LINK 2.0 Koha

LINKcat Mobile

The LINKcat Mobile app is now available in the App Store (for Apple devices) and Google Play (for Android devices). Users of other platforms can use the LINKcat Mobile web site at m.linkcat.info. 

We will begin publicizing these mobile options on June 1, when we'll post an announcement on the LINKcat home page, as well as Facebook and Twitter. Bookmarks for LINKcat Mobile will be going out in Delivery today. Each library will receive a package of 50, but you can order more using the Brochure Request Form. 

For answers to questions about accessing and using LINKcat Mobile, see the LINKcat Mobile help page. We'll continue to update the page as needed. To report problems with LINKcat Mobile, use the Koha Problems and Questions form. Any known problems will be added to the Koha Known Problems page.

LINKcat Mobile is a third-party product called LibraryAnywhere. It is supported by LibraryThing. It is not open source, so we will not be driving the development of new features. However, LibraryThing will continue to enhance the software and we will report problems or bugs to LibraryThing.

Promoting the LINKcat survey on your library's website

We have created a button image that you can use to promote the LINKcat patron survey on your library's website.

You can download the button image here:
http://help.linkcat.info/images/linkcat-survey-button-with-checkmark.gif
(right-click on the image, select "Save Image/Picture As," and save to your computer)

Use this URL to make links to the survey (e.g. text links such as "LINKcat Survey" or a link placed on the button image):
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DP8ZMJP

If you have questions about using the button on your library's website, please contact Rose.

Max. Hold Limit problem identified

Patrons with more than 75 holds: If a patron has not yet reached the max. hold limit of 75 holds, they will be able to place more than 75 holds using the Lists feature in the PAC. The Lists function doesn't have the ability to enforce the hold limit mid-list. For example, if a patron already has 70 holds and creates a list of 10 more titles and selects them as a list, the system allows all 10 holds to be placed. If the patron has 75 holds and attempts to place one hold or 10 holds, they will be blocked.
We can't prevent this from happening without turning off the very popular List feature. There have been only three reports of this problem occurring (so far).  We can now run a report to keep an eye on those patrons that happen to go over 75 holds and then let each library know who they are so they can deal with this on a case by case basis.  Patrons may not realize that they are doing this.  If you point out to the patron that they have gone over the limit and they continue to choose to do so, you may have to suspend their record until you can get them to agree to the limit voluntarily. (10/11/2011) (SCLS Support ticket #41121) (Not on Koha Problems and Fixes spreadsheet)

Newspaper indexes available to public

The link to the public Newspaper index database has been posted in LINKcat. The Newspaper index database provides access to indexes of local newspapers and magazines. It is maintained by staff at several libraries:

• Baraboo Public Library
• Madison Public Library
• Mount Horeb Public Library
• Portage Public Library
• Reedsburg Public Library

See the Newspapers help page for more information on newspapers indexed and coverage.

Troubleshooting patron hold problems in LINKcat

Since we migrated to Koha, SCLS staff have received many reports of problems with placing holds in the LINKcat PAC. Problems with holds have a variety of causes. There could be a problem with an item type, the patron may already have a hold on the title, the patron may have excessive fines, etc. To assist you with handling these problems, I have created a document on troubleshooting patron holds problems in LINKcat. The troubleshooting document can be used when patrons have problems placing holds while either in the library or at home. It also provides instructions for reporting these problems to SCLS staff. It's posted on the PAC (public access catalog) page of the ILS web site.

New Don't Miss Lists posted online

The Don't Miss Lists page has been updated with new titles for August 2011 and the NY Times and Publisher's Weekly best seller lists. The new titles lists are still a work in progress and will continue to be refined in the coming months. Also, there are some lists that we had in Dynix (such as new Overdrive titles) that are not available yet but we will add those lists when they are available.

In addition, we now have the ability to offer archived lists of new titles. We were not able to do this in Dynix but we have developed a process for generating and publishing the lists that allows us to store old lists. We will be adding archived lists back to April 2011 soon (starting with new titles added after the Koha migration). When the archived lists are available we will make an announcement.

