[Koha-devel] Placing multiple record-level holds on a record

Wed May 24 01:41:30 CEST 2023

Hi Emily,

Thanks for getting in touch.

You're right about Koha not having the ability to place multiple item level
holds at the same time. There is a bug report for it
https://bugs.koha-community.org/bugzilla3/show_bug.cgi?id=15565 but holds
are a notoriously difficult area to change so it's never made it through
into Koha, unfortunately.

I think the libraries really interested in that functionality might need to
get together to sponsor its further work. 

David Cook

Senior Software Engineer

Prosentient Systems

Suite 7.03

6a Glen St

Milsons Point NSW 2061

Australia

Office: 02 9212 0899

Online: 02 8005 0595

From: Lamancusa, Emily <Emily.Lamancusa at montgomerycountymd.gov> 
Sent: Tuesday, 23 May 2023 11:17 PM
To: David Cook <dcook at prosentient.com.au>; 'Katrin Fischer'
<katrin.fischer.83 at web.de>; koha-devel at lists.koha-community.org
Subject: Re: [Koha-devel] Placing multiple record-level holds on a record

Hi David,

Just want to weigh in that our library system does use the ability to place
multiple record-level holds for staff-run book discussion programming. (We
don't use the Clubs module because for us they are open programs, not clubs
with a specific membership list.) We have the circulation rules set to allow
multiple record-level holds for staff cards only, so that staff can easily
place multiple holds for programming purposes, but customers are still
limited to 1 hold per record unless a staff member makes the judgment call
to override that limit.

I'm not sure that there's a strong reason to use record-level holds instead
of item-level holds for that situation, except that, as far as I can tell,
Koha does not yet have any multi-select feature (e.g. checkboxes instead of
radio buttons) for placing holds on multiple items in a single form
submission, correct? Which means that staff can place 20 record-level holds
with a few clicks, but need to place 20 item-level holds individually. (I'd
love to be told I'm wrong about this, though!)

Emily Lamancusa (she/her)

IT Specialist III

Montgomery County Public Libraries

(240) 777-0052

  _____  

From: David Cook <dcook at prosentient.com.au <mailto:dcook at prosentient.com.au>
>
Sent: Monday, May 22, 2023 7:29 PM
To: 'Katrin Fischer' <katrin.fischer.83 at web.de
<mailto:katrin.fischer.83 at web.de> >; koha-devel at lists.koha-community.org
<mailto:koha-devel at lists.koha-community.org>
<koha-devel at lists.koha-community.org
<mailto:koha-devel at lists.koha-community.org> >
Subject: Re: [Koha-devel] Placing multiple record-level holds on a record 

Hi Katrin,

But I think the intention of "Holds per record (count)" was to enable
multiple item-level holds rather than multiple record-level holds?
https://bugs.koha-community.org/bugzilla3/show_bug.cgi?id=14695

I suppose one could argue though that record-level holds are ultimately
still for items. but (depending on your rules) you can place 1+ record-level
holds on a record with only 1 item (e.g. I have 10 holds on 1 record that
has 1 item). If you have item-level holds, you can only ever place 1
item-level hold on that 1 item. It looks like a loophole/flaw to me. 

You can also place holds on items you already have checked out which seems
weird. (I think it's probably due to the syspref
AllowHoldsOnPatronsPossessions although I think the intention there was
probably to allow holds on other items belonging to that record.)

I haven't thoroughly tested it, but I think in theory you could monopolize
an item for longer than a library intends if the circ rules were loose. 

I suppose I was just wondering if these are intentional or accidental
behaviours. Holds are tricky though. What I might see as a bug might be a
feature to someone else.

David Cook

Senior Software Engineer

Prosentient Systems

Suite 7.03

6a Glen St

Milsons Point NSW 2061

Australia

Office: 02 9212 0899

Online: 02 8005 0595

From: Koha-devel <koha-devel-bounces at lists.koha-community.org
<mailto:koha-devel-bounces at lists.koha-community.org> > On Behalf Of Katrin
Fischer
Sent: Monday, 22 May 2023 3:19 PM
To: koha-devel at lists.koha-community.org
<mailto:koha-devel at lists.koha-community.org> 
Subject: Re: [Koha-devel] Placing multiple record-level holds on a record

hi David,

it depends, there is definitely a feature to do that. If you can place
multiple per record is defined in the circulation rules. If holds per record
is 1, you should of course not be able to. It's been there for multiple
versions now.

Hope that helps,

Katrin

On 22.05.23 06:46, David Cook wrote:

Hi all,

I'm noticing in 22.11 that it's possible to place multiple record-level
holds on a record.

Do you think that's intentional? While I can understand having multiple
item-level holds, having multiple record-level holds seems like a way to
game the system.

David Cook

Senior Software Engineer

Prosentient Systems

Suite 7.03

6a Glen St

Milsons Point NSW 2061

Australia

Office: 02 9212 0899

Online: 02 8005 0595

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