Circulation Alerts for Items
In Koha, there are many ways to alert your staff about certain item types and specific items during both the check-in and checkout process.
Check-In Messages/Alerts per Item Type
To have an item type show a generated “check-in message” or alert, can be set up in the Item Types found in the Administration module. This can be found by going to Administration > Item Types > [Item Type] > Edit
There is a free text box to enter the verbiage you would like to be seen at check-in. There is also an option to choose whether this message is displayed as an alert or message. A message is displayed in blue and an alert is displayed in yellow. This message or alert will come up every time this item type is checked in.
Item Circulation Alerts
If your library does set up any check-in messages in the Item Types, you can utilize the Item Circulation Alerts found in the Administration Module. Item Circulation Alerts allows the library to choose which patron categories, libraries, and item types receive or don’t receive the “check-in message” set up in Item Types.
This is how the Item Circulation Alerts are set up.
- Alerts can be added to a single library or all libraries in a consortium.
- The color represents whether the check-in message is enabled or disabled.
- Green represents the enabled.
- Light Pink means it is disabled for the current library.
- Dark Pink means it is disabled for all libraries.
The example shown above:
- Patron Category – Library Staff will not get the “checkout message” for these Item Types: Audio Book, Book, New Book, Magazine, Electronic Resources, Garden Tools, Reference.
- Patron Category-Inter-Library Loan will not get the “check out message” for DVDs.
All other squares that are Green will get a “checkout message” if one is set up in that item type, for the specified patron category. This grid has the same options for both check-in and check-out. There is a separate tab for each function.
Item Specific Messages
A library can add a specific message to an item that will appear during the check-in and check-out process. This will alert staff of any particulars about the item. This option can be enabled by the CircConfirmItemParts system preference.
The library can then add a “Check-in” and “Check-out” message on a specific item. These messages are entered into the item record under subfield 3 “Materials Specified”. This is a free text field that allows the item to have a specific message. For example “Item has 12 discs” could be a useful check-in/out message.
When an item is checked-in, staff will see a confirmation modal box. Click Yes, check-in to complete the checkin.
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