Koha Upgrades

Koha 22.05: Webinars & Q&A

by Sara Brown on Oct 17, 2022

We will hold two What's New webinars and one Q&A session to highlight some of our favorite new features and enhancements coming in 22.05! Recordings will be posted here after each session. Learn more and register below.

Webinars

Webinars will be held on Tuesday, December 6 and Thursday, December 8, 2022. Registration is required, and the same content will be featured at both webinars. The agenda is available here.

What's New Webinar 1
Recorded Webinar can be found here.

What's New Webinar 2
Recorded Webinar can be found here.

Q&A

We will hold a Q&A session on January 11, 2023 to answer your questions about 22.05! Registration is required, and the recording will be posted here.

Upgrades Q&A
January 11, 2023 (Wednesday)
1:00 p.m. Eastern/12:00 p.m. Central/11:00 a.m. Mountain/10:00 a.m. Pacific
Register here for Upgrades Q&A

For everything 22.05, visit the Koha 22.05: Upgrades Hub

22.05 questions

OPAC & Public Services:


  • [30288] Provide links to OPACUserJS and OPACUserCSS from News/HTML customizations
    [24220] Convert OpacMoreSearches system preference to news block and [24221] Convert OPACMySummaryNote system preference to news block - Feature post

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

    • Does this Search Google Book feature work with Aspen Discovery? No, it doesn’t.

  • [29526] Add ‘Immediately delete holds history’ button to patron privacy tab in OPAC and [29525] Privacy settings for patrons should also affect holds history

    • Does the default privacy now affect holds history as well? –Yes

  • [13188] Make it possible to configure mandatory patron data differently between OPAC registration and modification by adding a system preference, PatronSelfModificationMandatoryField - Monday Minutes

    • Is "PatronSelfRegistrationBorrowerMandatoryField" the longest syspref?:)

    • Kind of a strange and rare question, but what if you're dealing with a customer who doesn't have an email?

    • Seems like the concern is that an email address may cause bounced emails then email addresses need to be an optional property. Could we go over why it’s required and what breaks if we don’t have it? (Jacob Jett - University of Illinois) Sara’s live answer: Regarding email: it doesn't have to be a required field! Many libraries leave it optional - it depends on each library's needs. There are some features/functions that are only available by email, but you certainly can set it as optional if you wish!

  • [17018] Split AdvancedSearchTypes for staff and OPAC

  • [30136] Add back to top button when scrolling

    • Was the back to top just OPAC or both sides [staff client]? –OPAC only

Patrons & Circulation:


  • [29346] Real-time holds queue update Sponsored by Montgomery County Public Libraries

    • Q: Are there any downsides to updating the holds queue in real time? (System slowness)

    • A: There should be no slowness - send in ticket if you see any.

    • Q: Potential issue could be that if you print the holds queue and fill it throughout the day, staff may pull items that the real time queue has already updated.

    • A: That is correct. If you print your holds queue and work it throughout the day, you may not want to enable the Real Time queue.

    • Q:Is it important to get the cron disabled if enabling RealTimeHoldsQueue? or can they co-exist peacefully?

    • A: No, they can coexist peacefully

    • Q: Does this have any effect on those of us running custom reports on the queue? Report back, depending on report

    • A: If you are running custom reports on the holds queue, it would be best to not enable the RealTime queue until we are able to review the reports you are concerned about.

    • Q: Just to clarify, if we enable the new realtimeholdsqueue, the system will default to that rather than updating based on the cron?

    • A: No, it will use both.

    • Q: So if we check in a cart full of pulled holds, will that cause it to rebuild for all those checkins?

    • A: Yes, it will rebuild for those bibs but not for other bibs on the queue.

    • Q: Is there an exhaustive list of the actions that will trigger a realtime holds queue update?

    • A: https://bugs.koha-community.org/bugzilla3/show_bug.cgi?id=29346

      • - place (C4::Reserves::AddReserve)

      • - fill (Koha::Hold->fill)

      • - cancel (Koha::Hold->cancel)

      • - suspend (Koha::Hold->suspend)

      • - resume (Koha::Hold->resume)

      • - C4::Biblio::DelBiblio

      • C4::Biblio::ModBiblio

      • - Updating an item

      • - Adding an item

      • - Deleting an item

      • Revert, modify

    • Q: Some of our holds queues take 30 minutes to populate...we were told this would change that, but it sounds different than the cron?

    • A: Please open a ticket and we can take a look!

    • Q: Why would you want to use both?

    • A: Libraries have wide ranging workflows, so for some libraries, having both offers the best of both worlds

    • Q: Would the pickup by dates modify the holds queue? I.e. someone needs an item within two weeks but another person doesn't mind waiting for 3 months.

    • A: No, standard holds rules apply - whoever is next

  • [27868] Adding the Expiration Date to the Holds Awaiting Pickup report and [21729] When reverting a hold the expiration date should be reset and [30108] Allow making hold dates required - Feature post

  • [29760] Show patron category in Holds queue

  • [30081] Display item type in patron’s holds table

  • [26346] Add option to make a public list editable by library staff only

    • Q: Another question for the Aspen team - wondering whether there are any circumstances under which a public list created in Koha would be accessible via Aspen?

