Evergreen Navigation

Visit the Circulation Policies page to view the system-wide policies agreed upon by the Circulation Committee.

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Checkout Basics

Checkout can be initiated from the Home screen, in the “Circulation and Patrons” menu, or in the Circulation drop-down menu.

To initiate Checkout, begin by scanning the patron’s library card, or use the Patron Search button in the top-right corner of the checkout screen to pull up the patron’s account.

checkout receipt option buttons

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Search For Patron

  • Expand the search fields and make sure the search includes:
    • All Profile Groups
    • All Libraries (WEST)
    • Inactive users
  • Enter the user’s last name and first initial. The names that match your search entry display.

Click a user name to select the patron and open their profile.

Patron search form with two red arrows pointing to expand search option and include Inactive checkbox

Checkout

  • Scan the item barcode in the Barcode(s) field.
  • Click Done to send a receipt in the patron’s default preference (email and/or print) and check out materials to the next user.

checkout scan items list

OTHER OPTIONS

  • Press the Enter key to open the Done dropdown and choose the receipt type or no receipt
  • Click Quick Receipt to send a receipt in the patron’s default preference and stay in the patron record.

Patron Records

View the Evergreen Patron essentials guide for more information on patron profiles.

Patron Display

The stop sign alerts you to expired accounts, holds that are ready for pickup, overdue or lost items, alert messages, etc.
FOLLOW UP AS NEEDED.

Patron Summary

The patron’s name appears in red if the patron has any alerts. Information associated with the alert(s) also appears in red.

Alerts display in the middle of the patron record the first time a patron is retrieved during a single session; subsequent lookups will only display the alerts in the patron summary. If the patron’s record is pulled up by another staff user, they will see the alerts in the middle of the page the first time and in the corner after that.

Navigation Buttons

  • Check Out
  • Items Out
    • Renew items
    • Print item receipt
    • Edit due date
    • Mark lost (by Patron), Mark claims returned, Mark claims never checked out
  • Holds
    • View holds
    • Edit Pickup Library, Notifications, Hold dates
    • Cancel, Suspend, Activate Hold
  • Bills
    • View, Add or Pay bills
  • Notes
    • Add/Modify/Remove an alert that will display in red in the patron summary
  • Edit
    • Replace or renew a library card, update contact information, send a test email or text message, set receipt preferences
  • Other
    • View Triggered Events

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Renew Items

Renewals can be initiated from the Circulation drop-down menu or by using the Actions menu in the Items Out tab in the patron’s profile.

  1. Through the Circulation menu
    • Click Circulation → Renew Items.
    • Scan or enter the barcode.
  2. Through the patron’s record
    • From the Items Out tab, select the items.
    • Open the Actions menu → Renew.

Add/Pay a Bill

  1. Retrieve the patron record and open the Bills tab.
  2. Click the Bill Patron button in the middle of the screen.
  3. Use the drop-down for Billing Type to choose the bill type. (If adding a miscellaneous bill, be sure to include a brief description in the note field with your initials and3-letter library code.)
  4. Enter the dollar amount, including a decimal.
  5. Click Submit Bill.

Pay a Bill on a Patron Account

  1. Retrieve the patron record and open the Bills tab.
  2. Use the checkboxes to select the bill(s) you want to pay.
  3. Use the drop-down to select a Payment Type.
  4. In the Payment Received field, enter the dollar amount, including a decimal.
  5. Click Apply Payment.  If full payment is made, the Bills tab will show a zero balance.
  • When you take a credit card payment outside Evergreen, the best practice is to
    • Check the Annotate box. Then click Apply Payment. In the Annotation, add the note “externally processed payment” and your initials and library code. The annotation will display in the Payment History Notes field.
    • For the approval code, use your initials and library code.

    Remember to uncheck the Annotate box when finished.

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Replace a Lost Card

Each patron should have only one active card, except staff, who may have a card at their home library and a card at their work library.

  1. Search for Patron to find the patron’s account by name.
  2. Retrieve the patron by double-clicking on the line with the patron’s information.
  3. When the account is opened, click the Edit tab.
  4. Click Replace Barcode and enter the New Barcode.
  5. Update the OPAC/Staff Client User Name field with the new barcode, unless the patron has already saved a unique username.
  6. Click Save.

Patron barcode and username fields

NOTE: Old/Inactive Library Cards are LINKED to the patron’s record and cannot be deleted.  When searching with an inactive barcode, the current barcode will display.  When an old card is scanned at Checkout, the message Patron account retrieved with INACTIVE card displays. The best practice is to verify the patron’s identity by asking for another form of ID or something similar before clicking through the alert. After you verify the patron’s identity, enter their current barcode number and proceed to checkout. Ask the patron to only carry and use the current card.

