Hello! Being pretty new to Koha I still struggle to get a solution for our loan periods. I understand that Koha specifies loan periods based on `item types` and `patron types` and then calculates the loan period using the circulation matrix. I also believe I have an understanding of this matrix and I also know such concepts from other ILS. However, in our library we assume that all patrons are created equal. Now, we (currently) assume that not all books (just to take one item type) are created equal. IOW in our current system we have books with a loan period of 4 weeks (usual default) while we also have books with a loan period of 3 days (being open 24/7 with self service checkout this is our `not for loan`) and others with 2 years. Currently, any patron (they are all equal) can have items with any of these loan periods. Eg. I got Peskin/Schroeder as as desktop reference for 2 years. Then go to the library during my usual working hours (10pm or so ;) and up pick Bailin/Love from the open shelves to prepare the next lecture and while I am there I spot this interesting "new piece over there" and add it to the lot not noticing that it should stay there for a week or so. (Telling our SIP terminal "you can not take this" will not work well, especially as most of our patrons would not notice the red frownie and no-one would notice the beeps at the entrance in the middle of the night.) However, till here I can model most of it by creating an item type `book` along with `desktop reference` for the first two items. I do not yet see the new items shelve (a temporary location) where items stay for a week till they move to their permanent location with a regular loan period of 4 weeks. (IOW in our current system the loan period sometimes depends on temporary locations.) Still, this requires to add a new item type for each loan period. When it comes to databases we now have a number of different loan periods, as we model them as the subscription period minus some contract dependent time to allow for cancellation (or renewal). E.g. some are subscriptions for campus (real not for loan) with some contract running a year. The next contract runs 3 years with 4 month before it's end for cancellation. Then we have individually licensed accesses ranging from a monthly or bi-monthly period to years. Those are currently checked out to the patrons who have the access and we use the reminders as notification to our patrons ("should we renew?") and the renewals as a notification to us that the contract should indeed be renewed for another period. How would I model this in Koha? Do I really create a host of item types with funny names like 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks, 6 weeks, 7 weeks, 8 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 6 months, 7 months, 8 months, 9 months, 10 months, 11 months, 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, 36 months, 42 months, 48 months, 54 months, 60 months, 66 months, 72 months, 78 months It looks a bit messy in cataloguing but these would also show up in the OPAC (eg. in the advanced search limiters). In our current system I just had a subfield on item level where I could specify a loan period. Do I get it right that this concept does not exist and can not be modeled in Koha? How can I get around this? How do others handle this? Maybe I need a different angle to look at it... -- Kind regards, Alexander Wagner Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY Library and Documentation Building 01d Room OG1.444 Notkestr. 85 22607 Hamburg phone: +49-40-8998-1758 e-mail: alexander.wagner@desy.de
Hi Alexander, Maybe someone else will have a genius idea, but I don't really see a way around creating specific item types, or simplifying your rules. (A software change is always a good time to review policies imo...) I mean, you could always do manual loan periods (https://koha-community.org/manual/latest/en/html/circulationpreferences.html...), but it's a hassle to do it for every loan... I wanted to address this however
It looks a bit messy in cataloguing but these would also show up in the OPAC (eg. in the advanced search limiters).
This can be hidden in with the OpacAdvancedSearchTypes system preference. If you use ElasticSearch, the facets in the search results can be hidden in Administration > Search engine configuration (Elasticsearch) > Bibliographic records, uncheck the itype facet at the bottom of the screen. In the detailed record, you can hide the item type column by unchecking the item_itemtype column in Administration > Table settings > OPAC > holdingst. That way, the item types should not appear in the OPAC (although for transparency, patrons might be interested to know how long they can take something out). For cataloguers, I don't really see the difference for them to enter a loan period in an item field vs choosing an item type in an item field. Good luck with all of that! Caroline On 2023-10-12 09:28, Wagner, Alexander wrote:
Hello!
Being pretty new to Koha I still struggle to get a solution for our loan periods.
I understand that Koha specifies loan periods based on `item types` and `patron types` and then calculates the loan period using the circulation matrix. I also believe I have an understanding of this matrix and I also know such concepts from other ILS.
However, in our library we assume that all patrons are created equal.
Now, we (currently) assume that not all books (just to take one item type) are created equal.
