Things to do while you start using a fresh koha

The beginning of many’s journeys to the Koha often start either attending workshops or watching youtube videos. Of course, both will teach how to install koha and set up basic parameters in it. but it is just with a default preference, In the course of time, you will meet with some issues unless you enable the following system preferences in koha. Issues here don’t mean errors.

Let us see,  few of those issues

  • Fines do not calculate/disappears ( even after properly setting up circulation rules and fines)
  • The renewal period starts after the overdue date, not from the date on which the book was renewed
  • Can not check-out/issue books to patrons, if they have more than 5 rupee fine.
  • Doesn’t auto-generate call numbers in item part even after providing class number and item number in the biblio/record

Following are the solution with a few more useful preferences. To enable those, go to koha administration and search each preference and make respective changes

PreferenceOption to be enabled
finesMode

(To calculate fine, if not)
Use "Calculate and charge"
RenewalPeriodBase

(When renewing checkouts, base the new due date on
the current date)
Use "the current date"
noissuescharge

(To prevent the patron checking out items only if he/she has overdue fine more than 100 rupee)
Add the prefered amount eg:100
itemcallnumber

( To auto-create item's callnumber)
Add the tags "082ab"
AdvancedSearchTypes

(To show tabs in the OPAC and staff interface advanced search for limiting searches on the itemtype, collection code and location code)
Add "itemtype|ccode|loc"
AmazonCoverImages

(To display cover images from Amazon on search results and item detail pages on the staff interface)
Enable "show"
OPACAmazonCoverImages

(To display cover images from Amazon on search results and item detail pages on the OPAC)
Enable "show"
OPACShowCheckoutName

(To display the name of the patron that has an item checked out on item detail pages on the OPAC)
Enable "show"
dateformat

(Use your prefered date format)
Use "DD/MM/YYYY"
patronimagesEnable "allow"
OPACpatronimagesEnable "show"
Display Accession number in OPAC
uncheck "item_barcode"
Home -- Administration -- Table settings -- OPAC -- Table id: holdingst -- item_barcode