the same result here but not sure why - I think this setting is for instances where you might want to check out as if you were another library in special cases If these are the only options, and I am not missing something, it seems another could be added: "the loaning library" which could consider the patron's home library first then match for patron/item categories Are there any other settings or is there something about "the library you are logged in at" that could be used here? ---Noah Noah Brubaker PALNI Associate Director (317)721-8198 | nbrubaker@palni.edu | www.palni.edu c/o Irwin Library, 4553 Clarendon Road, Indianapolis, IN 46208 On Thu, Oct 9, 2025 at 3:06 PM Caroline Cyr La Rose < caroline.cyr-la-rose@inlibro.com> wrote:
Hi Noah,
Maybe someone more knowledgable about consortia issues can answer, but my first instinct is to ask what is the setting you set in the CircControl system preference?
When Koha says "same library", it will look at the library of the item or the patron depending on CircControl.
Regards,
Caroline
Hello,
We are a consortium of libraries and trying to grasp circulation for Koha in a group scenario as we are having some challenges understanding what is possible. We are separate libraries in a shared instance and with a shared patron/bib database. What we would like to have happen is:
1. A patron from one institution can borrow from another (either walk in person or via placing a hold) using fixed consortial borrowing rules. For example 60 days for a book. This should be separate from the lending library's own local patrons which may get more generous terms.
2. We would like to have a single set of patron categories that are standard across the group. For example Faculty, Student, etc.
The issue seems to be that Koha views the patron as "local" rather than from another library. Is there a way for Koha to be configured to take into account a patron's home library when determining rules?
We would like to have the default most general rule be our reciprocal lending terms (60 days for a book), but it seems that Koha always lends
On 2025-10-09 14:51, Noah Brubaker wrote: the
item as if the patron is part of the library lending it - rather than a patron not affiliated directly with that library.
Please let me know if I can clarify, but it seems there should be a setting somewhere or something in the rules definitions we are missing. We noticed in the rules definition there is the term "same library" which is considered by the system but it doesn't seem to be doing that in regards to the patron and their home library.
We were hoping to avoid needing separate patron types for all of our libraries to make this work, if possible.
Thanks so much!
---Noah
Noah Brubaker
PALNI Associate Director
(317)721-8198 | nbrubaker@palni.edu | www.palni.edu
c/o Irwin Library, 4553 Clarendon Road, Indianapolis, IN 46208 _______________________________________________
Koha mailing list http://koha-community.org Koha@lists.katipo.co.nz Unsubscribe: https://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha
Caroline Cyr-La-Rose, M.L.I.S. (she/her) Librarian | Product Manager
1-833-INLIBRO (465-4276), ext. 221 caroline.cyr-la-rose@inlibro.com https://www.inLibro.com
_______________________________________________
Koha mailing list http://koha-community.org Koha@lists.katipo.co.nz Unsubscribe: https://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha
Hi Noah, I'm no expert on this matter, but I find your problem intriguing. (And, wow, what a list of libraries in the consortium!) What you didn't happen to include in your reports is a sample of the rules that are set in your system. I don't want to assume that the rules you have in place fit the system's apparent or declared logic. Could you provide a few examples, including relevant entries from "Standard rules for all libraries"? I would expect that if, in "Circulation and fine rules" you had: Select a library : Standard rules for all libraries Patron category: Patron Item type: Book Loan period: 60 and: Select a library : University of Indianapolis Patron category: Patron Item type: Book Loan period: 90 and in the System preference CircControl: Use the calendar and circulation rules of: "the library the item is from." OR "the library the patron is from." then: - a Patron assigned to the University of Indianapolis checking out a Book from the University of Indianapolis would receive it for 90 days, because of the logic of Rule #1: -- same library, same patron category, same item type but: - a Patron assigned to Taylor University checking out a Book from the University of Indianapolis would receive it for 60 days, because of the logic of Rule #5 (Rules #2-4 don't apply due to their "same library" logic): -- default (all libraries), same patron category, same item type Does that fit both your own understanding and what you have specified in the rules? Regards, David Liddle System Administrator david.liddle@wycliff.de (but not for this list) Wycliff e.V., https://wycliff.de Seminar für Sprache und Kultur, https://spracheundkultur.org Internationales Tagungszentrum Karimu, https://karimu.de On Thu, Oct 9, 2025 at 9:21 PM Noah Brubaker <nbrubaker@palni.edu> wrote:
Thank you Caroline, for the quick response!
I tried all three of the options there with what seem to be the same result. I believe this is because with each CircControl Setting the following happens: 1. "the library the item is from" - will circulate the item with the rules that apply to the institutions own/home patrons to another patron regardless of their home library 2. "the library the patron is from" - will circulate with rules from the patron's home library NOT the library loaning the item 3. "the library you are logged in at" - got the same result here but not sure why - I think this setting is for instances where you might want to check out as if you were another library in special cases
If these are the only options, and I am not missing something, it seems another could be added: "the loaning library" which could consider the patron's home library first then match for patron/item categories
Are there any other settings or is there something about "the library you are logged in at" that could be used here?
