[Koha] Using KOHA for textbooks?

[savitra sirohi]

Anna,

One more thing to note is if the number of copies is too large, zebra
rebuild should be run with -x option. This option allows for rebuild
to run for large sized records.

Thanks,
Savitra Sirohi
Nucsoft OSS Labs
http://www.osslabs.biz

On Fri, Oct 30, 2009 at 10:57 AM, Anna Kågedal <anna.kagedal at gmail.com> wrote:
> We have our textbooks barcoded in another system that we are currently
> working on exporting them from.
>
> Other than that - what you are writing about due dates, sounds about
> exactly what I would like.
>
> The term loans also sounds very interesting.
>
> Anna
>
> On Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 7:43 PM, David Schuster <dschust1 at tx.rr.com> wrote:
>>
>> Ah textbooks.
>>
>> I've pondered this as well - and Plano ISD, Plano Texas is looking at this
>> as well.  Here are a few of my thoughts.
>>
>> Depending on the number of textbooks you have will impact system
>> performance.  Currently when you have more than say 200 books on a
>> particular title record - when you go to check them out it may take a whole
>> minute for that transaction.  I was very excited about moving the items off
>> the biblio record for circ transactions as that is what is slowing this down
>> drastically.  I understand that may have been moved to 3.4 release now?
>>
>> Duedates - that's something I have on my development list to ponder.  I
>> would like to be able to set a specific duedate for specific item types.
>> Currently if you set a global duedate it is for EVERYTHING.  We currently
>> check out curriculum materials to teachers but the best we can do for a
>> whole year checkout is 365 days or change it monthly.  Neither is the best
>> solution.  What I would like is on the item type for say PROFessional or
>> CURriculum itype instead of days have an option for days/duedate.  Where you
>> could put in 45 or 2010/05/18 so it could be 45 days or May 18th of 2010.
>> With Textbooks there are 45 day checkouts, semester checkouts, yearly
>> checkouts so all of that would have to have different item types.
>>
>> Not to mention how would you get all of those items added to your system ONE
>> AT A TIME unless you have them barcoded and can export them from another
>> system.
>>
>> I know we have some specific textbook functionality under consideration for
>> development but I am not sure what that development spec looks like as I
>> have not been in on those meetings.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> David Schuster
>> Library Technology Coordinator
>> Plano ISD
>>
>> Anna Kågedal wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> Is anyone using KOHA for textbooks?
>>>
>>> We have been using KOHA for our schools library books since July and
>>> it works well. We are now planning to import our textbooks as well, so
>>> that we have everything in one system.
>>>
>>> However - I suddenly got nervous. Is this a good idea? Anyone have
>>> experience with this?
>>>
>>> For example - the global due date that you can set in KOHA towards the
>>> end of a semester - will then affect all books in all libraries if I
>>> am correct? Or is there a way to put a global due date for only one
>>> library? This is because we always have one final date to return books
>>> for the semester for library books, and another for textbooks. And if
>>> I then set at global due date for the library books - that will affect
>>> the duedate for textbooks as well.
>>>
>>>
>>> Another thing that I've been thinking about:
>>> Check out date - you would have to specify a due date (since it can't
>>> be a certain loan period for textbooks, since it is actually a
>>> specific date when all textbooks needs to be back, regardless of when
>>> it was checked out) and click "remember for session" for every student
>>> that you check out books to if .  Or is there a way to set "remember
>>> for session" - meaning - as long as I am logged in or unclick the
>>> button - and not as it is now - as long as this is the same patron?
>>> (Note: we check out all the textbooks to 600 students in 4 days - it
>>> gets VERY busy - and several small time thieves will severely slow us
>>> down.)
>>>
>>> Our plan was to create a specific library for textbooks, and combine
>>> that with a textbook itemtype. The barcodes are also different, and at
>>> the moment we don't have a Shelving location for textbooks.
>>>
>>> Finally I'd like to take the opportunity now to thank all of you who
>>> has answered my questions in the past and who answers in the future.
>>>
>>> Anna
>>>
>>> --
>>> ++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>>
>>> Anna Kågedal
>>> Kodaikanal International School
>>> Seven Roads Junction
>>> Kodaikanal 624101
>>> Tamil Nadu, India
>>> home phone: +914542247269
>>> cell phone: +919994535493
>>> http://boxofbarfi.blogspot.com
>>> http://twitter.com/kislibrarian
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Koha mailing list
>>> Koha at lists.katipo.co.nz
>>> http://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha
>>>
>>>
>>
>> --
>> View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Using-KOHA-for-textbooks--tp26106214p26113901.html
>> Sent from the Koha - Discuss mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>
>
>
> --
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> Anna Kågedal
> Kodaikanal International School
> Seven Roads Junction
> Kodaikanal 624101
> Tamil Nadu, India
> home phone: +914542247269
> cell phone: +919994535493
> http://boxofbarfi.blogspot.com
> http://twitter.com/kislibrarian
> _______________________________________________
> Koha mailing list
> Koha at lists.katipo.co.nz
> http://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha
>