NExpress FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions November 12, 2009

Today’s discussion topics

• Fines/system preferences

• Holidays

• Overdues

• Email notifications

• Renewals

• Holds

Catalog system preferences (one rule for all libraries)

• Maximum fine for a single late item: $3.00• Maximum amount a patron can owe

before holds are blocked: $10• Maximum amount a patron can owe

before checkouts are blocked: $10• Maximum number of holds a patron can place: 100• Number of days a hold remains reserved for pickup: 7• Whose circulation and fine policy applies to materials

from another library at first checkout? Pickup Library

Circulation periods and details • Calendar settings: Library can define weekly, yearly

repeatable or unique holidays on a calendar. Loan periods will skip holidays, and fines will not accrue on holidays.

OR• Library can leave calendar holidays undefined, resulting

in loan periods that will include every calendar day, and fines will accrue every calendar day, regardless of whether or not the library is open.

• Patron categories can affect certain circulation details, like the number of items of any given type that can be checked out (for example, 2 movies for Children, 4 movies for Adults; no fines for Outreach patrons; extended checkout for teacher, etc.)

Overdues

• Library must define the time frame for sending overdue notices. A library can define up to three notices, and can block checkouts at any time after an item is overdue. Default notices have been set up for use, but a library can create its own customized notice if it wants.

Notifications • Libraries must define e-mail notification options

at the time a patron record is established, or add them subsequently upon request. E-mail notifications options include: Hold Pickup Notice (default ON), checkout and return notifications, and Advance Notice of item due notifications (days in advance can be selected). All notifications depend on a valid e-mail address in the Primary E-Mail field of the patron record.

Renewals When an item is renewed, the renewal period begins on the

date the renewal takes place. It is NOT added on to the end of the initial checkout period. This is a global system preference.

There is also a current Koha bug around renewals that allows a renewed item to obtain renewal rules from the OWNING library of the item, rather than from the TRANSACTION library. This has caused some discrepancies when people renew materials sent from other libraries that they've checked out their home library

Hold policies From Any Library: Patrons from any library may

put any eligible item on hold. All OPAC holds are Title level holds, meaning the patron cannot choose a specific copy or library from which the hold will be filled. (They can, however, always designate their Pickup Library). On the staff side, holds can be specified at the Copy level, but this capability should be used rarely.

Special hold policies 1.From Home Library:  Only patrons from the

item's home library may put this item on hold.

2.No Holds Allowed: No patron may put this item on hold.

These policies are enabled by circulation rules that must be set up for your

individual library.

Special hold policies There are five separate Item Types that govern special holds.

Three Item Types restrict holds based on the patron's home branch: 

• LOCAL HOLD BOOK • LOCAL HOLD MOVIE • LOCAL HOLD ONLY (for items other than books or movies, such as

cake pans or videogames)

Two Item Types disallow holds, regardless of patron's home branch:• WALK-IN BOOK • WALK-IN MOVIE

Special hold policies can be

overridden by the circulation staff.

OPAC LoginsYou can log into your account from the OPAC using your library card

number and PIN (password), even if you

have another OPAC Login. Both the account number

or the OPAC Login in conjunction with your PIN

will work.

Other topics

1. Using the CATALOGING Shelving Location

2. Search the catalog – tips and pointers about Koha's relevance algorithm, and why it doesn't do what you think it does or what you want it to do

3. Creating ILL accounts for borrowing and lending items outside of the shared catalog - tips and suggestions

Things we covered – questions?

• Fines/system preferences

• Holidays

• Overdues

• Email notifications

• Renewals

• Holds