---Noah
Noah Brubaker
PALNI Associate Director
(317)721-8198 | nbrubaker@palni.edu | www.palni.edu
c/o Irwin Library, 4553 Clarendon Road, Indianapolis, IN 46208
On Thu, Oct 9, 2025 at 3:06 PM Caroline Cyr La Rose < caroline.cyr-la-rose@inlibro.com> wrote:
Hi Noah,
Maybe someone more knowledgable about consortia issues can answer, but my first instinct is to ask what is the setting you set in the CircControl system preference?
When Koha says "same library", it will look at the library of the item or the patron depending on CircControl.
Regards,
Caroline
Hello,
We are a consortium of libraries and trying to grasp circulation for Koha in a group scenario as we are having some challenges understanding what is possible. We are separate libraries in a shared instance and with a shared patron/bib database. What we would like to have happen is:
1. A patron from one institution can borrow from another (either walk in person or via placing a hold) using fixed consortial borrowing rules. For example 60 days for a book. This should be separate from the lending library's own local patrons which may get more generous terms.
2. We would like to have a single set of patron categories that are standard across the group. For example Faculty, Student, etc.
The issue seems to be that Koha views the patron as "local" rather than from another library. Is there a way for Koha to be configured to take into account a patron's home library when determining rules?
We would like to have the default most general rule be our reciprocal lending terms (60 days for a book), but it seems that Koha always lends
On 2025-10-09 14:51, Noah Brubaker wrote: the
item as if the patron is part of the library lending it - rather than a patron not affiliated directly with that library.
Please let me know if I can clarify, but it seems there should be a setting somewhere or something in the rules definitions we are missing. We noticed in the rules definition there is the term "same library" which is considered by the system but it doesn't seem to be doing that in regards to the patron and their home library.
We were hoping to avoid needing separate patron types for all of our libraries to make this work, if possible.
Thanks so much!
---Noah
Noah Brubaker
PALNI Associate Director
(317)721-8198 | nbrubaker@palni.edu | www.palni.edu
c/o Irwin Library, 4553 Clarendon Road, Indianapolis, IN 46208 _______________________________________________
Koha mailing list http://koha-community.org Koha@lists.katipo.co.nz Unsubscribe: https://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha
Caroline Cyr-La-Rose, M.L.I.S. (she/her) Librarian | Product Manager
1-833-INLIBRO (465-4276), ext. 221 caroline.cyr-la-rose@inlibro.com https://www.inLibro.com
_______________________________________________
Koha mailing list http://koha-community.org Koha@lists.katipo.co.nz Unsubscribe: https://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha
_______________________________________________
Koha mailing list http://koha-community.org Koha@lists.katipo.co.nz Unsubscribe: https://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha
My cooperative has been on Koha less than year, but my experience so far has been that what you want to do isn't possible without creating library-specific patron types. The standard rules for all libraries would be set for "all" patron categories, and then each individual library would have the more generous rules listed, specifying the local patron categories. You could limit each patron category so that only the relevant ones show up for each logged in library, but the circ rules on the back end will be a headache to manage, I imagine. On Thu, Oct 9, 2025 at 2:52 PM Noah Brubaker <nbrubaker@palni.edu> wrote:
Hello,
We are a consortium of libraries and trying to grasp circulation for Koha in a group scenario as we are having some challenges understanding what is possible. We are separate libraries in a shared instance and with a shared patron/bib database. What we would like to have happen is:
1. A patron from one institution can borrow from another (either walk in person or via placing a hold) using fixed consortial borrowing rules. For example 60 days for a book. This should be separate from the lending library's own local patrons which may get more generous terms.
2. We would like to have a single set of patron categories that are standard across the group. For example Faculty, Student, etc.
The issue seems to be that Koha views the patron as "local" rather than from another library. Is there a way for Koha to be configured to take into account a patron's home library when determining rules?
We would like to have the default most general rule be our reciprocal lending terms (60 days for a book), but it seems that Koha always lends the item as if the patron is part of the library lending it - rather than a patron not affiliated directly with that library.
Please let me know if I can clarify, but it seems there should be a setting somewhere or something in the rules definitions we are missing. We noticed in the rules definition there is the term "same library" which is considered by the system but it doesn't seem to be doing that in regards to the patron and their home library.
We were hoping to avoid needing separate patron types for all of our libraries to make this work, if possible.
Thanks so much!
---Noah
Noah Brubaker
PALNI Associate Director
(317)721-8198 | nbrubaker@palni.edu | www.palni.edu
c/o Irwin Library, 4553 Clarendon Road, Indianapolis, IN 46208 _______________________________________________
Koha mailing list http://koha-community.org Koha@lists.katipo.co.nz Unsubscribe: https://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha
-- Trevor Diamond Director of Library Systems Main Library Alliance Cedar Knolls, NJ <https://mainlib.org/>
participants (4)
-
Caroline Cyr La Rose -
David Liddle -
Noah Brubaker -
Trevor Diamond