https://bugs.koha-community.org/bugzilla3/show_bug.cgi?id=39792
Bug ID: 39792
Summary: Patron Home Library has too much responsibility
Change sponsored?: ---
Product: Koha
Version: Main
Hardware: All
OS: All
Status: NEW
Severity: enhancement
Priority: P5 - low
Component: System Administration
Assignee: [email protected]
Reporter: [email protected]
QA Contact: [email protected]
CC: [email protected]
The patron home library setting controls too much, particularly with consortium
libraries.
We use the home library to list the patron's patron (default) library and
pickup location. However, we have to track patrons via taxing group for our
consortium. Because patrons can change which library is their default library,
we can't use this setting as a reliable source for what tax group they belong
to. So instead, we have to use a patron attribute.
However, this patron attribute, while perfect for reporting who belongs to
which group, serves no functionality like controlling what database
subscriptions a patron has access to based on their taxing group. Most SIP
communications do not support this extra attribute on the vendor side. Nor
does this attribute help when it comes to purchase suggestions. Purchase
suggestions are directed at their home library, rather than the library that
they are funding through taxes.
With our current setup, we can also use one single account for a staff member
so they can be from a different taxing group than the library they work at. We
don't let staff have the ability to change their branch on the staff side of
Koha, because it would be too easy for them to be in the wrong branch when they
are doing transactions.
Without having this separate taxing entity attribute, we would have to have two
accounts for staff, one for personal library use, and another for work use.
I think too much weight is being put on the home branch setting. I would love
to be able to use the home branch setting as a setting that only the library
sets, not something the patron controls. It would define what library or tax
group they are paying into, and would still be the setting that vendors use,
and what the purchases suggestions would be directed to for that patron.
I would like to see a second setting that would only control the default pickup
location, which the patron would have control over, but we could set for them
on request.
Ultimately, it might be a good idea to have a separate third setting for
libraries to set for purchase suggestions, but if a default pickup location
were created, that would be a huge improvement.
I might even suggest a fourth setting (maybe in preferences along with the
catalogue preference) that allows you to set the library or libraries that the
staff member can log in to. If not set, they could log into any of the
libraries. Otherwise, it would only allow them to log into specified
libraries. This would change the login form though. I would exclude picking
the library on the login form, and prompting the staff member for the library
from a list of allowed libraries after they login.
This might be suited for multiple bugs, but I think this needs to be considered
so that this one setting doesn't control so many things that might be in
conflict with each other.
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