In library management, there are instances where librarians need to set specific messages for certain patrons in Koha. While manually updating messages by accessing each patron's profile is possible, it becomes impractical when dealing with a large number of users. A more efficient approach is to use SQL queries to update messages in bulk.
Real-World Use Case
At our library, we wanted to ensure that all students had submitted their dissertations before they could leave the institution. To track this, we set a message in the profiles of students who had not yet submitted their dissertation.
This system helps in two keyways:
When a student applies for their No-Due Certificate, staff can see if their dissertation submission is still pending. It ensures that no student can bypass this requirement without proper verification.
Bulk Updating Patron Messages in Koha
Instead of updating each profile manually, we used the following SQL query:
Steps to Execute the Query
Access the MySQL Database
Run the following command to log in to the Koha database:
sudo su
sudo mysql -uroot -pmysqlrootpassword
USE koha_library;
Execute the Bulk Update Query
UPDATE messages
SET message = 'E-copy of Dissertation with Similarity Index Certificate not submitted'
WHERE borrowernumber IN (
SELECT borrowernumber FROM borrowers WHERE cardnumber IN ('22UBBA4756', '22UBBA4757', '22UBBA4758')
);
How This Works
1. Identifying the Patrons
- The subquery fetches the borrowernumber from the borrowers table based on the cardnumber of students who have not submitted their dissertation.
2. Updating Messages in Bulk
- The UPDATE statement modifies the messages table, setting a custom notification in the selected patrons' profiles.
- This message will be visible whenever library staff access their records, ensuring the submission status is checked before issuing clearance.
