[Koha] RFC: Circulation Rules Interface and Backend Revamp RFC

[Agnes Rivers-Moore]

Comments -

I am glad someone is taking this on. It has been growing more cumbersome and needs help.

Radical suggestion - perhaps we are asking too much of a single 'item type' code and 'borrower category' code.
The system currently uses these codes for both setting rules and for statistical reporting.
If there were two codes in the item - one designed for setting rules, and one for statistics, the issuing rules table could be less detailed.
(Example, we want to count the circulation of children's books by stock category: picturebook, easy reader, chapter book, young fiction - but all of these 'item types' may have exactly the same issuing rules. We might have 4 statistical item types, but only need one loan rule code.)

In some libraries the same may apply to Borrower Category - that for statistical reasons they want to count circulation to borrowers in different districts or age groups, but the lending rules might be the same for many categories of borrower.

Now to be less radical and comment on the suggested revamp:

I like the idea of a cleanup/error checker to detect duplicates - and also to detect conflicting rules.

Part of the difficulty is having one rule table for so many operations.
For example - current checkouts allowed may not relate to fine rates, or loan periods, or to renewals allowed. Forcing all those attributes into one rule also makes for a confusing and unwieldy rule set - difficult to clarify however it is laid out in the user interface.
Having separate rule tables (one screen each) for each of fine rate & maximum, checkout limit, loan period & renewals, and suspension rules might make it easier for the librarians to manage. They would then be combined into a big back end table the system could use.

Group rules:
Libraries sometimes want the same rule to apply to a group of itemtypes, or a group of borrower types.
The existing system requires one row for each branch/ borrower category/ item combination that differs from the default rule.

Perhaps this revamp would allow for Rule: loan period X apply to itemtypes a,b,c and borrower types r, s, t...
(In other words - will the illustrated drop-down allow multi-select of several categories/types?)
That would be less cumbersome to read, but still would be error prone.

Sometimes libraries need umbrella or group checkout limit rules.
For example, we may want to limit the total of DVDs allowed out - but that cannot be done unless there is only one item type of DVD. As soon as the library has Documentary DVD, Adult DVD, Children's DVD - the existing rules cannot limit to an overall total of DVDs.
However we would still want to prevent child borrowers from checking out adult DVDs, so sub-limits within the group would be needed.
Current checkouts allowed is one that perhaps could be separated from the main rules table, to allow 'group limit' and sub-group limits as well as a default checkout limit and limit by borrower category.

Just my thoughts. Go Jesse!
Agnes


On 1/07/16 3:13 PM, Jesse wrote:

The backend and frontend of the circulation/policy rules in Koha have been
extended and stretched to the point where they cause a fair amount of
issues and frustration. Many librarians and developers are uncertain when
default rules are applied, and the very large number of possible settings
makes the interface and backend unwieldy.

Full details for our intended solution can be found at the link at the
bottom of this email, but here's the gist:

Instead of having one database row with all settings for a given
library/category/itemtype, allow each setting (checkout length, fine
amount, holds allowed, etc.) to be specified separately.
Rework the interface to more clearly show the specificity of
default/specific rules, and allow for this new database model.
Accomplish the above incrementally by gradually changing APIs.

http://wiki.koha-community.org/wiki/Circulation_Rules_Interface_and_Backend_Revamp_RFC

Any and all comments are appreciated. Development on this project has been
fully sponsored, and we are looking to start work later this year.


--
Agnes Rivers-Moore
CEO / Chief Librarian
Hanover Public Library
451 10th Ave,
Hanover, ON, N4N 2P1

Tel: 519.364.1420 | Fax: 519.364.1747
Email: arm at hanover.ca<mailto:arm at hanover.ca> | Web: www.hanoverlibrary.ca<http://www.hanoverlibrary.ca>

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