Configuring Location Independence with Koha 3

Within the Koha community there are a wide range of library types, from small special collections, with a single location, to large state-wide library catalogs with dozens and even hundreds of locations, and everything in-between. To support these users, Koha 3 has a set of configuration options that enable and disable views and activities between libraries within a single installation, as well as some options for the tiny libraries that don't need the multi-location features at all.

• singleBranchMode – singleBranchMode is global, and switches Koha into Single Location Mode, meaning that the branch selection lists on pages such as the OPAC Search, or the 'Set' option from the staff interface, are removed from display. It's generally only useful for a tiny one-location library.

• IndependantBranches – IndependantBranches is global, and switches Koha into a mode where location independence is enforced. There are several areas:
  • Authentication: Staff members may only log into the location specified in their account, selection of location is disabled for all users except the 'superlibrarian'
  • Circulation: By default, staff at LibraryA cannot check out items to patrons held at LibraryB. Staff at LibraryA cannot view any patron information for patrons registered at LibraryB.
  • Holds: By default, staff or patrons at LibraryA cannot place holds on items held at LibraryB. This can be overridden by the 'canreservefromotherbranches' system preference.
  • Patrons: By default, staff at LibraryA cannot view/add/edit patrons at LibraryB
  • Staff Client Catalog Search: By default, items from other locations are displayed catalog searches.
  • OPAC Search: By default, items from other locations are displayed in catalog searches

There are some outstanding issues with this feature:

• Bug 1088 includes a patch that expand the IndependantBranches functionality:

    It does things like not show copies at other branches when a search is done.
    keeps track of which branch is being viewed in issueingrules.pl.
    reduce options in certain drop downs related to branches or patrons.
    show only members at the users branch when searching for members.
    dictionary only returns results where there is a copy at the users branch.
    
    Another thing this patch does is a modification to getiteminformation, which is
    used when issueing copies and other places.  With Independant Branches on the
    item information is branch dependent, so there can be copies with the same
    barcode as long as they are at different branches.  This makes migrating an
    existing library easier as you then don't have to re-barcode all the books. 
    Which is exactly the reason I made this change for our installation.

• Bug 1442 describes a bug that happens when both AutoLocate and IndependantBranches are ON: if both AutoLocate AND IndependantBranches are turned on, and the user attempts to log in from the wrong IP, the user is not blocked.

• Bug 1583: Reserves not working correctly when in 'independent branches' mode.

    When in 'independent branches' mode...A library user from one branch can
    currently place a hold on an item belonging to another branch. They shouldn't
    be able to. ... and they also should not be able to select a specific copy
    (item) from another branch to place hold on... in fact, should they even be
    able to see items from other branches when placing holds?
    
    UPDATE (tnb): due to chris patch, a specific copy (item) can no longer be
    selected if that copy is from a branch different than the user or patron;
    HOWEVER, the user attempting to place a hold on an item with no copies from
    their branch should not even get to the screen that allows them to search for a
    patron. If the user is placing a hold on an item with some copies at branch and
    some held at others, they should not be able to select any pick up location but
    their branch, AND "hold next available copy" should not count items from other
    branches. Ie, if a copy from another branch is returned, it doesn't prompt a
    fullfillment of that patron's reservation
    

• Bug 1584 Independent Branches: users can 'reset' their branch after login. The issue is that when independentbranches and/or AutoLocate is turned on, the user should be logged into the branch they are assigned to. A related issue is described:

    On a related note, changing branch doesn't have any perms requirements.  So if
    a user from one branch finds the url, she can change branches at will, even
    though independentbranches is on.
    
    Short term, I will add a userflag for system-wide user that can exist outside
    the independent branches limits.

• Bug 1582: 'In Transit' not working for Independent Branches. The original bug report may be invalid, but the following should be noted:

    I think the default behavior of independentbranches is to allow branches to do
    resource sharing (ie, they can check out to each other). We have a syspref
    called 'canreservefromotherbranches' that allows/disallows branches to place
    holds in other branches. Perhaps we need another one
    'canissuefromotherbranches' for now that specifies whether the libraries can
    issue each other's books.
    
    As far as in transit statuses changing, the only time that the in transit
    status should change is if libraries are allowed to issue each other's books
    ... this is because the holdingbranch field is how Koha determines the transit
    status (by comparing it to homebranch).
    
    So ultimately, I'm not sure this specific issue is a bug, but it certainly
    indicates we need to expand the options for how inter-branch relationships are
    defined.

• Bug 1643: moredetail.pl allows item deletion with no warning and irrespective of independentbranches

    updated tmpl, removed DELETE option.
    
    script level check remains undone, so a properly crafted url would yet
    allow deletion .

• AutoLocation – Autolocation is global. To enable, first add IP addresses (192.168.1.12) , or IP ranges, (192.168.*) to your libraries in 'Administration→ Libraries branches and groups (/cgi-bin/koha/admin/branches.pl)'. With AutoLocation turned ON, Koha will automatically set the appropriate library upon login to the Staff Client, based on the IP address or range specified. It will also disallow changing the library location using the 'Set' option normally found at the top-right of the screen. This setting applies to all users except the superlibrarian.

• canreservefromotherbranches – use with IndependantBranches, it overrides the default and allows holds to be placed between libraries.

From 'Administration→ Libraries branches and groups (/cgi-bin/koha/admin/branches.pl)' you can configure Search Domain Groups. These Search Domain Groups allow specification of an arbitrary number of groups of libraries that will display as search limits in the OPAC and Staff Client catalog search.

: Add documentation