Don't Miss Lists update

Some of the Don't Miss Lists are now available! In the coming weeks, we will be working on updating the lists that have already been posted, as well as adding the NY Times and Publisher's Weekly best seller lists. We are currently working on developing monthly lists for new materials and will post the monthly lists as soon as they are available.

What we like about the new LINKcat

Guest post by Kerri.

Lots of comments have been flying around the link-announce email list.  While there are still many things in need of fixing, the "What I Like About the New LINKcat"  thread has highlighted some of the nice new features that aren't driving us crazy. 

Some features mentioned for patrons...

• Slightly overdue books are in "red" and have the renew option already checked for the patron to renew if they want.
• Also, how it is obvious to patrons that something can't be renewed because there is already another hold on it.
• I like that, even though sometimes I do what appears to be a perfectly fine search and get less than stellar results, there are other times when I'll make a typo and what I want shows up in the results list anyway.
• Just had customer report in on what she loved: making lists, ease of doing multiples in series, that it is never down (she is a late night/very early am user).

And for staff:

• Love the dymo labels.  Big, clear, clean crisp...   I would never actually print them thru Koha cuz I love the flexibility we have now.
• I like it when --two seconds after someone says they are done-- I can use the back button to get into their record to check them out again.  Ever heard, "Can I just check out one more item?"
• I love being able to move easily between circulation, cataloging, and holds.
• I love that the patron's checkout screen lists WHERE each waiting hold is waiting, without having to go into each item individually to check.
• Totally and completely clickable!!!!!!
• I like the fact you can bring up Koha after you have "accidentily clicked the X."

Hovering Happiness
One feature that was mentioned in the thread that I hadn't heard about was hovering...

• In regards to being able to see which disc of a series a patron has checked out:  she was happy to hear that hovering over the name of the series in her list would reveal the disc #... as she does a lot of suspending/unsuspending series DVDs. she'd thought it required clicks to see the full title and is just fine with 'hover.'
• Another hover tip:  to quickly find the item bib number when in 'Normal' view in Koha Staff Client, hover the mouse over the left side of the item details page where the boxes for Normal/Marc/ISBD are and the bib number shows up in the url at the bottom of the screen.

Are there other features you're appreciating?  Any other tricks like "hover" that you've run across?  Please leave them in the comments!

LINKcat and browsers

Although Firefox is required for staff-side functions, the public catalog (LINKcat) *should be* browser-independent.

What does this mean for patrons at home?
Patrons may use any browser to access the new LINKcat public catalog. 

What does this mean for patrons using SCLS-support public PCs?
When the LINKcat shortcut on a library's public PC opens up in Internet Explorer, it should work.

Different browsers may result in slightly different displays. Mainstream browsers that adhere to standards (tsk tsk, IE!) will most likely look and work better.  If you run across a function in the public catalog that does not work at all with a certain mainstream browser (Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Internet Explorer), please let the ILS staff know the details using the problems and questions form on the ILS Support site.

 

Whaddya know about the new LINKcat?

Guest post by Kerri.

In past weeks, I saw some tips about the new LINKcat mentioned on library Facebook pages and in their Twitter streams.  Here are a few:

• Say your want to put multiple items on hold. Add each to your CART, then select all, then choose "Place Hold."... http://fb.me/t3hr9Rtx
• Email notices of holds are sent within 1-2 hours of when they're checked in!
• Q: Why do I have fines for things I haven't returned? A: New LINKcat assesses fines when items go overdue, not when returned.
• Q: why can't I log in? A: your login is your 14 digit barcode number (no more shortcuts) and your password is your PIN.
• We've posted a few pictures on facebook from our transition to the new LINKcat. http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150157212340415.289765.125660475414
• Learn new LINKcat via YouTube: http://ow.ly/4C7bb

I've also had some positive comments made by patrons about the catalog passed my way  (Thanks, Maggie!)...

• "I like the idea of the cart, I feel like I am shopping but not spending any money!"
• "Wow - so if I want all this books by the same author, all I have to do is click the box and put them on hold at the same time? That is easy"
• "I was kind of confused the first night I got on, but it is nice that I get suggestions, I'm not the world's greatest speller..."

Have others?  Please leave them in the comments!