Item types information pack
This document contains all material we have created to learn more about item types:
How to Create a New Item Type
How to set a bibliographic level item type
How to group item types using parent item types
How to set circulation rules for parent item types
How to Create a New Item Type
Item types are categories applied to every item on your system. They are important because they are used within the fine and circulation rules to determine which items can be taken out by which patrons and for how long. They also be used to determine global functions on individual items, for example, if an item can be loaned out. This document will outline how to navigate to the item types table to view existing item types on your system and how to add new items type.
Please note, saving an item without an item type can result in serious errors on your system. For more details, please contact us directly or check our Help Centre.
Navigate to the item types table
Go to Koha administration > Basic parameters > Item types
This will take you to a new page with a table of item types already on your system.
Fields in the New Item Type Form
Click on +New Item Type
This will take you to a new page with a form to fill out the specifics of the item type being created.
Item type
You will need to add a code for the item type in keeping with the codes already on the system. E.g. If the coding convention for other item types is BG_FIC, the new item type should start BG_XXX, the XXX being a code to help identify the nature of the items to be associated with it. Please note it is not possible to edit this code after it has been set.
Parent item type
This field allows staff to group multiple item types together under the heading of another item type. This can be used to flag items with similarities as related to each other and define more granular circulation rules.
For more information on parent item types, please contact us directly or check our Help Centre.Description
You will also need to add a description e.g Fiction, Non-Fiction, Reference. This is the human readable version of the code and should identify the nature of the items associated with it.
Search category
If defined, this will allow you to search for items of this type by specific categories you determine in ITEMTYPECAT authorized values.
For more details on authorised values, please contact us directly or check our Help Centre.
Icon
An option where you can set a picture to accompany items with this item type.
Hide in OPAC
If ticked items with this item type will not appear in the OPAC.
Not for loan
Sets an overall rule that prevents these items from being checked out that will override any fines and circulation rules.
Automatic check-in
Ticking this option will cause any item under this item type to be checked in by default when it reaches the due date, without the need to manually check the item in through the staff or OPAC interface. This is frequently used for digital records.
Please note, this requires additional setup which needs to be requested from Interleaf Technology. To request the setup to be completed, please contact us directly.
Bookable
Ticking this option will allow any items under this item type to be reserved in advance. This is different than the holds feature, as the bookable feature defined a solid, specific time from that the items will be reserved for.
Rental charge
This function creates a flat, one time fee for items that have been rented out.
Daily rental charge
This function allows the library to set a fee for every day an item with the specific item type is rented out for.
Daily rentals use calendar
Ticking this will cause the rental charge to be applied based on open and closed days set in the internal calendar. With no tick, the rental charge will follow the checkout days.
Hourly rental charge
This function allows the library to set a fee for every hour an item with the specific item type is rented out for.
Hourly rental use calendar
Ticking this will cause the rental charge to be applied based on open and closed days set in the internal calendar. With no tick, the rental charge will follow the checkout days.
Default replacement cost
Optional price that will be charged to the patron should they lose an item of this type and there is no price on the item record.
Processing fee
Optional price charged to the patron should they lose an item. This is intended to cover the labour involved in ordering a replacement item and is separate to the replacement price.
Checkin message
Optional free text box to set a message to be displayed whenever an item of this type is checked in.
Checkin message type
Option to set the free text message as a message or alert. Messages have a blue background and alerts have a yellow background.
SIP media type
Only used for SIP-specific media type.
Library limitation
This provides the option to restrict the use of the item type to a specific branch or a specific set of branches. Any library not specified in the group will not be presented with the item type as an option when creating or editing items. If this option is kept blank then there will be no limitation to the item type.
Summary
This is an obsolete function.
Once you are happy with the selection, hit Save changes and the new item type will then appear in the item type table.
| Version | Date | Details | Author |
| 1.0 | 30/03/2020 | Document created | Holly Cooper |
| 2.0 | 26/05/2020 | Transferred to Zoho | Holly Cooper |
| 2.1 | 31/12/20 | Adding TOC and clarifying language | Holly Cooper |
| 2.1 | 12/06/26 | Updating for newer version of Koha | Holly Cooper |
How to set a bibliographic level item type
This document will outline how to set Koha to use bibliographic level item types rather than item level items types for circulation. It is possible to provide item level items types on individual item records while at the same time use an overall item type recorded at the bibliographic record level, which is what will be used by the fine and circulation rules to determine what item can be checked out by which patron and for how long.
For more information about item types, please check our Help Centre.
How to set the system preference
Go to Koha administration > Global System Preferences and search for item-level-itypes.
This will bring up several system preferences containing the same phrase. The system preference for this specific function is called item-level-itypes exactly.
To set this so that a master item type is defined at the bibliographic level, set this system preference to Use the item type of the bibliographic record as the authoritative item type (for determining circulation and fines rules, for displaying an item type icon on either opac detail or results page, etc) and click Save all Cataloging preferences.
After the change to the system preference, the item type column will be hidden from the holdings table on the bibliographic record.
Before editing the system preference:
After editing the system preference:
It will still be possible to view the item types on the individual item records when editing the items.
Even if individual items have item types on them, the fine and circulation rules will only take account of the item type at the bibliographic level.
Setting the bibliographic item type
To view or set the bibliographic level item type, go into edit the bibliographic record and locate the 942$c subfield.
Where the subfield will appear on the workform will depend on how the individual framework is set up, however, a rule of thumb is to check under the numbered tab that matches the first number of the field being looked for. In this case, that would be tab 9 for 942.
For more information on frameworks please check our Help Centre.
If the 942$c field is not appearing on the record to be edited, please contact Interleaf Technology directly.
