Patron Services Settings Reference

Specifies whether finished transactions older than a specified period are deleted from the patron’s transaction summary. Double-click to display the Finished Transaction deletion setup dialog.This setting also determines how long certain patron account data from deleted patron records is saved for cash reports.

System, Library, Branch

Determines whether to include estimated accrued fines in blocking calculations.

System

Determines whether to include claimed items in estimated accrued fine calculations.

System

Determines whether to include lost items in estimated accrued fine calculations.

System

Opens the Address Verification dialog, where you can enable address verification, specify the URL for the verification service, and set an expiration term.

System

Enables the patron aging process, allowing the system to automatically assign patrons to the next level of patron code after reaching the required age.

Specifies the default for whether primary patrons are allowed to pick up held items for their associated patrons.

Specifies the default for whether the primary patron is blocked when associated patrons are blocked

Sets a limit on the number of records that can be associated with one patron record.

Determines whether you use Active or Passive FTP to send files to BookNet Canada (BNC).

Determines whether overdue fines are automatically charged to the patron account when overdue items are checked in from the Item workform, the Find Tool context menu, or the Patron Status workform - Items Out view.

When the parameter is set to Yes and an overdue item is checked in, the fine is automatically charged to the patron account. If the overdue item can fill an active hold request, the hold request message appears and the staff member takes action on the hold request message. (When the parameter is set to Yes and a billed item is checked in, the Resolve lost/billed item dialog appears, the staff member resolves the billed charges, and the item is checked in. If the billed item can fill a request, the hold request message appears before the Resolve lost/billed item dialog box. The staff member takes action on the hold request message first.)

If the parameter is set to No, the Check In - Fine dialog appears when the item is overdue, and the staff member resolves the fine accordingly. However, if the item can fill a hold request, the hold request message always appears first.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which optional columns (Title, Material Type, Patron Name) appear on the Check In workform’s Items Checked In list for the Normal view and Bulk view.

System, Library, Branch

Applies to bulk check-in. Items assigned to another branch are automatically given a status of In-transit when checked in. This parameter specifies if a message notifies the user of the In-transit status when an item is checked in at a branch other than the assigned branch.

System, Library, Branch

Applies to normal check-in. Specifies if a prompt appears when an item is checked in at a branch other than the assigned branch. The prompt offers the choice of changing the item’s status to In-transit to its assigned branch, or changing the item’s status to In.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which fields appear on the check-in receipt.

System, Library, Branch

Sets policies for charging for check-out and/or renewal.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which optional item information columns appear on the Check Out workform.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which optional patron data fields appear on the Check Out and Patron Status workform.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which optional fields appear on the check-out receipt. Also specifies if receipts are printed after a prompt and whether Leap checkouts prompt for eReceipt options for patrons who do not receive eReceipts.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether patrons are required to select the format when checking out integrated eContent titles in the PowerPAC and Mobile PAC.

System, Library, Branch

Determines whether this message is displayed when you attempt to check out an item that belongs to another branch: "This item is assigned to ‘Branch X.' Do you want to continue with this transaction?"

System, Library, Branch

Applicable when the parameter Check-out: warn if item is from another branch is set to Yes and the staff member chooses No (do not continue with the check-out transaction). Determines whether this subsequent message is displayed: "Do you want to put this item in transit to ‘Branch X?’"

System, Library, Branch

If a patron claims that she never had an item or that she returned an item, and a claim is added to her record, this setting determines how many claims she can have before Polaris blocks her account. These include only the claims still on the patron’s record, not items that have been recovered.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the maximum number of resolved and unresolved claims a patron is allowed. If a patron accumulates the maximum number of claims, Polaris blocks the patron from borrowing any more items. Maximum claims include current claims and all the old claimed items that have since been found.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the governing library (transacting branch, item’s assigned branch, patron’s branch) to use for due date calculation, loan and request limits, fine calculation, and lost item recovery. Double-click Consortium circulation to display the Consortium Circulation dialog.

System

Determines whether your library system’s branch and circulation statistics are compiled and sent through FTP to BNC.