IOW in our current system we have books with a loan period of 4 weeks (usual default) while we also have books with a loan period of 3 days (being open 24/7 with self service checkout this is our `not for loan`) and others with 2 years. Currently, any patron (they are all equal) can have items with any of these loan periods. Eg. I got Peskin/Schroeder as as desktop reference for 2 years. Then go to the library during my usual working hours (10pm or so ;) and up pick Bailin/Love from the open shelves to prepare the next lecture and while I am there I spot this interesting "new piece over there" and add it to the lot not noticing that it should stay there for a week or so. (Telling our SIP terminal "you can not take this" will not work well, especially as most of our patrons would not notice the red frownie and no-one would notice the beeps at the entrance in the middle of the night.)
However, till here I can model most of it by creating an item type `book` along with `desktop reference` for the first two items. I do not yet see the new items shelve (a temporary location) where items stay for a week till they move to their permanent location with a regular loan period of 4 weeks. (IOW in our current system the loan period sometimes depends on temporary locations.)
Still, this requires to add a new item type for each loan period.
When it comes to databases we now have a number of different loan periods, as we model them as the subscription period minus some contract dependent time to allow for cancellation (or renewal). E.g. some are subscriptions for campus (real not for loan) with some contract running a year. The next contract runs 3 years with 4 month before it's end for cancellation.
Then we have individually licensed accesses ranging from a monthly or bi-monthly period to years. Those are currently checked out to the patrons who have the access and we use the reminders as notification to our patrons ("should we renew?") and the renewals as a notification to us that the contract should indeed be renewed for another period. How would I model this in Koha? Do I really create a host of item types with funny names like
1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks, 6 weeks, 7 weeks, 8 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 6 months, 7 months, 8 months, 9 months, 10 months, 11 months, 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, 36 months, 42 months, 48 months, 54 months, 60 months, 66 months, 72 months, 78 months
It looks a bit messy in cataloguing but these would also show up in the OPAC (eg. in the advanced search limiters).
In our current system I just had a subfield on item level where I could specify a loan period. Do I get it right that this concept does not exist and can not be modeled in Koha? How can I get around this? How do others handle this? Maybe I need a different angle to look at it...
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
Hello Caroline!
Maybe someone else will have a genius idea, but I don't really see a way around creating specific item types, or simplifying your rules.
In a way they are a lot simpler than what Koha can actually do. The vast majority is just "4 weeks" :)
(A software change is always a good time to review policies imo...)
Of course.
I mean, you could always do manual loan periods (https://koha-community.org/manual/latest/en/html/circulationpreferences.html...), but it's a hassle to do it for every loan...
Right. I envisioned something on those lines as a last resort for the database "loans". Maybe there is a better way to track this db-stuff. They are similar to a personal journal subscription. I really like them to be visible with the users account and have them in the catalogue, though.
I wanted to address this however
Thank you :)
It looks a bit messy in cataloguing but these would also show up in the OPAC (eg. in the advanced search limiters).
This can be hidden in with the OpacAdvancedSearchTypes system preference.
Aha! This might be helfpul.
If you use ElasticSearch, the facets in the search results can be hidden in Administration > Search engine configuration (Elasticsearch) > Bibliographic records, uncheck the itype facet at the bottom of the screen.
Not sure about this yet. At the moment I still try to avoid any additional modules beyond the bare minimum (as the schedule is a bit tight...) But thank you. I noted it in my section on ES.
In the detailed record, you can hide the item type column by unchecking the item_itemtype column in Administration > Table settings > OPAC > holdingst.
So in a way I can actually treat the "item type" as a (strange) name for "loan period". I'll explore that road.
That way, the item types should not appear in the OPAC (although for transparency, patrons might be interested to know how long they can take something out).
Indeed they'd be. However, given the circulation matrix it might not be that easy for them in general anyway, right? (Say if role X for item type A implies 4 weeks while role Y for the same item implies 8 weeks.)
For cataloguers, I don't really see the difference for them to enter a loan period in an item field vs choosing an item type in an item field.
