diff --git a/Koha/Booking.pm b/Koha/Booking.pm
index 3f83fe25c4..4e62da2a73 100644
--- a/Koha/Booking.pm
+++ b/Koha/Booking.pm
@@ -39,6 +39,22 @@ Koha::Booking - Koha Booking object class
 
 =head2 Class methods
 
+=head3 set_itemtype_filter
+
+    $booking->set_itemtype_filter($itemtype_id);
+
+Sets a transient itemtype filter for item selection. This is used when
+creating "any item" bookings to filter items by type before optimal selection.
+This value is not persisted to the database.
+
+=cut
+
+sub set_itemtype_filter {
+    my ( $self, $itemtype_id ) = @_;
+    $self->{_itemtype_filter} = $itemtype_id;
+    return $self;
+}
+
 =head3 biblio
 
 Returns the related Koha::Biblio object for this booking
@@ -261,17 +277,28 @@ sub _assign_item_for_booking {
     my $checkouts =
         $biblio->current_checkouts->search( { date_due => { '>=' => $dtf->format_datetime($start_date) } } );
 
-    my $bookable_items = $biblio->bookable_items->search(
-        {
-            itemnumber => [
-                '-and' => { '-not_in' => $existing_bookings->_resultset->get_column('item_id')->as_query },
-                { '-not_in' => $checkouts->_resultset->get_column('itemnumber')->as_query }
-            ]
-        },
-        { order_by => \'RAND()', rows => 1 }
-    );
+    # Build search conditions for bookable items
+    my $item_search_conditions = {
+        itemnumber => [
+            '-and' => { '-not_in' => $existing_bookings->_resultset->get_column('item_id')->as_query },
+            { '-not_in' => $checkouts->_resultset->get_column('itemnumber')->as_query }
+        ]
+    };
 
-    my $itemnumber = $bookable_items->single->itemnumber;
+    # Filter by itemtype if specified (for "any item" bookings)
+    if ( $self->{_itemtype_filter} ) {
+        $item_search_conditions->{itype} = $self->{_itemtype_filter};
+    }
+
+    my $bookable_items = $biblio->bookable_items->search($item_search_conditions);
+
+    # Use optimal selection instead of random selection
+    my $optimal_item = $self->_select_optimal_item($bookable_items);
+
+    Koha::Exceptions::Booking::Clash->throw("No available items found for booking")
+        unless $optimal_item;
+
+    my $itemnumber = $optimal_item->itemnumber;
     return $self->item_id($itemnumber);
 }
 
@@ -309,6 +336,89 @@ sub to_api_mapping {
 
 =head2 Internal methods
 
+=head3 _select_optimal_item
+
+    my $item_id = $self->_select_optimal_item($available_items);
+
+Selects the optimal item from a set of available items by choosing the item
+with the longest future availability after the booking ends.
+
+This maximizes future booking opportunities by preserving items with shorter
+future availability for bookings that specifically need them.
+
+=cut
+
+sub _select_optimal_item {
+    my ( $self, $available_items ) = @_;
+
+    return unless $available_items && $available_items->count > 0;
+
+    # If only one item available, return it immediately
+    return $available_items->next if $available_items->count == 1;
+
+    my $check_date = dt_from_string( $self->end_date )->add( days => 1 );
+    my $dtf        = Koha::Database->new->schema->storage->datetime_parser;
+
+    # Get item IDs from the available items
+    my @item_ids = map { $_->itemnumber } $available_items->as_list;
+
+    # Find the item with the latest (furthest in future) next booking start date
+    # Items with no future bookings will have NULL and sort first (most desirable)
+    my $search_conditions = {
+        item_id    => { '-in'     => \@item_ids },
+        start_date => { '>='      => $dtf->format_datetime($check_date) },
+        status     => { '-not_in' => [ 'cancelled', 'completed' ] }
+    };
+
+    # Exclude current booking if we're editing
+    if ( $self->in_storage ) {
+        $search_conditions->{booking_id} = { '!=' => $self->booking_id };
+    }
+
+    # Query to find the earliest future booking for each item
+    my $rs = Koha::Bookings->search(
+        $search_conditions,
+        {
+            select   => [ 'item_id', { min => 'start_date', -as => 'next_booking_start' } ],
+            as       => [ 'item_id', 'next_booking_start' ],
+            group_by => ['item_id'],
+        }
+    );
+
+    # Get items that have future bookings, sorted by next booking date (desc = later is better)
+    my %next_booking_by_item;
+    while ( my $row = $rs->next ) {
+        $next_booking_by_item{ $row->get_column('item_id') } = $row->get_column('next_booking_start');
+    }
+
+    # Find the best item: items without future bookings first, then by latest next booking
+    my $best_item_id;
+    my $latest_next_booking;
+
+    foreach my $item_id (@item_ids) {
+        my $next_booking = $next_booking_by_item{$item_id};
+
+        # Items with no future bookings are best (infinite availability)
+        if ( !defined $next_booking ) {
+            $best_item_id = $item_id;
+            last;
+        }
+
+        # Otherwise, prefer items with later (further in future) next bookings
+        if ( !defined $latest_next_booking || $next_booking gt $latest_next_booking ) {
+            $latest_next_booking = $next_booking;
+            $best_item_id        = $item_id;
+        }
+    }
+
+    # Return the optimal item
+    return Koha::Items->find($best_item_id) if $best_item_id;
+
+    # Fallback: shouldn't reach here, but return first available item
+    $available_items->reset;
+    return $available_items->next;
+}
+
 =head3 _send_notice
 
