Find the basics of Koha's vocabulary here
This glossary is in alphabetical order. Use control+F to quickly search this page for specific terms.
Authority Record: allows your library to control and search fields in your MARC records such as subject headings, personal names, places, and more.
Authorized Values: provide a controlled vocabulary in Koha for categories such as shelving location, not for loan status, lost values, and more. Many dropdown or selection menus in Koha are populated with authorized values.
Basket: a group of orders with a vendor. Baskets can be sent via EDI or used without EDI.
Bibliographic Record: contains information related to material at the title level including the title, author(s), ISBN(s), subjects, etc. This does not contain item-specific information like barcode or home library. Also called the bib or bib record.
Biblionumber: unique identifying number (primary key) for a bibliographic record found in the 999$c. This number is specific to Koha.
Budgets: in combination with funds, used for tracking expenditures in Acquisitions.
Call Number: shows an item's shelf position.
Cart: temporary holding place for items in the OPAC and/or staff client. Carts are automatically cleared at the end of each session by closing the browser or logging out. They cannot be saved for use in another session.
Collection Code: authorized value category that can be used to define genres or other characteristics of items. Collection codes are descriptive only; they do not impact how items circulate. For example, a library might have the item type BOOK if all books circulate for 21 days, but then assign collection codes of MYSTERY, FICTION, SCIFI etc. to help staff and patrons find items in the genres they want. Collection codes are a searchable facet on the staff interface and OPAC. They are completely customizable in the authorized value category CCODE.
Cron Job: script or command that directs your system to complete repetitive tasks automatically. Scripts executed as a cron job can be used to modify data such as changing a patron’s category based on their age or perform actions such as sending email notifications.
EDI: Electronic Data Interchange; used to automatically send and receive Acquisitions orders in Koha.
Facet: a filtering mechanism on the left-hand side of search results that allows you to narrow results. Default facets include author, home or holding library, item type, shelving location, collection code, and more.
Framework: bibliographic record structures where libraries can define tags or subfields as required, mark tags/subfields as visible depending on view, and set default data for individual tags/subfields.
Fund: funds are subsets of budgets. Orders are charged to individual funds within a budget. As a very basic example, a budget could be FY24 with funds of Print, Audio, and eResouces. A budget must be defined before a fund can be created, and budgets require funds in order to be used.
Guided Reports: a built-in wizard that walks staff through a series of questions to build a report based on the criteria they choose.
Hold: commonly referred to as a reserve or request.
Item Record: information about each physical copy of a bibliographic record owned by a library. Item records are attached to bibliographic records. They include details specific to each item such as barcode, shelving location, etc. and are also referred to as holdings.
Item Number: unique identifying number (primary key) for an item found in 952$9. This number is specific to Koha, and unlike an item’s barcode, cannot be changed.
Item Type: groups of items that circulate the same way. In combination with patron categories and libraries, an item’s item type defines how it circulates. Item types are defined at the item-specific level in 952$y and at the bib level in 942$c.
Lists: a collection of bibs organized around a specific topic or for a specific purpose. Lists can be public and show on the OPAC, such as 'Summer reading' or 'New non-fiction'. They can also be for staff use only, such as a list of bibs that a library needs use with batch record modification or that they want to delete. Unlike carts, lists can be saved so that patrons and/or staff can access them in separate sessions.
Long Overdue (Lost): an item that is overdue beyond the number of days defined by a library in its DefaultLongOverdueDays system preference. Many libraries have the cost of an item automatically billed to the patron at this time (optional).
Lost: a group of authorized values that designate an item’s status as lost from a library’s holdings (including lost by a patron and missing in the library). Libraries can customize these values in the LOST authorized value category. Lost values show in the item record in 952$1.
Lost and Paid For: a LOST status designating that a patron has paid for the item they lost. This value is loaded by default for ByWater partners, but can be removed or customized if your library does not wish to use it.
Missing: a LOST status designating that an item is missing from the library. Typically, libraries use this status to mark items that they cannot find but that are not checked out to a patron. For instance, an item that should be on the shelf to fill a hold but isn’t there could be marked as Missing.
Notice: a message sent to patrons either about items (overdue, automatic renewals, hold available etc.) or about their account (account expiration, password reset, welcome etc.). Depending on the notice, it can be sent by email, SMS, print, and/or phone, but not every notice has each of those transport types available. Notices are configured in the Tools module.
Order: an item or multiples of the same item that a library purchases from a vendor. Orders are placed into baskets in the Acquisitions module.
Patron: a borrower or staff member; anyone with an account for the library, even if they do not use the library as a 'patron'.
Plugin: software that is added to Koha (or other programs) to enhance its capabilities or perform a specific function.
Reports: use SQL to query Koha’s data tables in order to present information about a library’s use or activities. For example, reports can return a count of new titles added to the Juvenile Fiction collection code in the last month, or a list of all patrons whose accounts are near expiration.
Restricted Patron: a patron who is debarred and is not allowed to use the library. Restrictions can be set automatically for overdue items or may be set manually by staff.
Serials: a module in Koha used for keeping track of journals, newspapers, and other items that arrive on a regular schedule.
Shelving Location: an authorized value category that is often used to designate an item’s physical location within the library. Like collection codes, shelving locations are descriptive only; they do not impact how items circulate. For example, a library might have the item type BOOK if all books circulate for 21 days, but then assign shelving locations of NONFICTION, CHILDREN, TEEN etc. to help staff and patrons physically find the items they want within the library. Shelving locations are a searchable facet on the staff interface and OPAC. They are completely customizable in the authorized value category LOC.
Slip: a printed sheet generated by a receipt printer for a variety of purposes in the library including a summary of items checked out, receipts for items checked in, or slips for items on hold or to transfer to another location. Slips are configured along with Notices in the Tools module.
SQL: structured query language; the relational database language in which reports are written in Koha. In addition to the Guided Reports option, staff can write and edit reports directly using SQL.
Statistics: a data table that is often used in reports to show information about circulation and other transactions in Koha.
Subscription: the length of time a serial is scheduled to be delivered to the library.
Tools: a module in Koha that houses a variety of actions and functions to modify patrons, bibs, and items or to define elements such as a library’s calendar or OPAC messaging. For example, there are tools to extend due dates in a batch, write news that will show on the OPAC or in the staff interface, import a batch of patrons, and more.
Vendor: a bookseller or supplier from which libraries purchase materials.