8. Playtime

Installing Koha 3.0 on Ubuntu 8.10

Playtime

Congratulations! You've installed Koha.

Next we need to configure it and enter a little test data to confirm everything's working. At this point you should still be using the web browser on the Koha server itself rather than trying to access Koha from a different computer.

Configure Koha

Open Firefox and open Koha's administrative front-end. If you've installed Koha on a fresh Ubuntu installation this should be http://127.0.1.1:8080/ .

Web Installer > Step 1

The only question you'll need to answer is your preferred language. (Note: if you want English and pick the default option uk-UA thinking it has something to do with the United Kingdom, get ready to use Koha in Cyrillic since uk-UA means Ukrainian. You want "en" for English.)

Web Installer > Step 2

You'll be asked to review database settings and click Next if they're correct. If they're not correct you'll need to edit the correct configuration file (usually koha-config.xml). If all is well, after you click "Next" you'll be told that a database connection has been established and that your MySQL user has the right privileges.

Web Installer > Step 3

Click "Next". You should see the message, "Success. Database tables created."

Next click the "Install basic configuration settings" hyperlink and select your preferred MARC flavor.

Installing Optional Data

Install all the optional example data. You can change it later, but especially since this is a sample Koha implementation you'll want some data to help you test the system.

Zebra or NoZebra?

Choose NoZebra. Zebra configuration and troubleshooting is beyond this guide's scope (and also beyond mine). For a test server Koha's native search engine will do fine.

If all has gone well you'll get the message, "Congratulations, Installation complete."

Buy Two Books to Circulate

1. When presented with the Koha login page, use your Koha administrator's credentials (the ones you used above), logging into the Centerville library.
2. Click "Acquisitions".
3. Click the "+ New Vendor" button.
4. Fill in at least the required details. Under "Ordering Information" click "Vendor is: Active".
5. Save.
6. Click the "+ New Order" button.
7. Under "Add To Order" click "From a new (empty) record".
8. Fill in the required details plus any others you'd like to include. Make the order for Centerville branch. Order "Neuromancer" by author "Gibson, William". Order 2 copies, entering 10 for the price. For the Invoice Number enter 12345.
9. Save.
10. Click the "Close this basket" link just above the Order Details.
11. Click "Receive shipment" under "Order Receive" and enter your invoice number: 12345.
12. Save.
13. In the bottom table (labeled "or select a pending orders" [sic]), click the "Receive order" link next to your Neuromancer item.
14. Enter a barcode of 23456, tweak anything else you'd like to, and click [Save] to receive the first copy of the book for Centerville.
15. Repeat the process for the second copy, using a different barcode such as 34567.

Congratulations! Your library now has two books to loan.

Give It a Test Drive

Now you can try the Koha OPAC as a patron rather than an administrator. First we need to create a patron record.

Create a Patron Record

1. Click the "Patrons" link at the top of the page.
2. Click the "+ New" button.
3. Choose "Patron" from the drop-down that appears.
4. Enter information for yourself. Be sure to make yourself a patron of the Centerville branch. Give yourself a library card number of 1234567890. Also give yourself an OPAC Login (i.e., username) and a Password.
5. Click [Save] to create your record.

Find the Book as a Patron

1. Click "Log Out" in the upper right corner.
2. Become a patron: switch to OPAC at http://127.0.1.1.
3. Click "Log in to Your Account" in the upper right and enter the patron login credentials you created a moment ago.
4. Search the catalog for "Neuromancer". You should see the two books you just acquired.

Check Out a Book for a Patron

Now let's pretend we're working the circ desk and helping a patron to check out one of our two book.

1. Click "Log Out" in the upper right corner.
2. Go back to the staff interface at http://127.0.1.1:8080.
3. Log in with the Koha Administrator's username and password. (In a production system you wouldn't log in as the primary Koha administrator; each person working the circ desk would have his or her own login.)
4. In the upper right corner, next to "NO_LIBRARY_SET", click "Set" and choose Centerville.
5. In the field at the top enter the patron's card number (1234567890) or a partial name.
6. At the "Enter item barcode" field enter the barcode number of one of your books, for example, 23456.
7. Specify a due date. Koha requires fully padded dates, i.e., "07/07/2009" rather than "7/7/2009".
8. Click the "Check Out" button.

Check In and Review Circ History

Now let's just revel in the fact that it all worked by looking at the patron's record.

1. Click the Patrons link at the top of the page.
2. Search for the patron by name or card number.
3. In the table listing matching patrons, click the name of the one you want.
4. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and notice that the patron does indeed have Neuromancer checked out.

Finally we can check in the book.

1. Click "Circulation" at the top of the page.
2. Click "Check In" and check in item 23456.

Extra credit:

1. Click "Patrons" at the top of the page.
2. Select your patron.
3. Click the "Circulation History" tab at the left of the screen.
4. Bask in the glow of Koha's awesomeness.
5. Bask in the glow of your own awesomeness, too.

Optional: MARC Import

Koha includes scripts to let you import MARC-formatted data from another system. You can import a file in ISO 2709 format like this:

cd /usr/share/koha/bin/migration_tools
./bulkmarcimport.pl -file /pathtoISO2709file/filename

If you want to see help about the import script:

./bulkmarcimport.pl �h

If you'd prefer a web-based interface rather than the command line you can find this feature on the Koha Staff site (http://localhost:8080): click the "More" button at the top of the screen then go to Tools > Stage MARC Records for Import.

Questions? Corrections? Kudos?
Please post a comment!

Installing Koha 3.0 on Ubuntu 8.10 by Andy Giesler is licensed
under a Creative CommonsAttribution-Noncommercial 3.0United States License.