     $self->_send_notice();
diff --git a/Koha/REST/V1/Bookings.pm b/Koha/REST/V1/Bookings.pm
index 52b8e72475..6807ebb65d 100644
--- a/Koha/REST/V1/Bookings.pm
+++ b/Koha/REST/V1/Bookings.pm
@@ -75,7 +75,36 @@ sub add {
     my $c = shift->openapi->valid_input or return;
 
     return try {
-        my $booking = Koha::Booking->new_from_api( $c->req->json );
+        my $body = $c->req->json;
+
+        # Validate that exactly one of item_id or itemtype_id is provided
+        my $has_item_id     = defined $body->{item_id};
+        my $has_itemtype_id = defined $body->{itemtype_id};
+
+        if ( !$has_item_id && !$has_itemtype_id ) {
+            return $c->render(
+                status  => 400,
+                openapi => { error => "Either item_id or itemtype_id must be provided" }
+            );
+        }
+
+        if ( $has_item_id && $has_itemtype_id ) {
+            return $c->render(
+                status  => 400,
+                openapi => { error => "Cannot specify both item_id and itemtype_id" }
+            );
+        }
+
+        # Extract and remove itemtype_id from body (it's not a database column)
+        my $itemtype_id = delete $body->{itemtype_id};
+
+        my $booking = Koha::Booking->new_from_api($body);
+
+        # Set transient itemtype filter if provided (for server-side optimal selection)
+        if ($itemtype_id) {
+            $booking->set_itemtype_filter($itemtype_id);
+        }
+
         $booking->store;
         $booking->discard_changes;
         $c->res->headers->location( $c->req->url->to_string . '/' . $booking->booking_id );
@@ -117,7 +146,18 @@ sub update {
         unless $booking;
 
     return try {
-        $booking->set_from_api( $c->req->json );
+        my $body = $c->req->json;
+
+        # Extract and remove itemtype_id from body (it's not a database column)
+        my $itemtype_id = delete $body->{itemtype_id};
+
+        $booking->set_from_api($body);
+
+        # Set transient itemtype filter if provided (for server-side optimal selection)
+        if ($itemtype_id) {
+            $booking->set_itemtype_filter($itemtype_id);
+        }
+
         $booking->store();
         $booking->discard_changes;
         return $c->render( status => 200, openapi => $c->objects->to_api($booking) );
diff --git a/api/v1/swagger/definitions/booking.yaml b/api/v1/swagger/definitions/booking.yaml
index 0893dfdc24..42f3b0ff8c 100644
--- a/api/v1/swagger/definitions/booking.yaml
+++ b/api/v1/swagger/definitions/booking.yaml
@@ -25,10 +25,15 @@ properties:
     format: date-time
     type: string
   item_id:
-    description: Internal item identifier
+    description: Internal item identifier for specific item bookings
     type:
       - integer
       - 'null'
+  itemtype_id:
+    description: Item type identifier for "any item" bookings. Either item_id or itemtype_id must be provided. This is used for server-side optimal item selection and is not persisted.
+    type:
+      - string
+      - 'null'
   item:
     description: Embedable item representation
     type:
@@ -66,7 +71,6 @@ properties:
       - 'null'
 required:
   - biblio_id
-  - item_id
   - patron_id
   - pickup_library_id
   - start_date
diff --git a/api/v1/swagger/definitions/booking_patch.yaml b/api/v1/swagger/definitions/booking_patch.yaml
index dee20853e8..c1d0fbe00c 100644
--- a/api/v1/swagger/definitions/booking_patch.yaml
+++ b/api/v1/swagger/definitions/booking_patch.yaml
@@ -23,10 +23,15 @@ properties:
     format: date-time
     type: string
   item_id:
-    description: Internal item identifier
+    description: Internal item identifier for specific item bookings
     type:
       - integer
       - 'null'
+  itemtype_id:
+    description: Item type identifier for "any item" bookings. Either item_id or itemtype_id must be provided. This is used for server-side optimal item selection and is not persisted.
+    type:
+      - string
+      - 'null'
   modification_date:
     description: Modification date and time of this booking
     readOnly: true