What Does the IndependentBranches System Preference Do?
IndependentBranches is a system preference intended to create barriers within Koha between libraries sharing one Koha instance but functioning wholly independently of each other. It is a preference that must be set before a library is live since it has so many implications that apply to library staff with non-superlibrarian permissions.
Some things controlled by IndependentBranches and its associated system preferences IndependentBranchesPatronModifications and IndependentBranchesTransfers include:
- Non-superlibrarian staff cannot search or modify other libraries' patron information (though finding the patron accounts is possible with the card number).
- Staff would need to override to check out to a patron from a different library.
- An override would also be needed to check out materials from another library to one's own patrons.
- Items from other branches cannot be modified by non-superlibrarian staff.
- Staff cannot log into any other branch than their home library.
- Approving non-home-library patron modifications and allowing branch transfers have a bit more configuration available with the subsequent addition of their respective system preferences.
- Staff members can't switch themselves to a different library.
The limitations do not apply to accounts with superlibrarian permissions, rendering the associated barriers both very inflexible for front-line staff and nearly non-existent for superlibrarians.
Because of this, we find most libraries can better address the need to limit staff access to other libraries' patrons and/or items through staff account permissions, rather than IndependentBranches. Consortia in particular have been driving Koha developments in the area of library-group-based permissions.
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