Patron Notes  

Add pertinent information for staff or patrons in the patron’s profile.

In Evergreen 3.8, Patron notes, Messages, Alert messages, and Standing Penalties have been combined into one Notes interface. Notes designated as “public” will display in the: 

  • Notes tab
  • Other tab > Messages 
  • OPAC (patron catalog) in My Account > Message Center

To add a note: 

  1. Click Create Note 
  2. Use the buttons or dropdown menu to choose a note type 
  3. Enter a Title and Note text. Include your initials and 3-letter library code as a signature. (I.e. A.P.-WLS)
  4. Click OK Note, no blocks display only in Notes

Blocking Patrons

You may see a Blocked alert on a patron’s record from time to time.  Often, these are system-generated blocks on patron accounts. For example, the patron exceeds the fine threshold or exceeds the max items out threshold. A notice appears when a staff person tries to checkout an item to blocked patrons, but staff may be given permissions to override blocks.

To apply a block, open the Notes tab within the patron’s profile.  Select Block and add a message to explain the blocking alert.  Be sure to include your initials and 3-letter library code.

Block a Patron

The best practice for making a card temporarily inactive is to apply a Message that blocks the patron.

  • The card can’t be used to place holds, check out, or renew.
  • The message block takes care of the message and the block all at the same time.
  • The procedure is easy to view and undo.
  • The patron and card remain searchable because the card is still active.

Block Vs. Bar

Have you wondered what the difference between barred and blocked is?  Barring patrons will stop them from using their library cards and alerts the staff that the patron is banned/ barred from the library. The “check-out” functionality is disabled for barred patrons (NO option to override – the checkout window is unusable and the bar must be removed from the account before the patron is able to checkout items). These patrons may still log in to the OPAC to view their accounts.

Note: This is NOT the best practice and will only be used in extreme circumstances.  Barred can only be applied by certain workstations with specific permissions.

Renew Card/Update Privilege

  1. Retrieve the patron record.
  2. Go to Edit.
  3. Click Update Expire Date. The date will change to three years from “today.”
  4. Click Save.

patron display edit renew expired card

Reset a PIN

  1. Retrieve the patron record.
  2. Go to Edit.
  3. Verify the Daytime phone number. Update as needed.
  4. Click in the Password/PIN field. Enter the 4 digits to match the last 4 digits of the Daytime phone.
  5. Click Save. Once the PIN is reset, the patron can change it in their OPAC account if desired.

patron registration barcode and PIN fields

Common Checkout Workflows

Blocked Patron – Patron Exceeds Fine Threshold 

A patron will exceed the fine threshold when they reach $25 in fines.

  1. Pay the bill.
  2. Continue to check out.

Migrated Blocked Patron

Migrated Blocks are patron accounts that were blocked before we “migrated” to the Evergreen ILS.

  1. Pay the bill.
  2. Go into Messages, manually archive the alert and refresh the page.
  3. Continue to check out.

Circulation Overrides

Item alerts may appear at checkout with important information about that item/circulation. Remember! Read each alert pop-up carefully to be sure you want to override each exception.

Batch Overrides are enabled to minimize the number of times staff need to click through an exception.

  • Evergreen will “remember” the designated override during a single patron session. 
  • Three possible actions for batch overrides: 
    1. Force Action applies the action for all remaining items in the batch.
    2. Skip does not apply the action for all remaining items.
    3. Cancel aborts all remaining items in the batch.
  1.  

Open Circulation or Open Hold Request

Occasionally at checkout, an item alert stating “Open hold request” will pop up.  In Evergreen, it’s possible to checkout on a card other than the requestor.

  • Select Force Action 
  • Continue to check out.

Patron B comes in to check out a hold for Patron A; “Allow Others to Use My Account”

“Allow Others to Use My Account” is an option for patrons to give permission to other people to place and pick-up/checkout holds with their card.  Settings can be saved in the Edit tab and will appear in the patron summary.

  • Verify Patron B’s ID.
  • Continue to check out ON THE REQUESTOR’S CARD.

Claims Returned

  1. Retrieve the patron account
  2. In the Items Out tab, locate the item and right-click to choose Mark Claimed Returned.
  3. An alert will appear prompting you to enter a date when the item was claimed returned.  Use the item’s due date and click Submit.
  4. The item has now moved to the Other/Special Circulations tab.
  5. A count of items Claimed Returned will be listed in the patron’s account summary.

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Temporary Library Cards

Visit the Evergreen Patrons page for more information.

