RCLS Integrated Library System Handbook

Koha: An open-source ILS solution, Koha is a collection of related tables (a database) that contains the information we need for day-to-day library business. User data, item data, bibliographic data, bill data, circulation data, etc., are stored in Koha.

Aspen Discovery: Aspen Discovery is a discovery layer, or online catalog, that allows the public to search our holdings. Patrons interact with Koha (searching the catalog, placing holds, managing their user account) primarily through Aspen Discovery. Each library has their own instance of Aspen Discovery that can be customized.

RCLS Go: A mobile app that mirrors much of the functionality of Aspen Discovery.

Third-Party Applications :Any service or device that contacts Koha for patron authentication, item checkout, or related functions. Examples include Libby, hoopla, Bibliotecha Self-Checkout Kiosks, and MuseumKey.

MessageBee: A messaging service that sends email and SMS notification to patrons about holds, card expiration dates, and overdue materials.

Twilio: A messaging service that sends phone notifications to patrons about holds.

Below is a simplified visual representation:

KOHA LOGIN

Koha is a web-based ILS and the staff client is accessed through a web browser. Our Koha URL is:

https://staff-rclsny.bywatersolutions.com/

Member library employees who have experience browsing the internet or working with email interfaces will be well equipped to work with Koha. The recommended minimum skills are:

• Launching a web-browser from a desktop icon or shortcut.
• Navigating to a URL using the address bar.
• Opening multiple browser tabs and navigating between them.
• Saving, organizing, and utilizing browser bookmarks.
• Logging in and out of web-based systems.

To access Koha, open a web browser and navigate to the above URL. Note that your system administrators may have placed a Koha shortcut on your desktop for easy access.

At the Koha login screen, enter your email address and password. Select your library and, if your library uses daily cash register reports, a cash register.

Logins will timeout after one hour.

Note: Each staff member who accesses Koha must have a unique login.

STAFF LOGINS

To conduct library business, library staff will have a unique Koha login, issued by their working library. This is the account they will use to access Koha. This account will be deleted when the individual leaves the employ of a member library. 

Login permissions are assigned at the time of creation. Requests to change staff login permissions, or to delete logins, must come from library directors or their designees.

Staff members who work at multiple libraries will be given the permission to change their logged-in library.

Staff members who work at multiple libraries, but whose permissions differ at each library may require an additional login.

Checkouts and holds related to professional library work should be conducted using Koha logins. Uses may include storytime materials, book club holds, or materials needed for library programs. Materials checked out to Koha logins do not accrue fines.

Library materials intended for personal use should not be checked out on a Koha login. See section 3.8 of this Handbook for information on personal library cards for staff.

1. Username – Displays which user is currently logged in.
2. Current Working Library – Displays which library is set at the working library. Note that circulation rules, hold slips, and other vital functions are dependent on the working library.
3. Search Bar – The function of the search bar changes depending on which quick search option (4) is selected. The default is “Check Out.”
4. Quick Search Options – Changes the function of the search bar (3). The options, left to right, are “Check Out,” “Check In,” “Renew,” “Search Patrons,” and “Search Catalog.” Note that on larger screens, these buttons will have text labels.
5. Modules – Modules contain individual functions related to the module title. Click a module to see the available tools and functions. Note that which modules appear in this list is determined by individual staff permissions.
6. Cart – The cart is a temporary holding place for items in the staff client. The cart is best used for performing batch operations (holds, printing, emailing) or for getting a list of items to be printed or emailed to yourself or a patron. Note that carts are emptied once the browser session is ended.
7. Help – This link takes you to the online Koha manual, maintained by the wider Koha community. Note that not all of the functions described in the manual will be available to you depending on system policy or individual staff permissions.
8. Home – The Koha logo in the upper left-hand corner returns users to the home screen.

NOTE: The modules that appear depend on the logged-in user's permission settings. You may have fewer modules available than in the example above.

SIZE AND ZOOM

You can resize your browser and Koha will adjust the layout to accommodate the new size. This allows you to work with Koha side-by-side with another application, such as Excel, while using a single screen.

As a web-based application, Koha is responsive to your browser’s zoom tools. To increase the size of text and individual elements, press CTRL and + on your keyboard. To decrease, press CTRL and -. To return to standard zoom press CTRL and 0. In Firefox, the zoom tools are also available from the menu (three horizontal bars in the top right corner of the window).

SHORTCUTS

In addition to the normal browser shortcut keys like Ctlr + P: Print, Ctrl + C to copy, and Ctrl + V to paste, the following quick keys can be used in most browsers in Koha for circulation and patrons:

Alt+Q: Search Catalog

Alt+W: Renew

Alt+R: Checkin

Alt+U: Checkout

Dialog Boxes

Alt + Ctrl + Y: Yes

Ctlr + P: Print

Alt + Ctrl + I: Ignore

**Mac users use the OPTION button in place of Alt

NAVIGATION AND TABBED BROWSING

Modules, buttons, and quick search options can be navigated using the mouse by pointing and single clicking.