System

Specifies whether an overpayment on a patron account can be applied to the account as a credit.

System, Library, Branch

Identifies the days of the week for which fines are not charged on an overdue item. For example, a library decides to designate Sunday as a “day not fineable” because the library is closed. If an item is due on Saturday and returned on Monday, fines are not charged for Sunday.

To select days for which overdue fines are not charged, double-click Days not fineable to display the No Fine Day(s) dialog box. Then select the checkbox for each day to be omitted for overdue fines, and select OK.

System, Library, Branch

Determines whether the Patron Registration workform - Photo ID view is available and whether the patron’s ID photo is displayed in the Check Out workform. This feature is available by separate license.

Applies to Leap. If this profile is set to Yes, and the patron's record includes a photograph, it appears in the Patron Registration workform and workform tracker in Leap. If the profile is set to No, a generic patron icon appears.

System, Library, Branch, Workstation

Specifies whether a specific amount can be deducted from each of several selected charges on a patron’s account.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether a reason is required when a staff member resets an item's due date in Polaris Leap. If set to Yes, the staff member must select a reason from a drop-down list when resetting the due date in Leap. The Reasons drop-down list is populated with the entries in the User Defined Due Date Modification Reasons policy table.

System, Library, Branch, Staff

Specifies whether a message is displayed at circulation when a due date is changed automatically according to the number of hold requests for an item , or for an end-of term due date setting .

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which, if any, additional patron record fields are checked for matching criteria during patron duplicate detection. Double-click Duplicate detection options to display the Duplicate detection options dialog.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies default fine and loan period values to use when a new fine or loan period code is created.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which optional fields appear on the fine receipt, and whether a receipt is printed for waived charges.

System, Library, Branch

If fine receipts are printed, this setting specifies whether duplicate fine receipts are also printed, which may be required by library policy.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether floating collections processing is enabled. At the System level, specifies limits on items that can float by collection or title/material type.

System, Library, Branch

Identifies the default number of days omitted from overdue fine calculations at bulk check-in and when uploading offline transaction files (Bookmobile workform). This setting also determines free days for check-in and renewal from the Patron Status workform - Items out view, the item record, Find Tool, and during check-out when an item already checked out to one patron is checked out to another.

System, Library, Branch

Identifies the default number of days omitted from overdue fine calculations at normal check-in. Free days are used to cover unexpected closings when books might be checked in late, and the library does not want to charge overdues for the unexpected down time.

System, Library, Branch

Defines the password to sign in to BookNet Canada (BNC).

System

Defines the URI of the FTP server responsible for sending data files to BookNet Canada (BNC).

System

Defines the username to sign in to BookNet Canada (BNC).

System

Specifies which optional fields appear on the hold slip.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether a specially formatted hold call slip is available. This slip includes extended information, and can be folded to conceal patron information.

System, Library, Branch

Identifies the days closed and hours opened for the organization. Double-click Hours of operation to display the Hours of Operation dialog. You can also make these settings on the branch workform (select Tools > Define Hours of Operation).

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether a requesting patron’s name is printed on the in-transit slip, whether the destination branch’s full name or an abbreviation is printed, and whether the in-transit and pickup slips are to be combined.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the optional information to include on the printed Items Out list, available from the Patron Status workform - Items Out view.

System, Library, Branch

Determines whether the previous borrower’s information is stored in item records.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether the Item Record workform displays a link to the last borrower’s record and the patron barcode of the last borrower. Privacy policies at the library may restrict displaying who had an item after the item is returned.

System, Library, Branch

Sets the number of days the previous borrower’s information is stored in item records.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether an item’s status is changed to lost when the item is billed for overdue fines (system level only); whether overdue fines are charged to the patron’s account if you set billed items to be declared lost automatically; whether overdue fines are charged to the patron’s account when an item is declared lost; or whether overdue fines are instead calculated when a lost item is returned.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the automatic actions to take when lost items are recovered at check-out, normal check-in, and bulk check-in. Certain settings also apply to offline circulation and Polaris ExpressCheck. When you set automatic default processing options, staff do not need to resolve lost items manually when they are recovered at circulation.

