Common issues

Catalog search

Often the search APIs provided by ILS vendors do not use the same algorithms as your Discovery products or Web OPAC. Libraries should not expect the same relevancy of returned content because of this, based on their ILS vendor.

Certain filters are not limiting properly or return no results

• Log into your Capira Dashboard and navigate to the Search Filters page. Ensure that the value entered for the filter is correct based on your ILS API. If you are unsure about this value, you will need to contact your ILS vendor or administrator. Some filter types are not supported by some ILS products. For example, Innovative Sierra users are not able to limit by Audience or Collection.

An item is not appearing in search, even though we own it

• Ensure the item is not suppressed in your ILS.
• If the item appears in the web OPAC but not in the app, please contact OCLC Support with information including the search query used, any filters selected and the expected result. 

All searches are failing and not returning results

• It is possible the connection to your ILS is down, or your ILS API service is unavailable for some reason. Please contact OCLC Support with information, and provide barcode and pin/password for testing. This is used by Support to help determine the root cause of the issue.

Certain metadata is not appearing on search results

• Often the search APIs provided by ILS vendors do not provide all the same information you would see on your Discovery layer or Web OPAC. Libraries should not expect the level of detail on search results because of this.
• Log into the Capira Dashboard and navigate to the Search Metadata Fields page. Make sure any fields you want to be displayed are turned on. If your ILS API provides this information, they should appear.

Item requests

If patrons are unable to request items via the mobile app, you'll want to determine if it is a widespread issue or not. If item request does not work for one person, it is likely there is something specific to their record in the ILS that is causing the problem. If item request doesn't work for a specific item, it may be loan rule related. If this issue affects a single patron, please try to provide their barcode and pin/password along with the Item Title / Bibliographic Record Number so we may troubleshoot the error coming from your ILS.

Multiple patrons cannot place holds on any items

• It is possible the connection to your ILS is down, or your ILS API service is unavailable for some reason. Please contact OCLC Support with information, and provide barcode and pin/password for testing. This is used by Support to help determine the root cause of the issue.

Multiple patrons cannot place holds at a specific branch

• Log into your Capira Dashboard and navigate to the Pickup Locations page. Ensure the value entered for the pickup location is correct based on your ILS API. If you are unsure about this value, you will need to contact your ILS vendor or administrator.

Multiple patrons cannot place a hold on a specific item

• If multiple patrons cannot reserve a specific item via the app, first confirm the item can be loaned based on your configured ILS loan rules and patron account. If a patron can reserve this item in the Web PAC but not in the mobile application, you'll need to provide us with the Item Title / Bibliographic Record ID to troubleshoot the specific error returned from your ILS.

A patron cannot place holds on any items

• Ensure the patron does not have any issues with their account such as manual blocks, an expired card, overdue fines, or any other condition that would cause them to be unable to request items.
• Rarely an account may become desynchronized from the app and ILS API. If the patron account is in good standing and the item is requestable by them, please ask the patron to remove their account from the device and re-add it under the My Account menu. This process will force a resynchronization.
• If the patron is still unable to place a hold on items, please contact OCLC Support and include the patron barcode + pin/password, along with the Item Title / Bibliographic Record ID so we can troubleshoot the error message from your ILS.

Patron authentication

If patrons are unable to authenticate via the mobile app, you'll want to determine if it is a widespread issue or not. If authentication does not work for one person, it is likely there is something specific to their record in the ILS that is causing the problem, or they are entering an invalid password/pin. If this issue affects a single patron, please try to provide their barcode and pin/password so we may troubleshoot the error coming from your ILS.

Multiple patrons cannot Authenticate

• It is possible the connection to your ILS is down, or your ILS API service is unavailable for some reason. Please contact OCLC Support with information, and provide barcode and pin/password for testing. This is used by Support to help determine the root cause of the issue.

Multiple patrons cannot authenticate

• Verify their information is correct. Often patrons having this issue enter an incorrect password or PIN number. You'll want to confirm they can log into the Web OPAC with the credentials they are trying to use.
• If the patron has spaces in their barcode (ex: 2 06820 00483 2884), you may need to remove the spaces from the record in the ILS. Some ILS APIs do not work well with barcodes formatted this way.