Users who wish to work with multiple modules or tools at the same time can use tabbed browsing to open multiple Koha browser tabs. To open a new tab, right click on any module, menu item, or button and select “Open link in new tab.”

Tabs appear at the top of the browser and users can switch between them by clicking.

Basic Searching

Advanced Searching

Search Results

Search Indexes

Search History

Search Results

When performing a basic catalog search, results will be narrowed by your logged-in library by default. Reveal all owning libraries with the yellow "Show items in all libraries" button above the location column. Reveal all owning libraries record by record with the yellow "+" button next to each result.

Search Operators

Keyword type searches that involve more than one word require the computer to interpret the relation that exists between the words. That relation is defined by operators. Koha with Elasticsearch supports both Boolean (set logic) operators and Proximity (text analysis) operators.

The three most common Boolean operators are:

OR - Used to join synonymous or related terms and instructs the search tool to retrieve any record that contains either (or both) of the terms, thus broadening your search results.

For example, a subject search on “cats OR dogs” locates records that contain information only about cats, records only about dogs, and records that contain information on both cats and dogs.

The OR operator is particularly useful when you are unsure of the words used to categorize your topic or if information on your topic is even available. If you are retrieving too few records, broaden your search by adding a synonym with the Boolean Operator OR.

AND - Used to join words or phrases when both (or all) the terms must appear in the items you retrieve.

For example, a subject search on “cats AND dogs” locates those records that contain information on both cats and dogs. Records about only cats or records about only dogs are excluded.

This search query would return a much smaller set of records, and the items found would be more specific to your research question. If you are retrieving too many records, try adding another search term with the Boolean Operator AND.

NOT - Used to exclude a particular word or combination of words from your search results.

If you are retrieving many records that are unrelated to your topic, try using the NOT operator to eliminate a word. Note that as well as deleting the unwanted items, such a search will also eliminate records that discuss both the relevant topic as well as the unrelated topic.

For example, a subject search on “cats NOT dogs” locates records only about cats and excludes any records about cats that also contain information about dogs.

The following table presents all Boolean operators and symbols and how they relate to one another and the search terms:

+	This term must be present
-	This term must not be present
AND &&	Affects terms to left and right of operator, has precedence over OR but not NOT
OR ||	Affects terms to left and right of operator, has least precedence
NOT !	Affects terms to left and right of operator, has precedence over AND and OR

Precise phrase searching - Use double quotes around a phrase to search for all the terms in that order.

For example: "United States of America"

Wildcard searching - Use an asterisk to add a wildcard to a search term.

For example: title:cook* or ti:cook* will search for titles with the words cooking, cookery, cooked, cookbook, etc.
subject:electr* or su:electr* will search for subject headings with the words electric, electricity, electrical, electrician, etc.

Substitution searching - Use a question mark to replace a single character in a search term.

For example: wom?n will search for both women and woman.

Fuzzy searching - Use a tilde to find similar search terms.

For example: authorized~ will return results containing authorized, authorised, unauthorized, etc.

Proximity searching - Use a tilde followed by a number to indicate the maximum edit distance allowed in your search query.

For example: "chocolate milk"~5 will return results including "milk with chocolate" and "chocolate chip cookies and milk."

Range searching - Use square brackets for an inclusive range or curly brackets for an exclusive range.

For example: pubdate:[2020 TO 2023] will return results published during 2020, 2023 and every year in between.
pubdate:{* TO 1950} will return results published before 1950 but not including 1950.

Searching for Materials in Other Languages

The Advanced Search allows for searching materials based on the Language Index. Use the dropdown box and select "Language." When searching this index, use the standard MARC language codes defined here: https://www.loc.gov/marc/languages/language_code.html. For example, searching for "spa" will return Spanish language materials.

Common Symphony Terms with Koha Equivalents 

Symphony	Koha
Add Brief Title	Fast Cataloging, Fast Add Framework
Bills, Billing a User	Fines, Manual Invoice, Accounting, Transactions
Bookdrop Discharge	Book drop mode
CARE/OF	Circulation Note in Patron Record
Charge	Check out(s), Issues
Delinquent	N/A in Koha
DISCARD	Withdrawn
Discharge	Check in
Hold - Title-level hold	Record-level hold
Hold - Copy-level hold	Item-level hold
Home Location	Shelving Location
Item Cat1	N/A in Koha
Item Cat2	Collection code
Linking Items	Add Item
LOSTASSUM	Long Overdue Lost
LOSTCLAIM	Claims Return
Number of Pieces	Added to Circulation Note
Onshelf Item List	Circulation > Holds Queue
Shadowed	Suppressed
User	Patron
User - Copy User	Duplicate Patron
WAIVER (FORGIVEN)	Write off