Temporary card numbers should only be issued when a potential cardholder wants to check out material at a library other than their Home Library, doesn’t already have a card, and is eligible for a WLS card. See more information about eligibility on the WLS website.

Checkin Basics

Checkin can be initiated from the Home screen, in the “Circulation and Patrons” menu, or in the Circulation drop-down menu.

checkin item with fine and tally link

Checkin

  1. From Home, click Check In Items or go to Circulation>Check In
  2. Scan the item barcode or type the item ID and click Submit.
    • WATCH THE SCREEN FOR MESSAGES (hold, in transit, item notes, etc.) Follow up as needed.
    • Click Print or Do Not Print to manage transit and hold slips, etc.
    • If there is an overdue fine associated with the checkin, an alert will appear at the top of the screen with a fine tally for the current checkin session. To immediately handle fine payment, click the alert to jump to the patron’s bill record.

3.  Continue to scan items until all items are checked in.

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Checkin Modifiers

Choose one or more Checkin Modifiers. checkin modifiers option listCheck-ins are modified until manually unchecked.
Red alert displays at top of the screen.

*In most circumstances, only Auto-Print Hold and Transit Slips is set during normal checkin.*

    • Ignore Pre-cat Items: no prompt when checking in a pre-cat item. Item will be routed to Cataloguing
    • Suppress Holds and Transit: The item will not be used to fill holds or sent in transit. Item has Reshelving status.
    • Amnesty Mode/Forgive Fines: overdue fines will be voided if already created or not be inserted if not yet created (e.g. hourly loans).
    • Auto-Print Hold and Transit Slips: slips will be automatically printed without prompt for confirmation.
    • Clear Holds Shelf: Checking in hold-shelf-expired items will clear the items from the hold shelf (holds to be canceled).
    • Retarget Local Holds: When checking in in-process items that are owned by the library, attempt to find a local hold to retarget. This is intended to help with the proper targeting of newly-cataloged items.
    • Retarget All Statuses: Similar to Retarget Local Holds, this modifier will attempt to find a local hold to retarget, regardless of the status of the item being checked in. This modifier must be used in conjunction with the Retarget Local Holds modifier.
      *NOTE:  The retarget holds checkin modifiers should not be set during normal checkin, as local holds should be prioritized at normal checkin by default (this is set up through system configuration), and the checkin modifiers add extra processing time to the checkin which can cause problems, especially for titles with many holds. The recommendation is to use them ONLY when tech services staff is adding new holdings and first putting them into circulation.
    • Capture Local Holds as Transits: With this checkin modifier, any local holds will be given an in-transit status instead of on holds shelf.

Checkin Basics

Backdated/Bookdrop Checkin

Use the calendar to change the effective date of check-ins

  • A red alert banner will display at the top indicating “Backdated Checkin”
  • To return the effective date to “today”
    • Refresh the page
    • Choose another menu option
    • Use the calendar to return to Today or clear the date

checkin set effective date calendar

Mark Item Damaged

To mark an item damaged at checkin,

  1. Check the item in.
  2. Select the item and right-click or open the Actions menu>Mark Items Damaged. The Mark Item(s) Damaged pop-up will display.
  3. Click Submit. The second Mark Item(s) Damaged popup displays item and patron information, the default price, and options for charging the patron.
  4. In the Mark Item(s) Damaged popup,

To charge the full amount, add a note and click Submit.

To charge a different amount,

  1. Enter or use the scroll arrows to choose a different amount
  2. Choose the Type Damaged Item Manual Fee
  3. Add a Note
  4. Click Charge Fees

To charge no fee, click No Charge

Checkin Mark Item damaged popup. Click Submit to accept

Checkin Mark Item Damaged Form. Enter different amount. Use dropdwn to choose manual fee. Add Note. Click Charge Fees.

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In-house Use (F6)

  1. Scan an item barcode(s) or enter the ID(s) and click Submit to create a list of item(s).
  2. Click the Detail View in the right-hand corner to display the Item Quick Summary in a new tab.
  3. Click the Title to display the OPAC view of the title record and item information in a new tab.
  4. Print the list or select item(s) and right-click to take action.

The statistics of in-house use are separated from circulation statistics. The in-house use count of cataloged items is not included in the items’ total use count.

Go to Circulation → Record-In House Use or press F6.

  • To record in-house use for cataloged items, enter the number of uses, and scan the barcode.
  • To record in-house use for non-cataloged items, enter the number of uses, choose the non-cataloged type from the drop-down menu, and click Submit.In-house use entry for cataloged items and drop-down menu options for non-cataloged items

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