Circulation

How do I remove old Homerooms from my Homeroom list?

Once there are no patrons listed in a homeroom anymore, the homeroom is removed. So, updating the homerooms manually, via import, or through Authority Control will remove any homerooms with no patrons. Contact Support for additional assistance.

What’s the best way to automate my patron overdue or hold notices?

How do you want notice to be sent? If you’d like the program to do most of the work for you, try Automatic Email Notifications. Go to Preferences > Circulation. In the Circulation Settings tab, click the Enable automatic email notifications checkbox. This feature automatically sends email notices to the patron’s email address for in-stock holds, overdue fees, and a number of other things. Read more about it in Circulation Settings.

For those of you who want greater control over your notices – such as when they go out and to whom – use scheduled notice reports. For example, you could set up an Overdue Items and Unpaid Charges Notice report for each grade or homeroom and schedule it to email the teacher every month so they can help remind students.

Go to Operations > Notices, add a new notice, and choose the Circulation category.
Test out a few of the report notices to see which ones work best for your situation. When you’ve found one, click Create at the bottom right.
Build your report in the Selections and Options tabs.
In the Overview tab, schedule the report to run at a specific frequency and time.
You can also enable email notifications and specify to whom the notices will be sent. Separate email addresses with a comma.

And if you find it meets your needs, you can even use both methods at the same time!

How do I forgive charges?

To forgive a charge for an individual patron, use Circulation.

Make the patron current and go to the Charges tab.
Select the charge (or by holding <shift> or <command> you can select more than one).
Click Make Payment. (Or Forgive Charge.)
Click the box to Forgive remaining balance, and click Process.

To forgive charges in batches, use the Forgive Charges utility.

Go to Operations > Utilities > Patrons > Forgive Charges.
Use the Selections tab to choose who you are forgiving the charges for.
Use the Options tab for what type of charges to forgive, or in a specific date range.
Click Run.

How can I easily change the copy location or copy shelving?

The easiest way is by using the Set All Copy Locations or CH command in Circulation. This is much quicker than going into each item to change copy locations. Make sure to clear the command line when you’re done! You can also run the Copies Information Report to help view and sort your items.

How are lost or discarded items handled in Alexandria?

Lost and discarded items are checked out to System Patrons 1(lost) and 2(discarded). Read more on Best Practices for Lost and Returned Items.

What is the difference between on-shelf holds and in-stock holds?

Generally, you will see On-Shelf Holds on items that were “Available” when the hold was placed, meaning it should be on the shelf. Once you’ve pulled the On-Shelf Holds from the shelves, bookdrop them to change their status to In-Stock. Then place them in the holds area of your library for patrons to check out. For more information on the two, see Best Practices for Holds.

What is the difference between a hold and a reservation?

Holds are placed on either a title or copy record when a patron would like to check it out as soon as it is available. However, a reservation is placed on an item for a specific date range.

When a book has a reservation, can other patrons still check it out?

Yes and no, depending on the situation. If a patron tries to check out an item but their transaction period interferes with the reservation, then they will not be able to check the item out. However, if the transaction does not collide with the reservation, then they can still check out the item. Check out our articles on the Reservations tab in Librarian and placing a reservation through Search for more information.

Can patrons reserve an item that is currently checked out?

Yes! As long as the reservation is placed for a date that the item will be available, such as after the due date of the current check out period, then there is no issue with placing reservations for items currently checked out.

How far in advance can reservations be placed on items?

Patrons can place a reservation up to 90 days in advance.