The 942$c field should contain a dropdown menu of the different item types set up on your site.
If this is not appearing and the field is a blank box where item types can be typed in, please contact Interleaf Technology.
Any item records created for the bibliographic record will have a default item type the same as the content in the 942$c field in the bibliographic record.
| Version | Date | Detail | Author |
| 1.0 | 07/03/22 | Doc. Created | Holly Cooper |
| 1.2 | 15/03/22 | Doc. Created | Holly Cooper |
| 1.3 | 08/07/26 | Updating for newer version of Koha | Holly Cooper |
How to group item types using parent item types
Item types are used by the fine and circulation rules to determine how many items can be checked out and by which patrons. It is possible to link item types to each other by assigning a parent item type which allows libraries greater control over limiting how many items of a particular type can be checked out. This document will outline how to apply a parent item type to an item type.
Identify the item type to be set as a parent item type
Go Koha administration > Basic parameters > Item types to open the item types table.
First, locate the item type to be set as a parent item type. If an appropriate parent item type does not exist, create a new item type for this purpose.
For information on how to create a new item type, please check our Help Centre or contact us directly.In this example, the appropriate the item type to be set as the parent item type will be Book.
Take note the name of the item type to be used as the parent item type in the Description column on the table.
Select item type(s) to apply the parent item to.
Once the parent item type has been applied, identify the item type to be linked to the parent item type and go to Edit in the Actions column on the item type the parent item type will be added to.
This will bring you into the details of the specific item type. At the top of the page there will be a line called Parent item type, with a box to the right hand side.
Click on the box to the right hand side and a dropdown menu of the other item types will appear.
Identify the item type to be set as a parent item type and click on it. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page and you will be brought back to the item type table with a message confirming the item was changed.
The item type will now have the code for the parent item type in the Parent code column.
| Version | Date | Detail | Author |
| 1.0 | 09/04/21 | Document created | Holly Cooper |
| 1.2 | 16/04/21 | Clarifying language | Holly Cooper |
| 1.3 | 09/07/26 | Updating for newer version of Koha | Holly Cooper |
How to set circulation rules for parent item types
Item types are used by the fine and circulation rules to determine how many items can be checked out and by which patrons. It is possible to link item types to each other by assigning a parent item type which allows libraries greater control over limiting how many items of a particular type can be checked out. This document will outline how to set fine and circulation rules for parent item types.
Please check our Help Centre for details about item types in general or applying parent item types.
How to set circulation rules for parent item types
To view the circulation rules go to Koha administration > Patrons and circulation > Circulation and fines rules
Please note that this will open the page of standard rules for the library. These are the fallback rules used when there are no appropriate, specific rules set for individual branches. If you have questions about the format of rules on your site, please contact Interleaf Technology.
To add a rule go to the last line on the table, which will have two dropdown menus in the first two columns. The second column is the Item type column, where the item type the rule is for can be selected. The item types will appear alphabetically, with children item types appearing below the overall parent item types.
The parent item type will appear in bold as a header which cannot be selected. Directly below the bold heading the same parent item type will appear with the word (All) to the right hand side. The entry in the format of Parent Item Type (All) can be selected to set a rule to apply to the parent item type and all other item types associated with it. In this example, the Book (All), should be taken to mean any item with an item type of Book and any items with children item types of Book. The children of the parent item type will appear next on the indented list. In this case Book - Book Scheme and Book - Book with CD Rom and Book - New Print Edition.
If Books (All) is selected then the created rule will apply to any items marked with the item types of Book - Book Scheme and Book - Book with CD Rom and Book - New Print Edition.
What to know about fine and circulation rules set for parent and children item types
1. It is possible to set overall fine and circulation rules that define how many items with the parent item type can be taken out and by who and then add other rules for the children of the parent item type. This means that staff members can set an overall number of checkouts allowed and then limit children item types to fewer checkouts than the overall rule.
2. If there is one rule for the parent item type and a different rule for one of the children items, the number of checkouts allowed will be determined by whichever number is smaller.
Scenario 1 - There is a rule for the parent item type but no individual rules for the children item types
Result: The parent and children item types will share the same rule.
For example, if the fine and circulation rules are set to allow 5 checkouts for Book (All) and no other rules for item types under that parent item type are set, then only 5 checkouts will be allowed for any combination of the parent and children item types. If 5 Book items have been checked out, no more Book or any of the associated children item types can be issued. If there a 3 Book and 2 Book Scheme item types checked out, then no more Book or any of the associated children item types can be issued.
It will not be possible to checkout 5 Visual Materials items and then 5 separate Visual - Audio and 5 separate Visual - Audio Equipment.
Scenario 2 - There is a rule for the parent item type and a separate rule for one or more of the children item types
Result: The child item type will only be allowed the number of checkouts defined in the rule specific to it, unless the specific rule allows more checkouts than defined in the parent item type. In that case, the child item type will be allowed to checkout the amount defined in the parent item type rule and no more. If the specific rule allows fewer checkouts than defined in the parent item type rule, then the amount of checkouts the child item type will be allowed will follow the specific rule.
For example, if there is a limit to 5 checkouts for Visual Materials (All) and another rule allowing 3 checkouts for the item type Visual - Audio, it will be possible to checkout a maximum of 3 Visual - Audio item types, but then it will only be possible to checkout 2 of Visual Materials or any other item type that has Visual Materials as a parent.
| Version | Date | Detail | Author |
| 1.0 | 16/04/21 | Doc. Created | Holly Cooper |
| 1.1 | 31/12/25 | Adding details | Holly Cooper |
| Version | Date | Details | Author |
| 1.0 | 09/07/26 | Document created | Holly Cooper |
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