System, Library, Branch

Updates the circulation status of Lost items to either Missing or Withdrawn based on the amount of time they have been lost.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies groups of material types and sets check-out limits on a selected groups for specified patron codes.

System

Updates the circulation status of Missing items to a status of Withdrawn after a specified period of time.

System

Specifies whether to continue or stop the automatic offline process if an error is encountered when pulling transactions from a workstation. If this parameter is set to Yes, the process continues even if an error is encountered, such as the workstation is offline or the .TRN path is invalid, and the job cannot pick up the .TRN files.

Specifies the directory where the offline TRN files are gathered and stored on the client workstation.

System

When set to Yes, this parameter enables automatic offline processing for all branches in the library system.

System

Specifies whether one or multiple log reports are created. If the value is set to Yes, one upload log is generated per offline branch. If this parameter is set to No, a single log file is generated for all offline branches. Log files are saved to: \\SERVER\c$\ProgramData\Polaris\<version>\Logs\Offline

System

Specifies the user assigned during the automatic upload processing. To specify a user, choose the user from the drop-down list of usernames.

System

Specifies the email addresses of users who receive the log reports. (If the job runs and no email address has been entered at the branch, library, or system level, the logs will still be produced, but they will not be emailed.) You can enter one or multiple email addresses, not to exceed 255 characters total. If multiple email addresses are entered, they must be separated by semicolons.

System, Library, Branch

Determines whether the patron account balance is included in the offline MDB files. (It does not affect offline circulation operations.)

Determines whether eligible items are trapped for holds when an offline file with check-in transactions is uploaded.

System, Library, Branch

Determines whether the packing list is automatically printed when items are checked out for outreach services patrons.

System, Library, Branch

Used in outreach services processing. When this parameter is set to Yes, items belonging to the libraries in the ORS: Included Branches policy table are candidates for selection list processing when staff members choose Default branches to select items. The staff member can also choose Any to include items from any branch in the system. When the parameter is set to No, the table is ignored and the Default branches and Any options are not available. Only items belonging to the logged-in branch are selection list candidates.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies header and rating line text for outreach services packing lists where reader ratings are enabled.

System, Library, Branch

Displays a prompt to update the next service date for an active ORS patron during normal check out.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the length of time a title is kept in an Outreach Services patron’s reading history, and the maximum number of titles the history can contain.

System

Specifies a rating scale for outreach services patrons if you choose to enable reader ratings. Outreach services patrons return their ratings with their items, and staff members enter the ratings in the patron account.

System

Determines whether reader ratings for titles can be added to an outreach services patron record (Patron Status workform - Reader Services view).

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the number of days to count from the day the item becomes overdue until the item becomes “long overdue.” Polaris uses the threshold to increment the long overdue counter.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether to include closed days and dates in your system’s grace period calculations.

System

Specifies whether a check-out is interrupted if the patron has any borrowed items with the long overdue status. The time interval that makes an item long overdue is specified by the Overdues: # of days until long overdue parameter.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether an overdue fine is charged if an item with the status Claim Returned or Claim Never Had is checked in or checked out.

System

Specifies whether Polaris charges overdue fines on closed dates.

Note: Closed dates are configured in the Dates Closed policy table.

System

Specifies whether an overdue fine is automatically waived if the item is “recovered” during a check-out.

System

Specifies whether an overdue fine is waived automatically for an overdue item if the patron is renewing the item.

System

If a dollar amount above $0.00 is set, the overdue fine balance in all patron accounts cannot exceed this amount.

System

Determines whether Leap displays the Claimed Item Overdue Charges dialog when you check in a claimed item that is also overdue. Users with permission can choose to waive overdue fines for claimed items at check-in.

System, Library, Branch

Indicates that the library automatically permits overnight loans for hourly loans (less than 24 hours) due after the library’s closing time. Double-click Overnight loan period to display the Overnight Loan Period dialog. To permit automatic overnight loans, select the Allow automatic overnight loan checkbox. To make overnight loans due later than the library’s opening time, input hours or minutes in the time period boxes (Time after opening when item is due). Select OK to submit your settings.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether the staff member can override permission blocks in patron services and circulation.

