Bug 23752 - Search all z39.50 / SRU targets and resource discovery layer / open link resolver from any ILL backend
Summary: Search all z39.50 / SRU targets and resource discovery layer / open link res...
Status: NEW
Alias: None
Product: Koha
Classification: Unclassified
Component: ILL (show other bugs)
Version: Main
Hardware: All All
: P5 - low new feature
Assignee: Bugs List
QA Contact:
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2019-10-04 16:03 UTC by Niamh
Modified: 2023-12-11 15:47 UTC (History)
5 users (show)

See Also:
GIT URL:
Change sponsored?: Seeking developer
Patch complexity: ---
Documentation contact:
Documentation submission:
Text to go in the release notes:
Version(s) released in:
Circulation function:


Attachments

Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.
Description Niamh 2019-10-04 16:03:40 UTC
There needs to be additional options on the manage request screen irrespective on the ‘interface’ selected Koha/Koha, FreeForm or BL. This ‘Search’ button should be the first button on the row, and preferably pre-populate the search with the request metadata. This should then open a new tab or pop up window that presents the results to the staff member. This should be the 
1. The locally appropriate resource discover layer 
and 
2. The z39.50 targets set up on the system which already pop-up in the cataloguing module. 

Ideally the resource discovery layer and/or the open link resolver should searchable from within the manage request screen irrespective of interface so that subscription resources and open access materials can be located efficiently. 
 

When a patron submits an ILL via the opac, library staff in 'manage request' can't search for a provider from within the ILL functionality and have to go to other sources directly such as the resource discovery layer, and all the individual suppliers catalogues to identify a source. This an inefficient workflow and a significant increase in work load.  Staff time wasted on ensuring item is the one required on inter-library loan as there is insufficient information on the current Koha to Koha screen, and no option at all to search from the freeform or bl backends, therefore the search must be repeated elsewhere. Th results presented should be be expanded to include edition and year, but preferably be configurable as it is for the z39.50 search in cataloguing it is currently difficult to identify the title that best matches the request.  

Please at least enable z39.50 searching for all targets set up on the system within ILL and not just for other koha sites. The addition of local availability from those targets would also be of value to our staff. 


Without more details returned on a search, library staff must go to the individual library catalogue to get more information on the title before placing the request.  
The current system results in Staff time wasted, user frustration, and ILL requests submitted for material already available to the user.
Comment 1 Hugo Agud 2019-11-06 11:40:14 UTC
It should be desirable if administrator could select what z39.50 assign to ill backends. not all z39.
Comment 2 Katrin Fischer 2023-01-13 12:22:36 UTC
It is hard to tell for me which parts of the this functionality would need implementing within Koha and which parts might have to be done within the backend/plugin. 

Maybe someone else more familiar with the code structure could weigh in on that?
Comment 3 Niamh Walker-Headon 2023-02-08 14:02:28 UTC
I agree with Hugo's comment about being able to select the z39.50 targets, that makes sense. 

Currently, since our last upgrade the availability plugin shows in the staff client when creating a request https://koha.hselibrary.ie/cgi-bin/koha/ill/ill-requests.pl?method=create&backend=FreeForm but a staff member can't launch a search from the illview screen.
Comment 4 Katrin Fischer 2023-12-09 11:36:15 UTC
I am not familiar with the kind of functionality the availability plugins can provide, so adding Pedro, maybe he can help us get an idea what we should do on Koha side and what would be better on the plugin end.
Comment 5 Pedro Amorim 2023-12-11 15:47:22 UTC
(In reply to Katrin Fischer from comment #4)
> I am not familiar with the kind of functionality the availability plugins
> can provide, so adding Pedro, maybe he can help us get an idea what we
> should do on Koha side and what would be better on the plugin end.

Hi, thank you Katrin for bringing this to my attention.
I'm not sure I understand the discussion entirely but I'll try my best to provide a useful contribution.

I believe there are a couple of things being discussed here, one is the Koha2Koha backend:
https://gitlab.com/koha-community/plugins/koha-plugin-ill-koha

The other the z39.50 availabililty plugin:
https://github.com/PTFS-Europe/koha-plugin-ill-avail-z3950

These 2 are not related and may be used separately. The former is a backend and allows the creation of a request. The latter is an availability plugin and it does not allow the creation of a request, it instead provides availability results prior to creating the request (regardless of which backend was selected).

The z39.50 plugin's configuration allows for selecting a set of z39.50 providers from the total configured z39.50/SRU providers in Koha.
The plugin requires the ILLCheckAvailability syspref to be enabled.
Upon submitting the create request form (OPAC, Staff, or both - optionally configured) Koha will search the selected z39.50 providers with the metadata submitted in the form and comeback with the results. Each z39.50 provider may also be configured to be queried when placing the request with a partner.

(In reply to Niamh Walker-Headon from comment #3)
> Currently, since our last upgrade the availability plugin shows in the staff
> client when creating a request
> https://koha.hselibrary.ie/cgi-bin/koha/ill/ill-requests.
> pl?method=create&backend=FreeForm but a staff member can't launch a search
> from the illview screen.

You should be able to do so from the illview screen currently by clicking the "Place request with partners button", provided the plugin has been configured properly, i.e. at least one z39.50 provider has been configured to show availability results in the partners interface AND is linked to a patron (using the patron ID (borrowernumber)) whose category matches the one from the ILLPartnerCode sys pref AND this patron has a valid e-mail address.

I hope this information helps.
We're actively working to simplify and streamline a lot of what's being discussed here.