It seems strange to me to call a book "4 weeks". And I had the idea that the categories (have to) show up in OPAC all the time so I had the feeling that I would need to create something like display name `Book`, ending up in 20 entries that are labeled `Book` and just add a different vocabulary term in the backend. (Display `Book` store `6 weeks`, display `Book` store `4 weeks` and so on. Sort of "I take the 9th entry from the list to get the proper period stored".)
Good luck with all of that!
Thanks :) -- Kind regards, Alexander Wagner Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY Library and Documentation Building 01d Room OG1.444 Notkestr. 85 22607 Hamburg phone: +49-40-8998-1758 e-mail: alexander.wagner@desy.de
Hi Alexander, some thoughts/ideas what you could try: For the newly acquired materials: * You could use the "Item modifications by age" too to automatically move them from a short term loan itemtype to a different item type using some rules and the "age" of the items. * You could also use the course reserves module to give them a temporary item type that is then switched to the final one when they are removed from the 'shelf'/course reserve. For the databases/licenses * I also lean towards manually entering the due date on checkout, as Caroline suggested. You could then summarize those under one itemtype like 'individual loan period' or 'license/subscription' and have that show up in the OPAC search filters. And you could use the item type to create some "alert" on checkin/checkout to remind your staff about the special use case. In general we also use the item types to indicate the type of use 'reference material' or 'normal loan'. Sometimes item types and material types overlap, but not always. You'll find that you can pretty much hide the item type from display anywhere in the OPAC using configuration. If you are looking for something specific, let us know. Hope this helps, Katrin On 12.10.23 15:28, Wagner, Alexander wrote:
Hello!
Being pretty new to Koha I still struggle to get a solution for our loan periods.
I understand that Koha specifies loan periods based on `item types` and `patron types` and then calculates the loan period using the circulation matrix. I also believe I have an understanding of this matrix and I also know such concepts from other ILS.
However, in our library we assume that all patrons are created equal.
Now, we (currently) assume that not all books (just to take one item type) are created equal.
IOW in our current system we have books with a loan period of 4 weeks (usual default) while we also have books with a loan period of 3 days (being open 24/7 with self service checkout this is our `not for loan`) and others with 2 years. Currently, any patron (they are all equal) can have items with any of these loan periods. Eg. I got Peskin/Schroeder as as desktop reference for 2 years. Then go to the library during my usual working hours (10pm or so ;) and up pick Bailin/Love from the open shelves to prepare the next lecture and while I am there I spot this interesting "new piece over there" and add it to the lot not noticing that it should stay there for a week or so. (Telling our SIP terminal "you can not take this" will not work well, especially as most of our patrons would not notice the red frownie and no-one would notice the beeps at the entrance in the middle of the night.)
However, till here I can model most of it by creating an item type `book` along with `desktop reference` for the first two items. I do not yet see the new items shelve (a temporary location) where items stay for a week till they move to their permanent location with a regular loan period of 4 weeks. (IOW in our current system the loan period sometimes depends on temporary locations.)
Still, this requires to add a new item type for each loan period.
When it comes to databases we now have a number of different loan periods, as we model them as the subscription period minus some contract dependent time to allow for cancellation (or renewal). E.g. some are subscriptions for campus (real not for loan) with some contract running a year. The next contract runs 3 years with 4 month before it's end for cancellation.
Then we have individually licensed accesses ranging from a monthly or bi-monthly period to years. Those are currently checked out to the patrons who have the access and we use the reminders as notification to our patrons ("should we renew?") and the renewals as a notification to us that the contract should indeed be renewed for another period. How would I model this in Koha? Do I really create a host of item types with funny names like
1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks, 6 weeks, 7 weeks, 8 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 6 months, 7 months, 8 months, 9 months, 10 months, 11 months, 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, 36 months, 42 months, 48 months, 54 months, 60 months, 66 months, 72 months, 78 months
It looks a bit messy in cataloguing but these would also show up in the OPAC (eg. in the advanced search limiters).
In our current system I just had a subfield on item level where I could specify a loan period. Do I get it right that this concept does not exist and can not be modeled in Koha? How can I get around this? How do others handle this? Maybe I need a different angle to look at it...
Hi Katrin!
* You could use the "Item modifications by age" too to automatically move them from a short term loan itemtype to a different item type using some rules and the "age" of the items.
* You could also use the course reserves module to give them a temporary item type that is then switched to the final one when they are removed from the 'shelf'/course reserve.
