Knowledge Base: Library Help

Displaying Items Out

One can view and print all the items that a patron currently has checked out from the Patron Status - Out View in the Patron’s Status. The Items Out list displays each item’s basic information and includes the due date, call number, material type, and assigned branch. By default, the list is sorted and prints by due date (oldest to most recent). You can sort the list on other fields by clicking the column headers.

Overdue Items are indicated by the Alert icon 

Print the Items Out List

Printing the Items Out list provides the patron with a verification of all the items the patron has currently checked out and a backup receipt in case the check-out receipt was lost. Follow these steps to display and print the Items Out list from the Patron Status workform:

1. Display the patron’s record in the Patron Status workform.   

2. Click on the Items Out icon  on the Status bar.

Overdue items are marked with the Alert icon .You can see more information about any item in the Items Out list. Right-click the item and select Open from the menu to open the item record. Select Links from the menu to see choices related to circulation, holds, bibliographic, and other information.

Important:  Steps 3-5 only have to be done the first time after installation or whenever you want to change the default printer.

3. Select Tools, then Options.... to display the Patron status: Tools/Options dialog box.

4. Set the receipt/slip options for your printer and the types of receipts and slips you print from the Patron Status workform.

5. Click OK on the dialog box. The Patron Status - Items Out view appears.

6. Click the printer icon above the Items Out list (not the icon at the top of the workform), or press CTRL+ALT+P, to print the list.

If the workform printer is set to Receipt, the list is printed. If the printer is set to Page, the Report Preview window opens. Click the printer icon on the Report Preview window to print the list.

Note:  If the workform printer is a receipt printer, only the title, material, and due date are printed on the receipt.

 

Renew an Item from the Check Out Workform

Note:  The Alert icon  indicates the item is overdue.

When you scan the item barcode of an item that is already checked out to the current patron, Polaris asks if you want to renew. 

• Click Yes and the item is renewed with the standard loan period for that item.
• Clicking No will stop the renewal.

 

Renew an Item from the Patron Status Workform

Renewing from Patron Status is convenient because you can select and renew multiple items without scanning the barcodes.

1. Select Circulation, then Patron Status, or press F6.  The Find Tool opens. 

2. Scan the patron’s barcode or search by the name.

3. Double-click the patron’s name in the results. The Patron Status workform opens.

4. Click on the desired item to highlight - Click on the Renew icon 

OR

5. Click on Renew All icon  

OR

Renew Special:

6. Click on the Special Renew icon   and choose a special date from the calendar. Items are otherwise renewed with the standard loan period for the item.

The renewals are displayed to indicate the number of available renewals left, 2 renewals left of 2, 1 renewal left of 2, 0 renewal left of 2.

Resolve a Fine at Renewal 

If your library charges fines for overdues, Polaris automatically calculates the fine amount. When you attempt to renew an overdue item at the Check Out workform or the Patron Status workform - Items Out view, a message indicates that a fine is being charged to the patron. Follow these steps to pay, waive, or charge a fine when you renew an overdue item.

The Overdue Fine dialog box appears.

If you want to waive the fine and allow the renewal, click Waive.  Only waive fines for items belonging to your own library.  See the Appendix for TRAC procedures on ILL overdue fines. 

1. The dialog box closes. A record of the waiver appears in the Transaction Summary dialog box for the patron account.
2. If you want to charge the fine to the patron’s account and allow the renewal, click Charge Account.
3. The charge appears on the Patron Status work form - Account view.

Resolving Check Out Blocks and Messages

Manage Patron Blocks at Circulation

When you check out or renew items for a patron, the Patron Blocks dialog box appears if there are one or more blocks on the patron record. You must take action before you check out the next patron.

1. Do one of the following actions:
   1. Override the blocks and continue the transaction, click Yes (or press Y).
   2. Stop the transaction, click No (or press N).  Select a block to manage and go to step 2. You can use the up and down arrow keys to select a block.

