Monday Minutes: Password Changes by Patron Category

by Jessie Zairo on Nov 18, 2019

In the 19.05 release of Koha, bug [10796] Allow password changes for logged in OPAC users by patron category was introduced. This allows libraries to specify which patrons are allowed to change their password when logged into the OPAC, per patron category.

Often a library that uses authentication for their patrons, like LDAP or Active Directory, still have a few categories that do not use authentication and just require local login. For example, an academic library may use single sign on for their students and faculty, but community members may just need local login.

This feature will allow libraries to present a better user experience for password management to all of their patrons, no matter how they are authenticated.

System Preference

The first thing you will want to do is check your system preference for OpacPasswordChange.

1. Go to Administration --> Global System Preferences
2. Search for OpacPasswordChange
3. You have 2 options
   1. Allow patrons to change their own password on the OPAC. Note that this must be off to use LDAP authentication.
   2. Don't Allow patrons to change their own password on the OPAC. Note that this must be off to use LDAP authentication.

Choose one and save.

Patron Categories

Next you will want to update your patron categories that you want to allow or not allow to log in to the OPAC.

1. Go to Administration --> Patrons and circulation --> Patron Categories
2. Select the category you want to update / change
3. Under actions click edit
4. Scroll down and you will see an new option for Password change in OPAC:
5. You will have 3 options
   1. Follow the system preference for OPACPasswordChange. (Either allow or don't) it will just follow the system preference.
   2. Allowed - this specific patron category can change their password even if the system preference is set don't allow.
   3. Not allowed - this specific patron category can not change their password even if the system preference is set to allow.

Click Save.

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