November 10, 2016
Circulation Committee Meeting Minutes

Melanie:

Reminder: to sign in. The stats are important. Calendars are available for the taking. Mary from WHI brought in extra Blu-ray movies for the taking.

Reminder: if checking out an item that is on HOLD for someone else, press the FIRST BUTTON CHECKOUT & KEEP HOLD button as a general rule. Only if you know for sure that it is to be cancelled (i.e. if item is being picked up for another family member), then you can press the other button CHECK OUT & REMOVE HOLD

Survey question – what additional features would you like to see in circ, in the catalog, in adding items, in acquisitions, reports, in general?

Some responses:
1. Cross reference feature in search and how it does not display as the current title

2. Placing a hold is simplified when searching for the title and opening detailed display first to keep the title active then go to place hold

BTW: keyword search works best for a title. DVD’s and Blu-ray must be catalogued separately and linked individually OR as a combo if it is packaged as a DVD/Blu-ray combo with 2 discs If your item is incorrect in the catalogue, please report it to the HelpDesk.

3. Switching out 2 of the same copies, one as a substitute, vs barcode ID#’s not matching on the HOLD list
Discussion: If there are multiple copies of the same item, and the barcode ID on the ONSHELF ITEMS list doesn’t match, you can press UNFILL HOLD and select the first button TRAP HOLD for SELECTED COPY to fill the hold using the substitute item

4. Would be helpful to email directly from Workflows. to the patron. Currently that feature doesn’t
work. This is a feature that is being addressed at SD

5. Eliminate the need to override for a 2nd renewal if copies are available.

6. Would like the built-in ability to use a cash drawer and Square. For those that want to use a cash
drawer with Symphony, can do so under Preferences>Peripherals>Receipt printer, Check cash
drawer and enter the code from the manual for the scanner.

7. No automatic “in transit” status for a clean hold item and do it only when physically removed from the shelf.

Email your list of suggested requests or changes to Melanie and Allison
Melanie/Angela/Allison:

• 3 day due date email notice can be set up for any library

• White Plains: asked about a mass weeding/discarding how it can be done? Via Global Item Modification or thru DISCARD ALL

• Deleting items with fines and MISSING items (without checking them in) can be done through the DISCARD ALL card.

• If a HOLD has been #1 for a patron for a long time, it needs to be investigated. Contact Melanie with all the details.

• Placing holds for a list of titles vs one at a time…..via “blanket holds”
There was a discussion on how to do these blanket holds without an override.
See the WLS IT Wiki page: choose patron, select “no date”, select copy (vs title), which will be an override and add to list.

• Discussion on emailing receipts in one step, by passing the printer dialogue box, by using tabs, you can “x” out of a tab and go to checkout for the next patron will prevent you from getting a printed receipt.

• Two laptops are available to borrow for special events, i.e. offsite card registrations. Instructions and a form are accessible thru the WLS IT Wiki page. Search Mobile Circ. Or go thru the Help Desk. You will need to go to WLS to pick them up. Also tablets and a phone are available for weeding projects and can be borrowed for up to 1 month. Allison would bring them over and provide instructions. When the VDI project is complete and all library staff sign in using their Active Directory accounts, there will be more options for Workflows access

Library updates:

WHI renovations are still going on, only new books available. Travel books are with the new books.

MON is expanding their Children’s Room. Some books are going into storage. May be another 6 – 7 months

Angela:

• Claims Returned should only be placed by the owning library. Call the owning library and advise of the situation, after following these steps:
1. Check your own shelves first and ask the patron to check again at home, in the car etc.
2. Call the library where the item was said to be returned for them to check their shelves.
3. If there is a good history with your patron, you would then ask the owning library to mark it Claims Returned.

• Again, do not remove notes from other libraries. Always type your initials, library code, and date for your notes. Don’t tell a patron what the notes says.

• Forgive is for when the patron is at fault vs cancel is for when the library is at fault.
WHI: Assistant Director personally evaluates all requests to forgive fines. This definitely helps to keep it down.

Melanie/Allison:

• Online bill pay is working. Questions were brought up about patrons getting a receipt for their payment in case fines were not cleared from their account. There are instructions on the WLS IT Wiki page.

• TEMP card discussion: actually is a TEMP ACCOUNT, when a patron from another library wants to take something out right then and there, only. Fax information to the patron’s home library, which some will mail the card to the patron. One account per person, no additional family members. Cards are not issued. Some libraries have a stack of old cards and recycle the #’s, once the TEMP account is removed. Please do not use self created ID #’s such as letters, as it will create future problems.

• Card types: TEMP is for 30 days vs GUEST is 3 months.
See IT wiki http://it.westchesterlibraries.org/circ/policies/patrons/

• Patron data (name, address) should be entered in CAPS. Helps with searching.

• Emails are to be entered in lowercase.

GRE: has reminded everyone, once again, that if an item is received at your library damaged or missing something, your library is to contact the patron and not send it to the owning, until all follow-up is completed or in 30 days. Provide all patron information and results of the follow-up if not resolved.

Sue Hamilton from SOU is retiring. Best wishes!

Meeting dates for 2017 and minutes by:
Jan 12 LAR
Mar 9 OSS
May 11 Yonkers
Sept 14 PEK
Nov 9 CHA

Submitted by:
Irene Kobziar
PEL
11/11/16