Koha 3.2.0 alpha 2 released

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I am pleased to announce release of the second and final alpha of Koha
3.2.0.  The package can be retrieved from

http://download.koha-community.org/koha-3.02.00-alpha2.tar.gz

Checksums and signatures are also available:

http://download.koha-community.org/koha-3.02.00-alpha2.tar.gz.MD5
http://download.koha-community.org/koha-3.02.00-alpha2.tar.gz.MD5.asc
http://download.koha-community.org/koha-3.02.00-alpha2.tar.gz.sig

I will be mirroring these on Savannah shortly.

The next two milestones for release are beta and general release.  At
this point, I am declaring a soft string freeze; template changes
other than those to fix typos and structural problems will be deferred
to 3.4.

*Preliminary* and *draft* release notes for Koha 3.2 after the jump:

RELEASE NOTES FOR KOHA 3.2.0
========================================================================

New features
==================

 ACQUISITIONS
   * the acquisitions module has been significantly revamped:
     * support for hierarchical funds and budgets
     * budget planning by calendar and item type
     * vendor contract periods

 ADMINISTRATION
   * significant usability enhancements to the system preferences
     editor
   * many additional granular permissions

 CATALOGING
   * bulk item editing
   * revamped inventory/stocktaking
   * ability to export bibliographic information in CSV format
     from the staff cart
   * new quick spine lable print button
   * support for temporary location and in-process item statuses
   * usability enhancements to cataloging workflow:
     * can now choose whether to edit items
       after saving a bib record
     * option to move an item from one bib to another
     * option to delete all items attached to a bib
     * ability to clone an item

 CIRCULATION
   * ability to define library transfer limits
   * email checkout slips
   * option to enable alert sounds during checkin and checkout
   * improvements in Koha's ability to express circulation policies
     * option to charge fines using suspension days instead of money
     * hold policies are now on the branch/itemtype/categorycode level
   * renewal policies are now on the branch/itemtype/categorycode level
   * ability to specify an expiration date for a hold request
     when placing it via the staff interface or OPAC
   * daily batch job to cancel expired holds
   * improvements to interface to change the priority of hold
     requests for a bib in the staff interface
   * new messaging system for patron records, allowing an unlimited
     number of patron notes to be stored and managed

 OPAC
   * additional patron privacy options
   * numerious enhancements to the bib display XML templates
   * per-patron OPAC search history, with ability for patrons
     to manage the retention of their search history
   * support for Syndetics, LibraryThing, and Babeltheque enhanced
     content
   * support for RIS and BibTeX export

 REPORTS
   * guided reports can now take runtime parameters

 SERIALS
   * can now specify the subscription end date, library location,
     and grace periods
   * option to automatically place hold requests for members of a
     serials routing list
   * numerous bugfixes

 STAFF INTERFACE
   * the cart has been added to the staff interface
   * enhanced patron card and item label creator
   * support for XSLT templates in the staff bib details display

 WEB SERVICES AND INTERFACE
   * integration with SOPAC, including support for various
     web services defined by the ILS-DI recommendation
   * support for CAS single sign-on
   * improvements to OAI-PMH support

Documentation
==================
As of Koha 3.2, the Koha manual is now maintained in DocBook.

Credits
==================
We thank the following libraries who are known to have sponsored
new features in Koha 3.2:

 * Aix-Marseille Universities, France
 * BrailleNet (http://www.braillenet.org/)
 * BULAC, France (www.bulac.fr)
 * East Brunswick Public Library, East Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
 * Foundations Bible College & Seminary, Dunn, North Carolina, USA
 * Hochschule für Jüdische Studien, Heidelberg, Germany (www.hfjs.eu)
   - XSLT changes to display 880 fields
 * Howard County Library, Maryland, USA (http://www.hclibrary.org/)
 * MassCat, Massachussetts, USA
 * Middletown Township Public Library, Middletown, New Jersey, USA
 * Northeast Kansas Library System, Kansas, USA
 * Plano Independent School District, Plano, Texas, USA
 * SAN Ouest Provence, France
 * vokal (Vermont Association of Koha Automated Libraries),
   Vermont, USA
 * www.digital-loom.com