[Koha] How make item availability accessible via Z39.50?

[Mike Mason]

Hi all

I'm a newbie configuring Koha (Liblime's Koha Express [release 
3.00.02.012]) for the first time.
Our library is part of a consortium of theological libraries that has 
a virtual union catalogue -- an OCLC site running Zportal -- a Z39.50 
client that queries multiple servers similtaneously.  So I have to 
give the folks at OCLC info about how Koha stores data on Holdings in 
tag 952 so they can configure their Zportal to look for it.  I want 
the Z39.50 search result to show whether an item is AVAILABLE. Koha 
shows this in its own OPAC, but how can an external Z39.50 client 
find it? Is it in a MARC field/subfield?  Our Liblime trainer 
suggested 952$q, but when I test this with Bookwhere, nothing is 
returned. Anyway, 952$q is 'checked out', and to be available, an 
item would have to be not only not checked out, but also not lost, 
not withdrawn etc.  Is availability stored in a mysterious Koha 
variable like biblioitem.available? (No such variable is listed in 
the Koha to Marc mapping table, as far as I can see). If it's a Koha 
variable not mapped into MARC, how can Zportal get to it?  It seems 
to manage with other ILS packages.

Excuse my vast ignorance of library matters; I'm not even a 
librarian; kind of honorary computer support person.  I've had to 
learn more about MARC than I ever wanted to know, and I hate it already.

Mike Mason



Cordially,

Michael Mason


(Rev. Dr.) Michael Mason
Librarian & Director of I.T.
Redemptorist Seminary Library
10 Majella Ct.
Kew, Vic. 3101

Phone: +61 3 9817 9758
Fax:     +61 3 9816 9805
Email: M.Mason at ytu.edu.au 
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