Note:  You can click Patron Status or Patron Registration to open these workforms, regardless of which block is selected.

2. With the block selected, press Enter. The appropriate workform opens. For example, if the block is Patron owes money, the Patron Status workform - Account view opens. For Verify Patron blocks, the Patron Registration workform opens.
3. Resolve the block as necessary (or exit the workform and click No on the Patron Blocks dialog box to stop the transaction):
   1. For overdue or long overdue blocks, check in the items, make claims, or declare the items lost.
   2. For amounts owed, resolve the charges.
   3. For Verify Patron blocks, verify the patron’s account information and save the patron record.
   4. Delete staff-generated blocks or blocking notes if appropriate.

 

Item Blocks and Messages

You may see the following blocks and messages at Check Out:

This item is in transit to _____library.

-The item has been put in-transit to its assigned branch. However, you can still continue the check-out, or cancel it.

Hold Blocks and Messages

This item satisfies a hold...Do you want to hold the item?	-The item satisfies a hold request for another patron. You can designate the item to fill the request (and stop the check-out) or override the request and continue with check out. If you override the hold, a message asks if you want to reactivate the hold request for the patron whose hold request was overridden.  Note:  If you trap the item to fill the request, and hold slips are printed from the Check Out workform, a hold slip prints at the end of the check-out session.
This item cannot be checked out, because it is being held.	-The item is being held for another patron. You can override the hold and continue with check out or stop the check out process. If you override the hold, a message asks if you want to reactivate the hold request for the patron whose hold request was overridden.  Select Yes.
Transfer this item to _____library for hold?	-The item fills a hold request for a patron at another library. You can override the hold and continue with check out or stop the check-out process and transfer the item. If you override the hold, a message asks if you want to reactivate the hold request for the patron whose hold request was overridden.  Select Yes.

 

View the Notification History of an Item

1.  Select the item.

2.  Click on the Notification History icon  from the row of icons.

. 3. Click on Print or Close

 

Displaying the Current Charges for an Overdue Item

1. Click on the Account icon   on the Status bar.

2. All outstanding charges for the patron are displayed. 
3. To resolve charges, choose an option from the row of icons.

Changing the Status of an Overdue Item to Claimed Returned or Claimed Never Had

(See also, Claim Returned/Never Had on page 18)

From the Items Out View (Circulation, Patron Status):

1.  Highlight the book you want to set to Claim Returned/Claim Never Had by clicking on it once

2.  Click on the Make Claim icon  on the Task Bar.

 The Make Claim dialogue box opens.

3.  From the dropdown menu, choose either Claim Returned or Claim Never Had.

4.  Click OK. The item will disappear from the Items Out workform.

To view the claimed item:

            a) from the Patron Status workform, click on the Claims icon on the Status Bar.

            b) from the Checkout workform, click on the Claims icon on the Coolbar (center right).

The Patron Status – Claims workform opens

Note:  At the bottom, Claims Total is 1, Current is 1.  If the item is Checked In, the Claim will be removed from the patron’s account, and Current will be 0, but Claims Total will remain at 1.

 

Changing the Status of an Overdue Item to Lost

Click on the disappearing book icon on the Task Bar to make an item Lost -See Lost Items on page 14 of this section.

4.  Click OK. The item will disappear from the Items Out workform.

 

To view the claimed item:

            a) from the Patron Status workform, click on the Claims icon on the Status Bar.

            b) from the Checkout workform, click on the Claims icon on the Coolbar (center right).

 

The Patron Status – Claims workform opens

 

Note:  At the bottom, Claims Total is 1, Current is 1.  If the item is Checked In, the Claim will be removed from the patron’s account, and Current will be 0, but Claims Total will remain at 1.

 

Changing the Status of an Overdue Item to Lost

 

Click on the disappearing book icon on the Task Bar to make an item Lost -See Lost Items on page 14 of this section.