CIRCULATION ADMINISTRATION

Chapter 5. MANAGING PATRON GROUPS AND CATEGORIES

   

 

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Adding a Patron Category

You can add a new patron category to your system.

NOTE: Once a Patron Category has been added to the system, it cannot be deleted. If a Patron Category is no longer used by your library and you wish to remove the patron category from the Patron Category menus throughout the system, you must set the status for the patron category to “inactive.”

To add a patron category:

1. On the Patron Categories screen, click the Add a Category button.

   NOTE: If your library is a member of a consortium or collective that utilizes a “shared patron database,” a warning dialog displays the message “Warning: This list is used by all libraries. Adding, merging or editing the name will affect all other member libraries. Do you want to continue?” Click the OK button to continue adding a Patron Category. Click the Cancel button to cancel the operation and return to the Patron Categories screen.

   • The Add Patron Category screen displays in an additional browser window.

2. Enter the desired display sequence number for the new category in the Sequence text box.
   • The Sequence number determines the order in which the category is displayed in the Patron Categories screen (see Setting the Patron Category Display Sequence for additional information).
3. Enter a name for the new category in the Category text box.

   NOTE: The Category name cannot exceed 50 characters (including spaces).

4. Use the Active checkbox to set the desired status for the patron category:
   • A checkmark indicates the patron category is active (is available in patron category menus throughout the system).
   • An empty checkbox indicates the patron category is not active (is not available in patron category menus throughout the system).
   • Clicking a checkbox repeatedly will toggle it on and off.
5. Use the Primary Patron checkbox to indicate if the category is used for “primary patrons” only:
   • A checkmark indicates the category is used for “primary patrons” only.
   • An empty checkbox indicates the category is not used for “primary patrons” only.
   • Clicking a checkbox repeatedly will toggle it on and off.
6. Use the Report to Unique checkbox to indicate if patrons associated with the category that have overdue fines or fees will be reported to Unique Management Inc:
   • A checkmark indicates patrons associated with the category that have overdue fines or fees will be reported to Unique Management Inc.
   • An empty checkbox indicates patrons associated with the category that have overdue fines or fees will not be reported to Unique Management Inc.
   • Clicking a checkbox repeatedly will toggle it on and off.

   NOTE: Unique Management support is optional and may not be enabled for all systems. The Report to Unique field is shown only if your library has enabled Unique Management support.

7. For libraries using NCIP for patron authentication, select the NCIP category to be mapped to the VERSO patron category from the NCIP Mapped Privilege menu.
8. For libraries that have enabled Circ-ILL functionality, use the For ILL Lending checkbox to indicate if patrons associated with the category can participate in interlibrary loan.
   • A checkmark indicates patrons associated with the category can participate in interlibrary loan.
   • An empty checkbox indicates patrons associated with the category cannot participate in interlibrary loan.
   • Clicking the checkbox repeatedly will toggle it on and off.

     NOTE: Circ-ILL is a purchasable enhancement and may not be enabled for all systems. The For ILL Lending field is shown only if your library has enabled Circ-ILL functionality.

9. If appropriate, enter the Default Circulation Parameters for the category.

   NOTE: Default Circulation Parameters are shown only for those systems utilizing "Shared" Patron Categories.

   • Enter the default loan period (the number of days (or hours) for which an item may be borrowed by a given patron) for patrons associated with the category in the Loan Period text box.
     • To enter the Loan Period in days, enter the desired number of days, from 1 to 999.
     • To enter the Loan Period in hours, enter the desired number of hours, from .1 to 999, followed by the letter “H”.

       NOTE: When entering an hourly Loan Period, you may enter the Loan Period in whole hours (2H for example) or in decimal hours (3.5H for example).

     • If desired, you may add “grace time” to an hourly Loan Period. To add “grace time” to an hourly Loan Period, add the desired “grace time” in hours, from .1 to 999, followed by the letter “G”, after the loan period (3.5H.5G for example).

       NOTE: In some cases, you may wish to define an indefinite Loan Period for a given material type and/or patron category. To do so, enter "INDEF" in the Loan Period text box.

     • If you do not wish to establish the Loan Period for the material type, leave the Loan Period text box blank.
   • Enter the default renewal period (the number of days (or hours) for which an item currently on loan may be renewed by the current borrower) for patrons associated with the category in the Renewal Period text box.
     • To enter the Renewal Period in days, enter the desired number of days, from 1 to 999.
     • To enter the Renewal Period in hours, enter the desired number of hours, from .1 to 999, followed by the letter “H”.

       NOTE: When entering an hourly Renewal Period, you may enter the Renewal Period in whole hours (2H for example) or in decimal hours (3.5H for example).

     • If desired, you may add “grace time” to an hourly Renewal Period. To add “grace time” to an hourly Renewal Period, add the desired “grace time” in hours, from .1 to 999, followed by the letter “G”, after the renewal period (3.5H.5G for example).
     • If you do not wish to establish the Renewal Period for the material type, leave the Renewal Period text box blank.
   • Enter the default renewal limit (the number of times a loan for a given item may be successively renewed by a given borrower) for patrons associated with the category in the Renewal Limits text box.
     • The Renewal Limit may be from 1 to 999 renewals.
     • If you do not wish to establish the Renewal Limits for the material type, leave the Renewal Limits text box blank.
   • Enter the default checkout limit (the maximum number of items of the material type a user can have "checked out" at any given time) for patrons associated with the category in the Checkout Limits text box.
     • The Checkout Limit may be from 1 to 999 items.
     • If you do not wish to establish the Checkout Limits for the material type, leave the Checkout Limits text box blank.
   • Enter the default fine amount (the daily fine amount for overdue items) for patrons associated with the category in the Fine Amounts text box.
     • Enter the fine amount (in dollars and cents) to be levied each day an item is overdue.

       NOTE: If a fine amount is less than one dollar, it is not necessary to enter the leading zero.

     • If desired, you may enter grace days/grace charges, using the format “0.00g000f0.00”. where 0.00 is the standard fine amount, g000 is the number of grace days, and f0.00 is the grace days fine amount.
     • If you do not wish to establish the Fine Amounts for the material type, leave the Fine Amounts text box blank.
   • Enter the default fine limit (the maximum fine charged regardless of the number of days overdue) for patrons associated with the category in the Fine Limits text box.
     • Enter the maximum fine limit (in dollars and cents) to be levied for a given overdue item.
     • If you do not wish to establish the Fine Limits for the material type, leave the Fine Limits text box blank.
   • Enter the default fine limit (the fee due when checking out items) for patrons associated with the category in the Checkout Fees text box.
     • Enter the checkout fee (in dollars and cents) to be levied each time an item of the material type is checked out.
     • If you do not wish to assign a Checkout Fee for the material type, leave the Checkout Fees text box blank.
10. Click the Submit button on the Add Patron Category screen to submit the new patron category. (Click the Close button to close the Add Patron Category screen without adding the new patron category.)
    • If your VERSO system is configured for "shared" Patron Categories and you have not entered one or more Default Circulation Parameters, a warning dialog displays the message "All Default Circulation Policies were not entered" when you click the Submit button.
      • Click the Cancel button to return to close the dialog and return to the Add Patron Category screen. Enter values for any missing Default Circulation Parameters, as appropriate, then click the Submit button to submit the new patron category.
      • Click the OK button to close the dialog and submit the new patron category without specifying one or more Default Circulation Parameters.
    • The Patron Categories screen refreshes to display the new patron category.

 

 

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