What do you do if your Koha library system suddenly goes offline due to a server crash, power or internet outage? Go back to the dark ages and start writing with pen and paper? Surely not!

Koha has a very useful feature called Offline Circulation which allows you to continue processing check-ins and check-outs when you can’t access your system. You can even use it when you’re having a very busy day at the circulation desk and you need to check items in or out fast. You can upload and process your transactions when things finally settle down.

There are three tools you can use – a desktop application, a Mozilla Firefox plugin, and an in-built offline circulation module. In this article, I’m going to show you how to set up and use the Mozilla Firefox Koha offline circulation plugin. It’s quick, easy, and will get you up and running in no time.

Read on for a detailed step-by-step explanation complete with images!

Installation and Setup

1. Install the Offline Circulation Plugin

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox web browser (or install it if you don’t have it already)
  2. Open the menu → Click Add-ons and Themes → Extensions
  3. Search for “Koha Offline Circulation Tool” (KOCT)
  4. Install the plugin

2. Configure the Plugin to Connect to Koha

  1. Click the KOCT plugin icon on the top right-hand side of your browser
  2. Click on the “Configuration page” button
  3. Under Parameters, type in your Koha staff page URL (e.g., https://libadmin.kohasupport.com)
    • Remember to include http:// or https:// (if you’re using an SSL certificate) in your URL or it might not work properly
  4. Under Login, enter your staff/administrator username and password
    • I recommend each staff member use their own login credentials whenever they’re using the Koha offline circulation plugin. This way you can keep track of your staff members’ individual transactions when running circulation reports
  5. Under Branch code, enter the branch code of your library/library branch
    • You can find this on your staff admin page under Home > Administration > Libraries > Code
  6. Click “Test configuration” to make sure the plugin can connect to your library staff page
    • It should return a “Configuration Ok” status message
    • If you get an error message, double-check your staff page URL and login credentials
  7. Select your Commit Type
    • I recommend you leave it at the default selection “Send data to Koha (an administrator will have to apply the changes)”
    • This ensures that you can review any circulation transactions before they are made final and applied to the system

3. Check Items In and Out

Circulating items is a straightforward process. To check out, all you need is your patron’s card number (or barcode) and the item barcode.

To check out items:

  1. Enter the patron barcode
  2. Enter the item barcode
  3. Click “checkout” or press enter
  4. You will see the circulation details (date, time, action (return or issue), patron number, item barcode, and status (local or sent))
  5. The patron number is sticky so you don’t have to enter it for every item you circulate
  6. Simply click “clear card number” when you move on to your next patron

To send transactions to Koha:

  1. When your server is back online or you’re ready to send the transactions to Koha, click “Send to Koha”
  2. If the process is successful, the status will change to “Sent”

4. Review and Apply Transactions (Administrator)

If you selected the default commit type during configuration, an administrator will need to review and apply the offline circulation transactions:

  1. Log in to your Koha staff interface
  2. Go to Tools > Offline circulation
  3. Review the pending transactions
  4. Apply the transactions to your catalog

Tips for Using Offline Circulation

  • Train your staff: Make sure all circulation staff know how to use the offline circulation plugin before an emergency occurs
  • Regular backups: Download patron and item data regularly to ensure the plugin has up-to-date information
  • Test periodically: Run a test during a quiet period to ensure the plugin is working correctly
  • Individual logins: Have each staff member use their own credentials for better accountability
  • Review transactions: Always review offline transactions before applying them to catch any errors

Troubleshooting

Plugin won’t connect:

  • Verify your Koha staff URL is correct and includes http:// or https://
  • Check your username and password
  • Ensure your library branch code is correct

Transactions won’t sync:

  • Check your internet connection
  • Verify you have permission to upload offline circulation files
  • Contact your system administrator if issues persist

Conclusion

The Koha Offline Circulation plugin is an essential tool for maintaining library operations during outages or busy periods. With a little setup and training, you can ensure your circulation desk keeps running smoothly no matter what challenges arise.

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