-

CIRCULATION

Chapter 3. MANAGING PATRONS

 

 

< PREVOUS Chapter 3 Viewing Previously Checked Out Items

CONTENTS INDEX

NEXT > Chapter 3 Converting Lost or Claimed Returned Items

---

Declaring Lost or Claimed Returned Items

The Patron Lost Book function lets you register a lost item against the responsible patron for the purposes of maintaining a record of items lost by the patron, and to allow the assessment of appropriate fines and fees for the lost item. You may also register an item as “claimed returned” by the patron.

To declare an item as "lost" or “claimed returned”:

1. From the Circulation menu (see The Circulation Menu for details), select Patron Status & Checkout.
   • The Patron Search screen displays.

2. Locate the patron for whom you wish to declare a “lost” book.

   NOTE: To return to the most recently accessed patron account, click the Previous Patron button.

   • If desired, limit your patron search to a specific patron group by selecting the desired group from the User Group menu.
     • Select All User Groups to display users for all user groups.
     • Select the desired user group to display users for the associated group only.
   • Enter the patron’s barcode or last name in the User Barcode or Last Name text box. To view a list of all users associated with the currently specified User’s Group, leave the User Barcode or Last Name text box blank.
     • When entering a barcode, enter the complete barcode.

     NOTE: If your library has enabled searching by partial barcode (see the Circulation Administration User Guide for details), you may enter a complete or partial barcode.

     • When entering a patron name, you may enter a complete or partial last name.
   • If desired, enter any additional search criteria (address, phone number, etc.) in the AND text box, and select the appropriate search index from the IN menu.
     • When Patron Expiration Date is selected from the IN menu, enter the desired date using the format “MM/DD/YYYY.”

     NOTE: If you enter an improperly formatted Patron Expiration Date, an advisory dialog displays the message “Please enter patron expiration date with the format MM/DD/YYYY” when you submit your search. Click the OK button to close the dialog, and re-enter the Patron Expiration Date.

3. Click the Submit button.
   • If you entered a patron’s last name, and an exact match to your search term is not located, the patron list displays, with the patron name that most closely matches your search term shown as the first entry in the list. Use the Previous and Next buttons to scroll the list forwards and backwards from this point. Click the desired Patron Barcode to display the Patron Status, Checkout & Reserves screen for the associated patron.

NOTE: If you select the wrong patron, click the Not (patron name) ? link to return to the Patron List.

• If you enter a patron’s last name, and an exact match to your search term is located, the patron list displays, with the first occurrence of the patron name shown as the first entry in the list. Use the Previous and Next buttons to scroll the list forwards and backwards from this point. Click the desired Patron Barcode to display the Patron Status, Checkout & Reserves screen for the associated patron.

  NOTE: If you select the wrong patron, click the Not (patron name) ? link to return to the Patron List.

• If you enter a patron’s barcode, and an exact match to your search term is located, the Patron Status, Checkout & Reserves screen for the associated patron displays.

NOTE: If there are active warnings for the patron, the Patron Warning screen displays (see Viewing the Patron Warning Screen for details).

4. Click the Items Out tab to display the Items Out page. The Items Out page shows a list of all items currently checked out to the patron.

5. Locate the item in the listing that you wish to declare as patron “lost” or “claimed returned.”
6. To declare the item as “lost”:
   • Click the Lost button for the desired item.
     • The Patron Lost Item screen displays.

• The Patron Lost Item screen provides the following information:
  • Item Detail - Shows the Title, Author, Barcode and Call Number for the associated item.
  • Transaction Type – Shows the type of transaction being performed (Fee).
  • Item Record Cost Field – Shows the dollar value entered in the cost field of the item record for the item being declared as "lost". This value represents the minimum fee to be assessed against the associated patron.

    NOTE: If no cost value is entered in the item record, this field shows the default cost for the item’s material type established through the Circulation Administration module (see the Circulation Administration User Guide for more information).

  • Lost Fee Amount - Shows the default lost book fee established for your library.

    NOTE: The default lost book fee is established by your Library Administrator (see the Circulation Administration User Guide for details).

  • Overdue Fee Amount – Shows any current overdue fees for the item.
  • TOTAL CHARGES – Shows the total of the Item Record Cost, Lost Fee Amount and Overdue Fee Amount.
  • Comment – Text entered in this field will be shown in the Fines History for the associated patron.
• If desired, click the View Fines History button to view a history of fines/fees assessed and payments credited for the current patron (see Viewing Fines History for details).
• If appropriate, use the Override text boxes to enter new values for the Item Record Cost, Lost Fee Amount and/or Overdue Fee Amount, as appropriate.

  NOTE: DO NOT include the dollar sign "$" when entering fee amounts. DO NOT include commas "," when entering fee amounts.

  • You may enter fee amounts in whole dollars (i.e., "1") or in dollars and cents (i.e., "1.00").
  • The Override – TOTAL CHARGES amount updates automatically to reflect your changes.
• Enter the text you wish to appear in the Fines History for the “lost” book transaction in the Comment text box.
• Click the Submit button to complete the fee assessment.
  • The Patron Lost Item screen closes automatically, and the Patron Checkout, Status & Reserves screen refreshes to reflect your changes.
  • o The specified fees are applied against the associated patron, the “Patron Lost” exception is automatically applied to the associated item, and the “lost” item is added to the Lost and Claims Return Items page of the Items Out screen (see Viewing Lost and Claimed Returned Items for details).

7. To declare the item as “claimed returned”:
   • Click the CR (claimed returned) button for the desired item.
     • The Patron Claimed Returned Item screen displays.

• The Patron Claimed Returned Item screen provides the following information:
  • Item Detail - Shows the Title, Author, Barcode and Call Number for the associated item.
  • Transaction Type – Shows the type of transaction being performed (Fee).
  • Overdue Fee Amount – Shows any current overdue fees for the item.
• If appropriate, use the Override text box to enter a new value for the Overdue Fee Amount, as appropriate.

  NOTE: DO NOT include the dollar sign "$" when entering the fine amount. DO NOT include commas "," when entering the fine amount.

  • You may enter the fine amount in whole dollars (i.e., "1") or in dollars and cents (i.e., "1.00").
• Click the Submit button.
  • The Patron Claimed Returned Book screen closes automatically, and the Patron Checkout, Status & Reserves screen refreshes to reflect your changes.
  • The specified fees are not applied against the associated patron at this time, the “Claimed Returned” exception is automatically applied to the associated item, and the “claimed returned” item is added to the Lost and Claims Return Items page of the Items Out screen (see Viewing Lost and Claimed Returned Items for details).

  NOTE: If it becomes necessary to assess overdue fees for the item, the fees must be assessed manually using the Fines and Fees function from the Patron Status & Checkout screen (see Managing Fines and Fees for details).

 

 

---

< PREVIOUS Chapter 3 Viewing Previously Checked Out Items

CONTENTS INDEX

NEXT > Chapter 3 Converting Lost or Claimed Returned Items