Patron account management

If patrons are unable to view or manage their library account via the mobile app, you'll want to determine if it is a widespread issue or not. If this issue affects a single patron, please try to provide their barcode and pin/password so we may troubleshoot the error coming from your ILS.

Multiple patrons cannot view checkouts, holds or other fields

• It is possible the connection to your ILS is down, or your ILS API service is unavailable for some reason. Please contact OCLC Support with information, and provide barcode and pin/password for testing. This is used by Support to help determine the root cause of the issue.

One patron cannot view checkouts, holds or other fields

• Rarely an account may become desynchronized from the app and ILS API. Please ask the patron to remove their account from the device and re-add it under the My Account menu. This process will force a resynchronization.
• If the patron is still unable to view account related information, please contact OCLC Support and include the patron barcode and pin/password, along with the Item Title / Bibliographic Record ID so we can troubleshoot the error message from your ILS.

One patron cannot view reading history

• Often this information is not available via your ILS API if the patron has not enabled reading history in the Web OPAC. Ensure the patron has done this previously.
• If the patron is still unable to view reading history in the app but can view it on the OPAC, please contact {{support}} with information, and provide barcode + pin/password for testing. This is used by Support to help determine the root cause of the issue.

Mobile checkout

If patrons are unable to authenticate via the mobile app, you'll want to determine if it is a widespread issue or not. If authentication does not work for one person, it is likely there is something specific to their record in the ILS that is causing the problem, or they are entering an invalid password/pin. If this issue affects a single patron, please try to provide their barcode and pin/password so we may troubleshoot the error coming from your ILS.

Multiple patrons cannot checkout items

• Ensure the loan rules configured by your ILS allow patrons to check out the items. This is often the main issue.
• It is possible the connection to your ILS is down, or your ILS API service is unavailable for some reason. Please contact {{support}} with information, and provide barcode + pin/password for testing. This is used by Support to help determine the root cause of the issue.

Multiple patrons cannot place holds at a specific branch

• Ensure the loan rules configured by your ILS allow patrons to check out this item.
• Ensure the item is not checked out currently to another patrons. Items which are checked out to a patron cannot be checked out by another patron through the mobile app.
• Ensure the patron account is in good standing and allowed to check the item out. Patrons who are expired, blocked, or owe excessive fines may be blocked from checking items out through your ILS.
• Rarely an account may become desynchronized from the app and ILS. Please ask the patron to remove their account from the device and re-add it under the My Account menu. This process will force a resynchronization.
• If the patron is still unable to checkout items, please contact OCLC Support and include the patron barcode + pin/password, along with the Item Barcode so we can troubleshoot the error message from your ILS.

Multiple Patrons cannot place a hold on a specific item

• Log into your Capira Dashboard and navigate to the Mobile Checkout page. Ensure the proper item barcode format type is enabled for scanning. If disabled, the device will not attempt to read it.
• Check ambient lighting. The patrons device may be unable to read the barcode through the camera if ambient lighting is poor, or the barcode is obscured for any reason.
• Cameras on devices vary in power and resolution. Older devices may have a camera which does not have the appropriate scanning power or resolution to read barcodes off an item. Newer devices manufactured since 2018 are less likely to have this problem. If other patrons and devices can scan the item barcode without issue, it is likely a problem with the patron device and OCLC is not able to troubleshoot this further.

Card wallet/Digital card scanning

If you are unable to scan an patron library card off their mobile device, it usually is a problem with the scanner. Due to the different manufacturers and models of scanners available, OCLC can provide limited support for this issue.

• Ensure you have a CCD/2D scanner. Infrared scanners are unable to read/scan barcodes off a patron device.
• Ensure the brightness on the patron device is set to maximum when displaying the library card in app. The app is programmed to automatically max out brightness on this screen, however patrons can choose to override and change that.
• Ensure your scanner is configured to read the specific format of the Digital Card being generated. You may need to consult your scanner manufacturer documentation to change or verify the scanning settings.
• Change the type generated by logging into the Capira Dashboard and navigating to Account Options. The default format is CODABAR but some libraries find better success with CODE39.