    • A: Pulled into Aspen via button in Aspen, private by default, listmaker in Koha would need to be set as public; given searchable lists permissions in Aspen, and then can switch list from private to public in Aspen. Recommended process: bring list into Aspen and then edit there! Contact Aspen team for questions about creating/editing lists in Aspen.

    • Q: Which staff can edit? We are in a multi library group.

    • A: It is not based on library, purely by permissions

    • Q:Where do you set the permission for staff only lists?

    • A: Permissions > editcatalogue. Edit_public_lists is to change name, settings, and permissions, but not contents.

      • Bug 30418 - Add permission and setting for public lists to allow staff with permission to edit contents would create specific edit_public_list_contents permission under editcatalogue.

      • Bug 32433 - New "Editing permissions" column in Lists

  • [29005] Add option to send WELCOME notice for new patrons added via patron imports and [9097] Add option to trigger ‘Welcome mail’ manually and [30214] Send WELCOME notice for new patrons added via self registration - Monday Minutes

    • Q: What is the name and code of the notice in the notices and slips tool?

    • A: WELCOME

    • Q: Is the welcome notice not automatic anymore?

    • A: It will still be automatic - the system preference is renamed AutoEmailNewUser from AutoEmailOpacUser

    • Q: Is there a text equivalent for patrons that prefer texts?

    • A: Not at this time

    • Q: Previously, the acct_details email would only get generated if the account created contained certain bits of data. does it still check something like that? or will it try to generate for all patrons if the syspref is on?

A: Was email, userid, cardnumber, password. Now only need email - generates with email, no userid, no password, autoMemberNum on or off.

  • Q: Can you set this to email only one patron category?

  • A: Not at this time

  • Q: Is the “new” patrons timeframe set for a range? I.e. new this week, new this month?

  • A: New is in the moment, as the account is created

  • Q: Can there be multiple Welcome notices? Different notices that could be used for different types of patrons?

  • A: Not at this time

  • Q: What happens if it is a lost card? Will it send the welcome email for a lost card

  • A: No, only for new accounts

  • Q: Since they’re automated, there’s a risk they’d wind up in people’s trash or spam folders, yes?

  • A: It really depends on the email relay setup. For ByWater partners using the email relay we use, we go to great lengths to get the sending email addresses verified so they don’t go to spam, but since the end user (patron) actually controls their email account, they could mark something from the library as spam, and then those emails would be filtered.

  • Q: Can a welcome notice be personalized or contain hyperlinks?

  • A: Yes! The default notice is personalized and includes the option for a link to your catalog, and additional hyperlinks could be added to it!

Technical Services


  • [14393] Add collection code filter to inventory

    • Q: For those libraries using BISAC instead of Dewey does it work?

    • A: Yes, it will, but take care that your call numbers are set to the correct classification and sorting rules

  • [22785] Manage matches when importing through stage MARC record import Sponsored by Fargo Public Library - Monday Minutes

  • [22827] Automatic item modifications by age: add age dependency on other field(s) than dateaccessioned

    • Q: If something has been missing for more than a year, could you auto-withdraw it or something?

    • A: That would be an enhancement, and definitely should be submitted to Bugzilla

    • Q: I haven't used this yet could I get a report of what was changed

    • A: Yes! Just open a ticket!

    • Q: Can date be set to when something has arrived at the library branch

    • A: Dateaccessioned is when the item is added to the collection. Perhaps use something like datelastseen and add the holding branch as a condition

  • [29824] Allow for quick spine labels to be editable for printing

    • Q: Does this work via the "Label creator" tool or the "Quick spine label creator" tool?

    • A: Through the Quick Spine Label Creator

    • Q: Can you customize the font? or font size?

    • A: Yes, we can adjust that - please open a ticket

  • [29406] Improve display of OPAC suppression message

    • Q: Does that remove the message at the top of the bib about record being suppressed?

    • A: Yes it does

Administration

  • [28786] Two-factor authentication for staff client – TOTP

    • Q: Does the 2 factor authentication verify by text, e-mail, authenticator app?

    • A: It depends on your authentication app

    • Q: Would 2-factor work with Bitwarden's authenticator? Or does it have to be google authenticator?

    • A: It would work with any authenticator app

  • [29924] Introduce password expiration to patron categories Sponsored by Colorado Correctional Institutions (part of the Colorado Library Consortium)

  • [29925] Add a ‘set new password’ page for patrons with expired passwords Sponsored by Colorado Correctional Institutions (part of the Colorado Library Consortium)

    • Q: Will Koha remember previous passwords?

    • A: No, only the current password

    • A: is there a way to create a new patron account with a password that is immediately expired, so the patron must change it right away?

    • Q: Bug 28980 - Add temporary passwords which must be reset after first login

  • [5697] Automatic linking in guided reports - Monday Minutes

    • Q: What do the automated links look like when exported?

    • A: No change!

    • Q: Do we need to undo those saved queries with the hardcoding of the link on?

    • A: No, but best practice would be to update those reports as you find them

    • Q: is the "Hide data menus" option browser-specific/in a cookie?

    • A: It is browser specific and appears to be a cookie, and it does remember your preference

[29821] Add interface for generating barcodes using svc/barcode

Read more by Sara Brown

Tags 22.05, upgrade webinars, upgrades