[Koha] Using KOHA for textbooks?

[Anna Kågedal]

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.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Koha mailing list
> Koha at lists.katipo.co.nz
> http://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha
>



-- 
++++++++++++++++++++++++

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