Circulation Services CommitteeMay 10, 2016SCLS Headquarters

Agenda

  1. Call to order (5 min.)
  2. Introduction of guests/visitors.
  3. Changes/Additions to the Agenda.
  4. Requests to address the Committee.
  1. Approval of previous meeting minutes (10 min.)
  1. Action items (15 min.)
  2. Amend patron registration form changes per suggestions from ILS Committee. Add n/a checkbox to match Koha patron record.
  3. Policy regarding Item(s) continuously checked out by patron (attached).
  4. Review and clarify Uniform Refund Policy (attached).
  1. Discussion items (60 min.)
  2. Follow-up regarding problems with restoring old patron cardnumbers. Not possible to turn off that functionality but may be able to “hide” the Restore button. Do the problems with this functionality merit this move?
  3. Discussion points from ORE regarding iboss, temporary cards and guest passes. Need a generic best practice.
  4. SUN request regarding increasing the Max Hold limit for Organization and Fine Free Organization Patron Categories. Is this still an agenda item?
  5. UMS submission issue: need documentation for what to do when it’s your item but you are not the “home” library; guidelines/instructions for manual submission of patron record to UMS.
  6. Review Lost Item clean-up procedure. This will cover both paid and not paid Lost items. (handout)
  7. Review draft of single problem item form (pdf posted on CSC web page, handout at meeting). Do we want to go in this direction?
  8. RFID tags being attached to items in areas that damage the items when attempting to remove the tags.

2016 CSC meeting dates (2nd Tuesday every other month):

Jul 12Sept 13Nov 8

2016 CIRC User Groups/Training sessions (Topics to be confirmed)

Jun 15Circulation/SearchingAug 24 Circulation/Reports

Nov 2 Circulation

Uniform Refund Policy

Policy statement:

  1. Libraries determine whether or not they will provide refund for their own Lost and Paid for items.
  2. The standard maximum time limit for a refund is 6 months after the item has changed to a Lost status or until a library deletes its holding, whichever comes first. Libraries can set their own time frame limits according to the needs of their patrons and their governing bodies.
  3. If a library allows for replacement of Lost items in lieu of payment, these rules apply:
  4. All replacements are subject to director’s approval;
  5. New and exact matches only; and
  6. Patrons are still liable for fines or fees the library may assess.
  7. If holdings have been discarded refunds are subject to owning library policy and director’s approval.

In January 1998, SCLS announced it would no longer make refunds on items marked Lost in Transit. The only refunds would be for items damaged in delivery.

Approved by ILS Committee; 3/7/2012

ISSUES REGARDING TEMPORARY CARDS AND/OR GUEST PASSES

Inspired in part by the M.O.U. for Erate recently sent out, which states that thelibrary acknowledges that we must be able to allow those 17 and over to override site blockswhen requestedwithout any undue burden, it occurred to us that MyPC Guest Passes alone may not be adequate for those without a card. What, for instance, happens when someone is using a Guest Pass (which does not currently allow for adult status in conjunction with iboss)? Or, even more likely given the high volume of wireless users, what happens when a person is using theirown device?

Offering the patron the option of applying for a library card (which wasmy first thought) is probably undue burden. Also, many may not be eligible or have necessary documentation to obtain a card at all.

One possible solution would be having a handful of "generic" adult web-use only cards/barcodes available for those who can show an ID indicating they are 17 or olderto useto override the block. Because many individual devices default to "remember" any login and password data, library staff would need to occasionally change the passcodes for these select card numbers(perhaps once a week).

The other area of concern brought to my attention was the need to have a process for "whitelisting" potentially incorrectly blocked sites. My feeling is that I would not want to burden desk staff with the task of determining on the fly appropriateness say for under-aged patrons. Everyone invariably has a somewhat different opinion on what is or is not appropriate for whom.

Do we have a form (paper or online) that would allow easilyfor recommendations for whitelisting? Who determines whitelisting? How often? Let's say we have a panel that does thereview - who's opinion wins when there is disagreement? Can we have a rubric in place to determine this?

I realize that I have more questions than answers and I apologize for that. We are interested in making the process as pain-free for patrons - and staff alike -as is reasonably possible.

Also, the override does not exclude expired cards. Patrons who wish to use and re-use the same card without authorization will not be blocked only by setting an expiration date.

2016-03-08 DRAFT Policy regarding items continuously checked out by one patron.

Occasionally library staff, or a patron, will report that another patron has had an item checked out almost continuously over a long period of time. The patron checks out the items, renews it twice, places a hold before returning the item (or items) before the last due date and “gets” the items again either because he is the only person placing holds on that record or the Reduced Transportation settings keep the item at the check in location to fill the hold at that location.

If there are no other holds, a patron can sequentially check out an item for months, and sometimes years. This policy is being created to provide back-up for library staff that have to deal with this problem on the rare occasion when it occurs.

Policy Statement: Patrons and / or Households are not allowed to have any one library’s copy of an item for more than 1 check out and 2 renewals in a six (6) month period.

Procedure:

  • When this issue is brought to the attention of library staff, staff should first talk to the patron “hoarding” the item about the issue.
  • If there are other copies of the item in the system, place a hold for the patron so that another copy will fill that hold.
  • If there is no other item in the system:
  • Advise the patron to request that their Library of Residence purchase a copy as well.
  • Point out the policy. Explain that the owning library needs to periodically review the condition of the item for maintenance and also provide patrons at the owning library the ability to shelf browse the item.