Maine Balsam Library Consortium
Circulation Directions
Table of Contents - click on a topic to jump directly to that section:
1.2 How to Edit Koha Username and/or Password
1.5 Renewing Item from the Patron’s Checkout Summary
1.6 Renewing from the Search Bar
1.7 Renewing from the ‘Renew’ Page
1.8 Placing a Hold in the Staff Interface
1.9 Placing a Hold in the OPAC
1.1 Logging Into Koha
Step 1: Go to staff-balsam.bywatersolutions.com/ and enter your credentials
Step 2: Click ‘Log in’
1.2 How to Edit Koha Username and/or Password
Step 1: Go to staff-balsam.bywatersolutions.com/ and log in
Step 2: Search for patron by name or patron barcode
Step 3: On the patron account click ‘Edit’
Step 4: Scroll down to ‘OPAC/Staff interface login’
Step 5: Type in desired username and/or password
Step 6: Click ‘Save’
1.3 Checking Out Items
Step 1: Go to staff-balsam.bywatersolutions.com/ and log in. The homepage defaults to check out.
You can also get to check out by clicking on ‘Circulation’
Step 2: Enter part of the patron’s name or patron barcode
Here’s what the patron’s account will look like:
If you search part of a name, you’ll get a list:
Step 3: Scan barcode(s) into the ‘Enter item barcode’ field
1.4 Checking In Items
Option 1: Checking in from the search bar
The Koha homepage defaults to check out, so you need to click ‘Check in’, then scan barcode(s) in the search field
Option 2: Checking in from the ‘Check in’ page
Step 1: Click on ‘Circulation’
Step 2: Click ‘Check in’
Step 3: Scan item barcode(s) into the box provided. A summary of all items checked in will appear below the check-in box.
1.5 Renewing Item from the Patron’s Checkout Summary
Step 1: Enter part of the patron’s name to bring up the patron’s account and view their checkout summary at the bottom.
Step 2: Check the box of the items you would like to renew and click the ‘Renew selected items’ button. Alternatively, click the ‘Renew all’ button to renew all items checked out to the patron.
Step 3: Sometimes renewals will be blocked based on your circulation rules. To override this block, you will see a checkbox at the bottom left of the circulation summary. Checking that box will add checkboxes in the renew column above where before the item was not renewable. Check that box, choose the items you would like to renew, and then click ‘Renew selected items’.
1.6 Renewing from the Search Bar
Step 1: If you have the items in hand, select the ‘Renew’ option in the search bar at the top of the page.
Step 2: Scan the barcode in the search field.
1.7 Renewing from the ‘Renew’ Page
Step 1: Click Circulation
Step 2: Click Renew
Step 3: Scan the barcodes of the items you would like to renew.
*If the barcode is not found, you will be presented with an error.
*If the item is not actually checked out, you will also receive an error.
1.8 Placing a Hold in the Staff Interface
Note: there are 2 ways to place holds Step 2a or 2b
Step 1: Search catalog
Step 2a: Place Hold by clicking on the Holds (0) link under the title of your choosing
Step 2b: Place Hold by clicking the title of your choosing, then clicking ‘Place hold’ button at the top of the bibliographic record:
Step 3: You will be asked to search for a patron by barcode or any part of their name to start the hold process.
Step 4: Click on ‘Place hold’
Step 5: You will then be shown the ‘Existing holds’ page for the item
1.9 Placing a Hold in the OPAC
Patrons can place holds on items via the OPAC, but they must be logged into their patron account.
Step 1: Click ‘Log in to your account’
Step 2: Type in search terms into the search box
Step 3: Once you locate desired item, Click ‘Place Hold’
Step 4: The pick up location should autopopulate to your home library, then click ‘Confirm hold’
1.10 Holds to Pull List
When patrons from your home library or a Balsam ILL library place holds on items, a list is populated in the ‘Holds queue’.
Step 1: Go to staff-balsam.bywatersolutions.com/ and log in.
Step 2: Click on ‘Circulation’
Step 3: Click ‘Holds queue
Step 4: If there are holds on items in your library, you will see a list like this:
Step 5: Write down call numbers and go pull the items
Step 6: Switch to ‘Check in’ and scan item barcode
Step 7: After you scan the barcode to check in the item, you’ll have a popup that says ‘Hold found’.
Step 8a: If the hold is for a patron in your library, click either ‘Confirm hold (Y)’ or ‘Print slip and confirm (Y)’ according to your library’s procedures.
Step 8b: If the hold is for a patron in another library, click ‘Print slip, transfer, and confirm (P)’. Follow the onscreen prompts to print the transit slip. Then process for van delivery according to your library’s procedures.