Reservations Configuration

The Reservations module allows users to place a hold on items currently loaned to other patrons. When the item is returned, the system alerts the staff and notifies the requesting user.

Although functional logic resides in a specific source folder (/reserve), it is fully integrated into the Circulation policies.

1. Prerequisites

Before offering reservations, ensure:

1. Database: The reserve database exists in your bases folder.
2. Integration: The path to this database is correctly set in dr_path.def or the central configuration.
3. Items: Users can generally only reserve items that are currently checked out.

2. Enabling in Loan Policy

Permission to reserve is not global; it is granted via the Policy Matrix.

1. Go to Circulation > Parameters > Configure local/Policies.
2. For each User Type (e.g., Student) and Item Type (e.g., Book), locate the Reservations column.
3. Set the value to the maximum number of allowed pending holds (e.g., 3).
   • Set to 0 to disable reservations for that category.

3. Email Notification Setup (Critical)

The workflow depends on notifying the user when their book is ready. This uses the correo.ini configuration found in the reserve directory.

Configuration File: bases/reserve/pfts/en/correo.ini (or your language folder).

You must define the PFT formats for the emails:

• apartado: Subject line for the email.
• fin_apartado: Body of the email confirming the reservation was placed.
• disponible: Body of the email sent when the book is returned and ready for pickup.

:::warning SMTP Server Ensure your ABCD installation has a working SMTP configuration (configured in Central Settings) so these scripts can send messages. :::

4. Public Access (OPAC)

To allow users to place holds themselves:

1. Edit your OPAC Configuration (opac.def).
2. Ensure allow_user_login=Y.
3. Ensure the reserve parameter is enabled.
4. Users will see a Reserve button next to unavailable items in the search results.