Koha 3 Administration: Some Easy Tools Using PHP - DSpace at ...

Koha 3 Administration: Some Easy Tools Using PHP
Dr.Veerankutty Chelatayakkot
Assistant Librarian
Cochin University of Science and Technology
E-mail : veerankutty@cusat.ac.in
Abstract: Koha is leading Open Source Software in ILS. Koha uses
Mysql database as its back-end. By using PHP script, librarian can easily
enhance the capability of Koha, add new flowers in Koha and easily
manage retrospective data conversion.
1. Introduction
Koha is the first open-source
Integrated Library System (ILS). In use
worldwide, its development is steered by a
growing community of libraries
collaborating to achieve their technology
goals. Koha's impressive feature set
continues to evolve and expand to meet the
needs of its user base.
The important futures of Koha are :
• Full-featured Integrated
Library System. It includes
modules for circulation,
cataloging, acquisitions,
serials, reserves, patron
management, branch
relationships, and more
• Dual Database Design: .
Koha uses a dual database
design that utilizes the
strengths of the two major
industry-standard database
types (text-based and
RDBMS).
• Compliment of Library
Standards
• Web based interfaces
• Free / Open Source which
have no Vendor lock-in
2. Added flowers to Koha
Koha uses Mysql database for backend.
We can develop many easy tools that
help us to work more freely in Koha using
PHP scripts bypassing the Koha software
up to some extent. Here some examples.
2.1. Sequential Bar Coding
In koha, barcodes can be created by
searching and adding each books in Tools->
Label and Patron Card Creator -> Set
Active Layout -> Create New Batch ->
Search -> and Add to selected batch. While
doing this, Koha inserts ‘itemnumber’ to the
table ‘lables’ in its database ‘koha’.
Suppose our library purchased 50
new books, we have to search and add each
book to create barcodes. Instead, by using
following script (List 1A,1B), we can
directly insert ‘itemnumbers’ of newly
purchased books to the table ‘labels’ by
giving ‘From this Accession No’ to ‘This
Accession Number’. eg 11320 to 11380 and
barcodes can be created sequentially.

By using the same method, we can
also create barcodes for Patrons. In Koha,
the search results of patron are arranged
alphabetically. Suppose, if we want to take
barcodes of newly admitted students, we
have to search and add each student
sequentially or browse alphabetically. By
modifying the same script we can create
barcodes of newly admitted students from
‘this membership no ‘ to ‘this membership
no’
2.2. View Accession Register
format
In most of newly automating
libraries, the retrospective conversion of
data entry is done by using catalogue cards.
At the same time, the catalogue cards of
some books may be missing. Also, for spell
checking of author, title, publisher etc, it
will be very useful if we get data from Koha
in the sequence and format of Accession
Register. By using the following script (List
2A,2B), we can view the data in the format
of accession register and we can edit it
directly by avoiding search/edit options in
Koha.
2.3. Support to Circulation
Section
The script in the list 3A,3B will be
helpful to take list of books issued in a day.
In Koha, we will get only count of total
issue. Also, we can make list of books
returned in a particular day. While returning
a book, Koha insert itemnumber to a table
‘old_issues’. We can create list of books
returned in a particular day by modifying the
script (ie change the table name as
‘old_issues’ instead of ‘issues’ in $query )
2.4. Support to Acquisition
Section.
After the data entry of newly
purchased books including price, we can
verify with Invoices by giving Accession
Number ‘From’ and ‘To’. Also, this report
will help us to create total list of books
purchased in a particular period,say in a
year, with no of copies and total amount
spent and discount. The script is given in
List 5A,5B
Reference
1. www.koha.org

Appendix
List 1 A
===========================================================
// Save this file as ‘barcode.php’

.
List 2 A
// Save this file as ‘accession.php’

$biblio
Edit
//edit web address ‘ http://172..... ‘ as what is in your system
EOD; }
$display=

List 3 A
========================================================================
// SAVE THIS FILE AS ' issue.php'
=============================================================================

List 3 B
============================================================================
// Save this file as 'index.html'
Help Page
Name of Library
Today’s Issue
Date(Format: yyyy-mm-dd):
============================================================================
List 4 A
============================================================================
//Save this file AS 'order.php'

Title
Publisher
Nos
Price
EOD;
while ($row =mysql_fetch_array($result))
{
$author=$row['author'];
$title=$row['title'];
$publisher= $row['publishercode'];
$count= $row['count(items.biblionumber)'];
$price= $row['sum(items.price)'];
$details .=

List 4 B
===============================================================
//save this file as index.html
View List of Books
NAME OF LIBRARY
//
Enter Range From Accession Register
Accession Number From:
To:
=============================================================================
Instruction to use the Script:
1. Install PHP 5
2. Create a directory ,say accession , in root directory of Web Server .For example, in the
case of apache ,the root directory will be /var/www/
3. Save both files, say List 2A and List 2B, in the newly created directory ,say accession.
4. Edit the PHP script to add user name and password of Mysql
5. Edit the HTML script to add your library name
6. Open Web Browser and search http://localhost/directoryname/ say
‘http://localhost/accession ‘
7. If you are using accession number as string (Prefixed with letters) eg ‘SE1200’, some
modification in script is required . (a) add $length = strlen(“$from”); in the fourth line
of the script. (b) Modify the Mysql query in $query adding length(items.barcode) =
‘$length’ AND after SELECT ……….. WHERE