I'll check those options. Thank you for the pointers :)
For the databases/licenses
* I also lean towards manually entering the due date on checkout, as Caroline suggested. You could then summarize those under one itemtype like 'individual loan period' or 'license/subscription' and have that show up in the OPAC search filters.
It seems indeed the way to go.
And you could use the item type to create some "alert" on checkin/checkout to remind your staff about the special use case.
Those would show once staff returns the items in the admin interface, right?
Sometimes item types and material types overlap, but not always.
Maybe it's just the words that confused me a bit, as I had read `item` like `material`. The examples are a bit suggestive in this sense.
You'll find that you can pretty much hide the item type from display anywhere in the OPAC using configuration. If you are looking for something specific, let us know.
Thank you. I'll shout out loud for help if I get lost :) -- Kind regards, Alexander Wagner Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY Library and Documentation Building 01d Room OG1.444 Notkestr. 85 22607 Hamburg phone: +49-40-8998-1758 e-mail: alexander.wagner@desy.de
Reply below: On 19.10.23 14:07, Wagner, Alexander wrote:
And you could use the item type to create some "alert" on checkin/checkout to remind your staff about the special use case. Those would show once staff returns the items in the admin interface, right?
Yes, you could use the checkin note configurable in the itemtype administration page. With a little jQuery you could also do some time of alert on the checkout page.
Sometimes item types and material types overlap, but not always. Maybe it's just the words that confused me a bit, as I had read `item` like `material`. The examples are a bit suggestive in this sense.
I know that the German translation is not helping here. I think for a lot of libraries material types and loan types correlate, but it doesn't make sense for every library.
You'll find that you can pretty much hide the item type from display anywhere in the OPAC using configuration. If you are looking for something specific, let us know. Thank you. I'll shout out loud for help if I get lost :)
Katrin
Hi!
Those would show once staff returns the items in the admin interface, right?
Yes, you could use the checkin note configurable in the itemtype administration page. With a little jQuery you could also do some time of alert on the checkout page.
Adding to notes.md ;)
Sometimes item types and material types overlap, but not always. Maybe it's just the words that confused me a bit, as I had read `item` like `material`. The examples are a bit suggestive in this sense. I know that the German translation is not helping here.
I carefully admit that I did not read the any translation. But maybe I should in case have a look at the German one as well. I mainly got confused as the item type (`Book`, `DVD` etc.) is also used as a (pretty prominent) facet and to me the question `and now only show things with a loan period of...` didn't make too much sense, especially compared with `only books please`. So, at first glance it looked to me like a mixture of concepts and I reasoned that I did not understand some inner workings correctly. ;) At the moment I am mainly try to "map" our field usage to Koha concepts. E.g. in my current world the closest thing to item type is (our) `3367_` that gives values like `Book`, `Article`, `PhD`, `Proceedings`, `Poster`... One might note that the vast majority of our records do not have any items associated as this is more like a (pretty fancy) institutional bibliography and open access repository. Only library holdings (an my job now is only concerned with them) feature items as such. Furthermore, as we are small wrt the number of items per title, our current system stores item information right along the bibliographic data in 852/876. (No separate item records are used) and we (miss-?)use `876 |h` (usage restriction) for an item specific loan period, so we can have books with a loan period of `4 weeks` and other books with a loan period of `2 years` and so on. Unless some temporary locations in `876 |l` are involved (e.g. `On display`) this is used literally to calculate the due date. That's why I currently have a pretty strong separation between `item|media type` and `loan periods`.
I think for a lot of libraries material types and loan types correlate
Perfectly agree. Also the Koha logic to intersect this with patron types is pretty sensible in many cases and it doesn't hurt me as I just have one of those. There are just some customs on our end (and some of them are _strange_ for a library) I can not change easily and there I have to find smooth transitions. E.g. if I set all `Books` to a loan period of `4 weeks` I'd have to go on a _very_ long holiday ;) -- Kind regards, Alexander Wagner Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY Library and Documentation Building 01d Room OG1.444 Notkestr. 85 22607 Hamburg phone: +49-40-8998-1758 e-mail: alexander.wagner@desy.de
participants (3)
-
Caroline Cyr La Rose -
Katrin Fischer -
Wagner, Alexander