If you have no layouts defined, you will add a new layout by clicking the 'New' button and choosing 'Layout'.

You may also choose to press 'Manage layout' on the left side. Here you are offered a list of available layouts you can select for editing. But at the top of the page there is still the 'New layout' button.

• You have the option of adding up to 3 lines of text to your card. Your text can be static text of your choosing and/or fields from the patron record. If you want to print fields from the patron record you want to put the field names in brackets like so - <firstname>

  Note

  A full list of field names can be found in the database schema at http://schema.koha-community.org

• For each line of text, you can choose your font, font size and the location of the text on the card using the lower X and Y coordinates

• In order to show the barcode and the patron card number you will need to check the 'Print Card Number as Barcode' option. This will turn the patron card number into a barcode. If you want the number to print in human readable format you will need to check the 'Print Card Number as Text Under Barcode' option.

• Finally you can choose up to two images to print on the card.

  • One can be the patron image which you can resize to meet your needs.

  • The other image can be something like a library logo or symbol that you uploaded using the 'Manage Images' module of the Patron Card Creator Tool.

To add a new template click on the 'New template' button at the top of your page which brings you to the Edit template form immediately. You may also choose to press 'Manage templates' on the left side. Here you are offered a list of available templates you can select for editing. But in the top of the page there is still the 'New template' button.

Using the form that appears after pressing either 'Edit' or 'New template'you can define the template for your sheet of labels or cards.

After saving, your templates will appear on the 'Manage templates' page.

To add a new profile, you want to click on the 'Profiles' button at the top of your page and choose 'New Profile'

To add a new profile, you want to click on the 'New profile' button at the top of your page. Using the form that appears you can define the values to correct the card misalignments on your label sheet. You may also choose 'Manage profiles' on the left side and select one of the currently available profiles for editing.

After saving, your profiles will appear on the 'Manage Printer Profiles' page.

Once you have saved your new profile, you can return to the list of templates and choose to edit the template that this profile is for.

To add a new batch, you want to click on the 'New batches' button at the top of your page. Choosing the menu item 'Manage batches' on the left a list of already defined batches is displayed. In this display you can either select a batch for editing or add a new batch.

For a new batch a message pops up and directs you to select patrons to be processed in this batch.

After choosing the 'Add item(s)' button the Patron Search window pops up.

From here you can search for patrons to add to your batch by any part of their name, their category and/or library. Entering * in the search box will display all the patrons.

From the results you can add patrons to the batch by clicking the 'Add' button. After adding patrons from the results you can start over and perform another search or click 'Close' at the bottom of the screen to indicate that you are done. You will then be presented with your batch.

If you are satisfied with your batch you can proceed to export. If you want to correct or even delete that batch the buttons to do so can be found at the top of your screen. You can always come back here through the 'Manage > Card batches' button.

If you would like to export all patron cards you can click 'Export card batch' otherwise you can choose specific patrons to print cards for by checking the box to the right of their names and then choose 'Export selected card(s)' at the top.

The export menu will ask you to choose a template, a layout and starting position (where on the sheet should printing begin).

Note

For the starting position if the first 6 labels have already been used on your sheet you can start printing on label in position 7 on the sheet. The labels are numbered left to right from top to bottom.

Once you click 'Export' you will be presented with a PDF of your labels for printing

When you open the PDF you will see the cards for printing

The above image shows a layout that is made up of two textlines. The first one is just plain text, the second one is composed of the <firstname> <surname> fields. A patron image is printed (if available) and the barcode of patrons number is displayed in code 39. All this is printed on a template with three columns and 8 rows using position 1-3 here. When printing this PDF please take care that your printer doesn't rescale the PDF (e.g do not fit to paper size) otherwise the printer will not be able to print to the right place per your templates.

Images uploaded using this tool will appear on the menu when creating patron card layouts. You are limited in how many images you can upload (not counting patron images) by the ImageLimit system preference.

Important

Images must be under 500k in size.

Note

Pictures uploaded with this tool should be at least 300dpi which is the minimum quality for a printable image.

In the center of the screen is a simple upload form, simply browse for the file on your computer and give it a name you'll recognize later.

Once the file is uploaded you will be presented with a confirmation message.

And the image will be listed with all of your others on the right hand side of the page.

To delete one or multiple of these images, click the checkbox to the right of each image you want to delete and click the 'Delete' button.

1.7 Patrons (anonymize, bulk-delete)

• Get there: More > Tools > Patrons and Circulation > Patrons (anonymize, bulk-delete)

This tool allows you to bulk anonymize circulation histories (this means that you keep records of how many times items were checked out - but not the patrons who checked the items out) or bulk delete patrons (remove them from the system completely).

Important

Patrons with outstanding fines or items checked out are not saved. They are not completely removed from the system (they are only moved to the delete_borrowers table), but this tool does not provide as many checks as one may desire.

Important

Before using this tool it is recommended that you backup your database. Changes made here are permanent.

Important

The anonymization will fail quietly if AnonymousPatron preference does not contain a valid value.

To either delete or anonymize patrons

• Check the 'Verify' box on the task you would like to complete (Delete or Anonymize)

• Enter a date before which you want to alter the data

• If deleting patrons you can also choose to find patrons who

  • have not borrowed since a specific date

  • have accounts that will expire before a specific date

  • are in a specific patron category

  • are in a patron list

• Click 'Next'

• A confirmation will appear asking if you're sure this is what you want to happen

• Clicking 'Finish' will delete or anonymize your data

1.8 Batch patron modification

• Get there: More > Tools > Patrons and Circulation > Batch patron modification

With this tool you can make edits to a batch of patron records. Simply load in a file of cardnumbers (one per line), choose from a list of patrons or scan patron card numbers in to the box provided.