Staff

Defines the charge alert threshold value. The system displays a warning message if a staff member adds a charge to a patron account that exceeds the charge alert threshold.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies if the patron can stop or start a reading history from the PAC patron account.

Requirements: If you will allow patrons to start and stop reading histories, you must set up reading history parameters. Also, Outreach Services patrons cannot stop their reading histories.

System, Library, Branch

Once patron custom data fields are defined at the system level, they can be filtered at the branch or library level using this setting.

System, Library, Branch

Sets the item record conditions that block renewals from PAC, by telephone, and from SIP self-check units, and eContent circulation from PAC. Items are blocked according to the settings for the item’s assigned branch.

System, Library, Branch

Sets the patron record conditions that block renewals from PAC, by telephone, and from SIP self-check units, and eContent circulation from PAC. Patrons are blocked according to the settings for the patron’s registered branch.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the loaning branch for eContent circulations from the PAC.

Defines available messages for posting to specific patron records and provides the ability to translate the messages into languages licensed for Polaris PowerPAC.

System, Library, Branch

Sets the standard posting period (1-99 days) for messages that have been posted to specific patron records.

System, Library, Branch

Allows you to manage gender drop down lists.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which patron codes, as defined in the Patron Codes policy table, are available for selection in the organization's workforms.

System, Library, Branch

Determines whether the first name is required to save a patron record.

System, Library, Branch

Defines the labels for free-text and dropdown list user-defined fields (UDFs) in patron records, and the possible options for dropdown list UDFs. (The labels are set up at implementation.) Individual branches can specify which dropdown UDF options to display, determine the order of display, and designate a default.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the default material type setting for new quick-circ item records.

System, Library, Branch

Identifies how patron reading histories are maintained in Polaris. Double-click to display the Reading History Setup dialog.

If the Enable reading history box is selected in the Reading History Setup dialog, the Reading History link appears in the More menu on the Patron Registration workform in Leap. If the checkbox is not selected, the link does not appear.

System, Library, Branch

Enables users to configure the custom receipt message text that prints out on Check-out and Fine receipts.

Branch

Purges patron identification information from transaction records and item record histories after a specified time period.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether automatic renewals are performed. Automatic renewals are completed as part of the Notices Processing SQL job. When the job runs, it automatically renews eligible items for which the item's assigned branch has the Renewal: Auto-renew parameter set to Yes. A patron's items will be auto-renewed based on the number of days specified in the Notice options > Reminders setting for the patron's registered branch.

System, Library, Branch

Displays a block message when a renewal attempt is made on an item that is out and there are requests for the title. Staff with the required permissions can renew the item, or the renewal can be canceled.

When set to Yes, the block message is always displayed when there are requests for the title. When set to No, the block message is displayed only when the item being renewed is the only item available to fill the request. If other holdable and potentially eligible items are In, no dialog box appears and the item can be renewed.

System

Determines how Polaris calculates due dates for renewals.

When set to No, the system calculates the due date for renewals by adding the loan period to today's date. When set to Yes, the system calculates the due date by adding the loan period to the due date.

Note: This parameter does not apply to automatic renewals. Due dates for auto-renewals are calculated by adding the loan period to the due date.

System

Defines how the replacement cost and processing fees are calculated for each material type when a patron is charged for replacing a lost or damaged item.

Double-click to display the Replacement Fee Defaults dialog.

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether patron record sets are retained in the database when they are marked for deletion.

System

Defines the loan period that the system, library, or branch uses during offline circulation, when there is no access to the database to determine the loan period.

System, Library, Branch

Defines the loan period that the system uses when the loan period cannot be determined, perhaps because a patron or item code has not been defined. Polaris displays a message at check-out if the undefined loan period is being used. Staff members can use the undefined loan period or set a loan period manually, using the Special Loan Period dialog box. This value is also used to automatically populate the appropriate tables if a new branch or patron code is added.

System