Koha Upgrades

Koha 22.05: OPAC & Public Services Overview

by Catrina Berka on Nov 30, 2022

In this blog post, we will provide more details on the features and enhancements coming in 22.05 for the OPAC & Public Services Overview.

OPAC Enhancements

[13188] Make it possible to configure mandatory patron data differently between OPAC registration and modification.

This adds a new system preference, PatronSelfModificationMandatoryField, in order to separate borrower registration from borrower modification. The initial value is a copy of the system preference PatronSelfRegistrationBorrowerMandatoryField. This defines the mandatory fields when a patron self-registers on the OPAC separately from the fields required when modifying their account on the OPAC. The new system preference, PatronSelfModificationMandatoryField, allows differing mandatory fields on initial registration and later modification

For more information, see this Monday Minutes Tutorial Video.

[14242] Use ISBN-field to fill out purchase suggestions using Google Books API

This new enhancement adds the system preference, OPACSuggestionAutoFill, which enables a feature within the OPAC Purchase Suggestions where a patron can enter an ISBN and use a Google API to pull the relevant data and input it into the purchase suggestion form. If enabled, OPACSuggestionAutoFill will search Google Books to enter title information in purchase suggestions

For more information, see this Monday Minutes Tutorial Video.

[17018] Split AdvancedSearchTypes for staff and OPAC

This adds a new system preference, OpacAdvancedSearchTypes, as an OPAC-specific version of the existing system preference, AdvancedSearchTypes. Now, the system preference, AdvancedSearchTypes configures the staff client, and the system preference, OpacAdvancedSearchTypes configures the OPAC. The values from system preference, AdvancedSearchTypes are copied to the system preference, OpacAdvancedSearchTypes so that behavior is consistent.

Configure Advanced Search on OPAC and staff client separately with new system preference, OpacAdvancedSearchTypes

[24220] Convert OpacMoreSearches system preference to a news block

OpacMoreSearches moved from system preference to news block

[24221] Convert OPACMySummaryNote system preference to a news block

This enhancement deletes the OPACMySummaryNote as a system preference and converts it to a news block. Its HTML id is now ‘OpacMySummaryNote’ instead of ‘opac-my-summary-note’.

For More Information, see this full blog post.

[28876] No renewal before advisory text not wrapped in selector

This enhancement adds more <span>s to the user summary page in the OPAC so that information about the renewal status can be targeted with CSS or JS, giving Partners more flexibility to customize the information about renewals on the OPAC. It adds each <span> with a “usr-msg” class for general styling and a specific class for each renewal message, for example:

<span class=”user-msg no-renewal-hold”>Not renewable <span class=”renewals”> (on hold)</span></span>

These classes are added:

  • no-renew-hold: Not renewable (on hold)

  • no-renew-too-many: Not renewable (too many renewals)

  • no-renew-unseen: Item must be renewed at the library

  • no-renew-overdue: Not allowed (overdue)

  • no-renew-too-late: No longer renewable

  • no-renew-too-many: Not renewable (too many renewals)

  • auto-renew-fines: Automatic renewal failed, you have unpaid fines

  • auto-renew-expired: Automatic renewal failed, your account is expired

  • no-renewal-before: No renewal before [date]

  • automatic-renewal: Automatic renewal

[29526] Add ‘Immediately delete holds history’ button to patron privacy tab in OPAC


Patrons now have three options for immediate deletion on the OPAC: Delete checkout history, Delete hold history, or Delete checkout and hold history. New options for patrons to delete holds history, in addition to checkout history.

[29713] Make item table when placing an item level hold sortable


This enhancement makes the item holdings table sortable on the OPAC, like it is in the staff interface, making it easier for patrons to sort through records with many items, such as serials.

Clicking on the column header sorts the table on that field, clicking again sorts in reverse order.

[29899] Show public note to patrons when placing a hold

A column for item public note is added to the item holdings table on the OPAC, allowing patrons to differentiate between specific items of interest. Patrons can now view item public notes when placing item-level holds on the OPAC.

[30288] Provide links to OPACUserJS and OPACUserCSS from News/HTML customizations

The various tools to customize the OPAC are consolidated in the Additional Contents (News and HTML customisations) section rather than searching for them by name in system preferences. Any user with “parameters_manage_sysprefs” will see these links. OPACUserJs and OPACUserCSS linked from system preference to HTML customizations and News in Tools.

Searching Enhancements

[20689] Improve usability of Item search fields administration page

When adding a new entry in Administration > Item search fields, the pull down menus have been replaced by manual input fields. This allows you to use new subfields in item search fields that may not be in the normal MARC bibliographic framework. For example, tags like 01e can now be searched.

[22605] Adding the option to modify/edit searches on the staff interface

This feature adds an “Edit this search” link to the Advanced Search results page in the staff interface, mirroring the “Return to the last advanced search” link on the OPAC results page and saving staff time when they have long and precise searches to refine.

For more information, see this Monday Minutes.

For more information about 22.05

Koha 22.05: Upgrades Hub

Read more by Catrina Berka

Tags 22.05