Catalog Troubleshooting
This article discusses common cataloging issues, as well as how to resolve them.
Identifying Items With Missing Home/Holding Libraries or Item Types
Sometimes, items are accidentally created or saved with a missing home library, holding library, and/or item type. (These fields are typically required, but Koha will save items created via staged MARC file import without them.) When any items on a bib are missing one or more of these fields, the Holdings table will not load properly when viewing the bib. For instance, if items are missing a home or holding library, the Holdings table will look like this:
If an item is missing an item type, staff will receive a 500 error modal:
Prior to 25.11, staff would need to open each individual item for editing or use a report to see which item(s) were at fault. In 25.11+, as the hint in the modal indicates, staff can use the 'Audit' button to diagnose issues that are preventing the Holdings table from loading.
To use the 'Audit' feature, simply click the 'Audit' button in the bib's toolbar. Koha will return a yellow warning box noting the problematic itemnumber(s) and issue(s). For missing home or holding libraries, the message will look like this:
For missing item-level item types, the message will also indicate whether the bib is missing an item type:
With this knowledge, staff can edit the affected item(s) individually or using batch item modification from the bib.
If the error message indicates that there is no item type for a biblionumber in addition to it being missing for one or more items, as in the example above, staff should make sure to also edit the bib's 942$c to add an item type.
Missing Bib-Level Item Types
The item-level item type, which is set for items in 952$y, is fundamental to circulation in Koha. However, it is also important that bibs have a bib- or record-level item type in 942$c. While they don't impact circulation, bib-level item types are important for these functions:
- Searching:
- Search facets are built using both bib- and item-level item types.
- The bib-level item type is necessary for searches based on item type when a record has no items attached (for example, eResources where libraries are not adding item records to bibs).
- Cataloging: When adding new items to a record directly from the bib, the item-level item type (952$y) will default to the bib-level item type (942$c), which means one less click for catalogers.
- Holds: Bib-level holds reference the record's item type.
While bib-level item types are required for records created or edited in Koha, bibs created via staged files will import and save even if they are missing a bib-level item type. Thus, it is important that imported bib files include a bib-level item type in 942$c for every record in addition to item-level item types in 952$y. If a vendor or other file source cannot include 942$c in bib files, libraries can either use a MARC modification template to add them or can edit each bib individually.
ByWater Solutions partner libraries who would like assistance identifying bibs with missing bib-level item types are encouraged to submit a ticket through our Help Center.
In most cases, bib-level item types don't need to be edited once they have been set. In cases where new items have a temporary, time-limited item type so that they circulate differently than older items, we recommend using the 'standard' or 'permanent' item type for the bib-level item type in 942$c, and then time-limited item types for items in 952$y. For instance, items for a new title might have the item-level item type of NEWBOOK so that they have fewer renewals for the first 3 months after acquisition. After 3 months, they are updated to have the item-level item type of BOOK. The bib-level item type, however, would be set upon creation to BOOK to align with its items' 'permanent' item type.
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