Once you have the file loaded or the barcodes scanned click 'Continue.' You will be presented with a list of the patrons and the changes you can make.

To the left of each text box there is a checkbox. Clicking that checkbox will clear our the field values.

Important

If the field is mandatory you will not be able to clear the value in it.

If you have multiple patron attributes you can change them all by using the plus (+) sign to the right of the text box. This will allow you to add another attribute value.

Once you have made the changes you want, you can click 'Save' and Koha will present you with the changed patron records.

1.9 Tag Moderation

• Get there: More > Tools > Patrons and Circulation > Tags

Depending on your tagging system preferences, librarians may need to approve tags before they are published on the OPAC. This is done via the Tag Moderation Tool. If there are tags awaiting moderation they will be listed on the main staff dashboard under the module labels:

To moderate the tags visit the Tags tool. When first visiting the tool, you will be presented with a list of tags that are pending approval or rejection by a librarian

• To see all of the titles this tag was added to simply click on the term

  • From this list of titles you can remove a tag without outright rejecting it from being used in the future by clicking the 'Remove tag' button to the right of the title.

• To approve a tag, you can either click the 'Approve' button in line with the term, or check all terms you want to approve and click 'Approve' below the table.

• To reject a tag, you can either click the 'Reject' button in line with the term, or check all terms you want to approve and click 'Reject' below the table.

Once a tag has been approved or rejected it will be moved to the appropriate list of tags. A summary of all tags will appear on the right of the screen.

Even though a tag is approved or rejected, it can still be moved to another list. When viewing approved tags each tag has the option to reject:

To check terms against the approved and rejected lists (and possibly against the dictionary you have assigned for tag moderation) simply enter the term into the search box on the bottom right of the screen to see the status of the term

Finally you can find tags by using the filters on the left.

1.10 Upload Patron Images

• Get there: More > Tools > Patrons and Circulation > Upload Patron Images

Patron images can be uploaded in bulk if you are allowing patron images to be attached to patron records. These images can also be used when creating patron cards.

• Create a txt file and title it "DATALINK.TXT" or "IDLINK.TXT"

• On each line in the text file enter the patron's card number followed by comma (or tab) and then the image file name

  • Make sure that your TXT file is a plain text document, not RTF.

• Zip up the text file and the image files

• Go to the Upload Patron Images Tool

• For a single image, simply point to the image file and enter the patron card number

• For multiple images, choose to upload a zip file

• After uploading you will be presented with a confirmation

Important

There is a limit of 100K on the size of the picture uploaded and it is recommended that the image be 200x300 pixels, but smaller images will work as well.

1.11 Rotating Collections

Cindy Murdock Ames

Meadville Public Library | CCFLS

Edited by

Nicole C. Engard

2014

• Get there: More > Tools > Catalog > Rotating Collections

Rotating Collections is a tool for managing collections of materials that frequently get shifted from library to library. It adds the ability to store not only an item's home library and current location but also information about where it is supposed to be transferred to next to ensure that all items in the collection are sent to the correct library. When an item in a rotating collection is checked in, library staff is notified that the item is part of a rotating collection and which branch it should be sent to if it is not at the correct one.

Important

The AutomaticItemReturn system preference must be set to "Don't automatically transfer items to their home library when they are returned" for Rotating Collections to function properly.

• To create a new rotating collection, click the "New Collection" button, fill in the Title and Description, and click Submit. Once submitted you'll see "Collection Name added successfully"; click "Return to rotating collections home" to return to the main Rotating Collections management page (or click Rotating Collections in the sidebar).

• To add items to a collection, click "Add or remove items" next to the collection's name in the list of collections. Under "Add or remove items" scan or type in the barcode of the item you wish to add to the collection, and hit Enter or click Submit if necessary.

• To remove an item from a collection, either click Remove next to the item's barcode in the list of items within the collection or check the "Remove item from collection" box next to the Barcode text box under "Add or remove items, and scan or type in the barcode, clicking Submit or hitting Enter if necessary. Note: The "Remove item from collection" checkbox will remain checked as long as you are on the "Add or remove items" page, unless you uncheck it, to facilitate quickly removing a number of items at a time by scanning their barcodes.

1.11.1 Transfer a Rotating Collection

Transferring a collection will:

• Change the current location of the items in that collection to the library it is to be transferred to

• Initiate a transfer from its original current location/holding library to the current location/holding library it is to be rotated to. When a library receives a collection they will need to check in the items to complete the transfer.

You can transfer a collection in one of two ways:

• From the main Rotating Collections page, click on Transfer next to the title of the collection you wish to transfer; choose the library you wish to transfer the collection to and click "Transfer collection".

• Or, from the "add or remove items" page for a collection, you can click the Transfer button, choose the library you wish to transfer the collection to and click "Transfer Collection".

Important

In order to complete the transfer process, the library receiving the rotating collection should check in all items from the collection as they receive them. This will clear the transfer so that the items are no longer shown as being "in transit".

If an item in a rotating collection is checked in at a library other than the one it is supposed to be transferred to, a notification will appear notifying library staff that the item is part of a rotating collection, also letting them know where the item needs to be sent.