Circulation Meeting 9/11/14

• Sirsi has been chosen as the best option for WLS. Upgrades are in the works but have not been scheduled yet. There is extra money left for further development and there will be training and review for everyone. The public catalogue is also in the process of being improved.

• Every director has been sent a login for the SirsiDynix support center. Online training and instructional videos can be found there.

• Reminder of online help for Sirsi (Help menu and click “context” for information relevant to the wizard in use)

• Reminder about cash management wizard. Finished reports open in excel spreadsheets

• Now patrons will be required to put in an end date when suspending a hold to prevent holds from lingering on accounts. The end date cannot be after the 1 year expiration date. Lingering holds are in the process of being cleaned up.

• Issues with patrons keeping items and being given multiple renewals

• Harrison is closed for renovations and Melanie is in the process of hiding their items. Copy specific holds will not be possible on their items. Any calls going to HAR will be forwarded to West Harrison.

• Items that are in transit for 2 weeks will be marked missing automatically but status will change if found and checked in. Items still marked missing after 1 year will be removed.

• Email notifications will now be sent to patrons when their account is about to expire. Email notifications can also be sent to patrons for holds awaiting pick up before they expire but library must contact WLS to opt in

• Some libraries charge patrons for picking up holds or for neglecting to pick up holds

• Patrons are not required to go to home library to renew their account

• WHI does not mail library cards

• There can be issues with finding the proper home library for someone to get their card. The WLS website has an interactive map to help find the proper home library for a patron, although not always accurate. Another website that may also be helpful for this purpose is American Factfinder.

• A temp card can be given to someone who cannot prove their residence right away. Checkouts should be limited as well. A guest pass can be given to a non-patron only in need of computer access.

• Some libraries have an online application process for obtaining a library card

• There will be a system update soon. The clean holds list will no longer have duplicate items and there will only be one list per library per day. The report station is also being improved

• If unable to find an item on the holds shelf for someone you should be able to see what it was under the “display patron holds” wizard and change the drop down menu to “inactive”

• South Salem is undergoing construction projected through April 2015

• Some libraries request the date of birth of patrons to have on their account and it can be helpful in confirming identity or knowing community statistics

• Can disable the beep on the scanners. This can be helpful in getting clerks to check the screen to make sure an item registered. If the computer volume is on you will hear the scanner beep and an extra noise whenever there is an item accompanied with a pop up.

• Do not hold an item with a problem belonging to another library for more than 1 month. Pass it along to the home library with appropriate notes attached.

• There are issues with items not being checked thoroughly. Items should not be sent to fill holds if there are missing pieces.

• When putting items into transit AV items should get rubber bands, single discs should be put in cases and magazines should be put in envelopes

• Some issues with items being released before the street date