[Koha] Circulation Rules For Groups/Consortia

Sat Oct 11 04:39:34 NZDT 2025

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 at 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 at 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 at 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 at 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
> >
> > 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 at palni.edu | www.palni.edu
> > >
> > > c/o Irwin Library, 4553 Clarendon Road, Indianapolis, IN 46208
> > > _______________________________________________
> > >
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> >
> > Caroline Cyr-La-Rose, M.L.I.S. (she/her)
> > Librarian | Product Manager
> >
> > 1-833-INLIBRO (465-4276), ext. 221
> > caroline.cyr-la-rose at inlibro.com
> > https://www.inLibro.com
> >
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> >
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