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.
Adding Items: the method for adding item records to a bibliographic record. This action may be called linking items or attaching items in other ILSes.
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.
Barcode: specifically refers to the identifying label of the item in the 952$p. Different from "cardnumber", which is the identifying label of the patron's card. The barcode must be unique, but can be modified.
Basket: a group of orders with a vendor. Baskets can be sent via EDI or used without EDI.
Batch Item or Record Modification: cataloging functions by which items or records may be edited in a batch. With permissions, batch item modifications may be done from item search, the cataloging module, or in reports. Batch record modifications require MARC modification templates and can be done within the cataloging module. Similar to bulk changes to record sets in other ILSes.
Bibliographic Record: contains information related to material at the title level including the title, author(s), ISBN(s), subjects, etc. This does not contain item-specific information like barcode or home library. Also called the bib, bib record, or title record.
Biblionumber: unique identifying number (primary key) for a bibliographic record found in the 999$c. This number is specific to Koha.
Borrowernumber: unique identifying number for a patron record, regardless of changes to other patron information. This is the database number for the patron record, different from the patron cardnumber.
Budgets: in combination with funds, used for tracking expenditures in Acquisitions.
Call Number: shows an item's shelf position. Stored in the 952$o.
Cardnumber: specifically refers to the identifying label of the patron's card. Different from "barcode", which is the identifying label of the item. The cardnumber must be unique, but can be modified.
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.
Check In: returns items off patron accounts. To account for closed days marked on the Koha calendar, use Bookdrop mode in the Circulation module - also known as Free days. To mark an item's use but not check it out, you can optionally check an item in to mark its local use - also known as in-house mode. Sometimes called discharge in other ILSes.
Check Out: the process to issue an item to a patron. Begins with entering the patron's barcode or part of their name. Once on the patron's account, scan or type the item's barcode into the field at the top of the screen. Other ILSes may call this issue or charge.
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. Also known as Item Cat2 in other ILS. Stored in 952$8.
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. These happen on the server and cannot be edited in the staff interface. Some may display in logs.
Duplicate Patron: creates a new patron entry screen using many of the same values as the original patron. Also called copy user in other ILSes.
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.
Fast Add: a tool to create abbreviated records with fewer MARC fields than found in the Default framework. With its own permissions, can be used by circulation staff to create brief records for patrons attempting to check out a barcode not recognized by the system or by ILL staff to create short records. Called fast cataloging, brief title, brief bib, and on the fly record in other ILSes.
Fines: any charges (debits) applied on the patron account. Also called bills in other ILSes.
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. Optionally, can be suspended or unsuspended (also called activated/deactivated or frozen/unfrozen in other systems). Holds can be record-level (title-level), item group-level (volume-level), or item-level (copy-level), depending on circulation rules.
Holding/Current Library: an item's current location, including the location where the item was last seen. Stored in the 952$b.
Holds Queue/Holds to Pull: inbuilt reports found in the Circulation module displaying items available to fill patron holds. Multi-location libraries use the holds queue, prioritized for each branch. Single location libraries use the holds to pull. Other ILSes may call this on shelf item list, hold requests to fill, or paging list.
Home Library: an item's permanent location, where the item resides once it is done circulating. Stored in the 952$a. Also called owning library in other ILSes.
Issues: checkouts, used in database and some system preferences. Also refers to the circulation table in Koha's database.
Item Number: unique identifying number (primary key) for an item found in 952$9. This number is specific to Koha, and unlike an item’s barcode, cannot be changed.
Item Record: information about each physical copy of a bibliographic record owned by a library. Item records (952s) are attached to bibliographic records (942s). They include details specific to each item such as barcode, shelving location, etc. and are also referred to as holdings or copies.
Item Type: groups of items that circulate the same way. In combination with patron categories and libraries, an item’s item type defines how it circulates. Item types are defined at the item-specific level in 952$y and at the bib level in 942$c.
Lists: a collection of records 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 and stored in the 952$1. Many libraries have the cost of an item automatically billed to the patron at this time (optional). Also known as assumed Lost and LOSTASSUM.
Lost: a group of authorized values that designate an item’s status (952$1) 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. Also known as claimed lost and LOSTCLAIM.
Lost and Paid For: a LOST status (952$1) 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.
Materials Specified Note: a note on an item record (952$3) that triggers a pop-up notification when scanned for check in or check out. Also called staff note or item block in other ILSes.
Messaging Preferences: indicates the courtesy notices and methods (phone, SMS, email) a patron wants to receive. Initially set by Patron Category, but can optionally be changed individually on the patron's account in the staff interface or OPAC. Also called notification options in other ILSes.
Migrated Lost: a LOST status (952$1) ByWater assigns to items lost in a legacy ILS to make them distinguishable from items lost in Koha. Charges to patron accounts from returned migrated lost items will not automatically resolve. More information about this process can be found at
Migrated Lost Items.
Missing: a LOST status (952$1) 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'. Also known as user in other ILSes.
Patron Accounting: found on the Accounting tab of a patron account, it shows the patron's complete accounting history. The transactions tab displays any credits and debits applied to their account. Also called patron account in other ILSes.
Patron Attribute: used for additional information about the patron, as defined by the library. This can be free-text or can utilize a controlled vocabulary, repeatable or not. Libraries can define as many attributes as they need. Examples include "County", "signed internet permission form (Y/N)", and "District". Also called user category in other ILSes.
Patron Category: defines the kind of patron account. It is required for all patrons and drives circulation rules. Examples include "staff", "adult", "youth", "non-resident", "student", and "faculty". Also called user profile, patron code, and patron type.
Plugin: software that is added to Koha (or other programs) to enhance its capabilities or perform a specific function.
Pre-Production Server: the server used for testing and verifying data loads while a partner library is implementation, before they go live. For most ByWater Partners, it is the same URL as the server they will have at go live.
Quick Action Toolbar: a selection of actions that can be performed in the staff interface from the toolbar at the top of the screen. Available options will differ depending on module but typically include check out, check in, search patrons, and search catalog. Called shortcut bar in other ILSes.
Reading History: a record of the past circulation transactions for a patron optionally displayed to staff. Also called reader services or old issues in other ILSes.
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.
Reserves: the name of the holds table in Koha's database.
Reservoir: a temporary location for uploaded records in the Cataloging module that haven't yet been imported into Koha and are not yet findable using a basic search.
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. Also known as home location or shelf location in other ILSes. Stored in the 952$c.
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.
Suppress: a method of hiding records from patrons in the OPAC. Can be done individually using the 942$c, by item type, or any item field. Also called shadow in other ILSes.
Tools: a module in Koha that houses a variety of actions and functions to modify patrons, 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.
Test Server: an additional server paid and arranged for by a partner library, in addition to their production server, usually assigned the address of libraryname-test. Test servers are used for early adopter upgrade testing, new staff training, and any library needed testing and experimentation.
Vendor: a bookseller or supplier from which libraries purchase materials.
Withdrawn: an item status field (952$0) indicating an intent to remove the item from circulation, typically used for weeding purposes. Also called discard in other ILSes.
Write off: to waive a patron's fine or fee. Also called forgiven in other ILSes.