Knowledge Base: Library Help

Patron Registration

TRAC Guidelines:

1. When creating a new patron record the library must see some form of government issued identification and must enter the name and address exactly as written on the identification (including middle name) into the patron’s record. Library staff will verify and complete the “Where They Live” field as it is often different from a mailing address (e.g. PO box).
2. To avoid creating duplicate records in Polaris, check for a pre-existing patron record before creating a new patron record. If there is a pre-existing patron record from within the same system, the library may change the registered branch and update the patron record once the identities of the new patron and the pre-existing record have been confirmed to be the same. Check the pre-existing record to see if the patron was in good standing before updating the record. If the patron is not in good standing, the library may still update the record and serve the patron but should ensure that any charges for replacement costs remain on the record. If the pre-existing patron record is from a different system within TRAC, the library may serve the patron using the pre-existing record and then advise its system administrator to update the patron record.
3. Libraries must make sure to designate a notification option in the patron registration record for items to convert to lost and for the reports to function properly.
4. Libraries will not do blanket renewals of expired patron cards but will confirm that each individual patron card is appropriate to renew (e.g. the patron has not moved to another municipality; the patron wishes to be renewed at your library; the patron is not deceased; etc.).
5. Extended memberships (more than one year) and/or lifetime memberships may not be transferrable to other libraries, should the patron become registered at a library in another community.

In LEAP

1. Click on NEW PATRON

Patron Profile

2. Within the Patron Profile, scan in the new barcode:

3. Using a form of Identification, fill in the Last Name, First Name, Birth Date, Gender (optional), and Statistical Class. Check to see that the Registered At, Patron Code, and Expiration Date defaults are correct: 

                            

The default Expiration date will display Day/Month/Year, one year from the patron registration date. You can also click the down arrow and select the Date on the calendar in the case of a temporary card or choose a Term.

Patron Attributes

4. In the Attributes section, the Where They Live category must be filled in to save the account. This field relates to the municipality where the patron pays their taxes.

Patron Email and Phone Number

5. Give the patron a sticky note or spare piece of paper to write down both their email address and phone number. Ensure this piece of paper is destroyed.

Patron Address + Notifications

6. Click Address. Using the patron's identification, fill in the required address information.

7.  Ideally, change the Notification Option to Email Address (lost item invoices will be sent out with this option) and ask the patron if they would like to receive Text Message notifications. If they do or want Phone Notifications, change the Text Messaging Phone to Phone 1, ask for the Patron’s Wireless Carrier, and check off the Additional TXT Notice box. If the patron requires mailing address, select Mailing Address as the notification option, and Home as the Notices Address.

More than one address can be entered for patrons who have an alternate address. If required, you can edit or remove addresses by selecting the desired address then choosing the Edit or Remove button.

The Address Check defaults to one year after patron registration; however, you may choose another date by clicking on the calendar. Alternatively, you may select a Term of a period of months for temporary patrons.

 

Patron Preferences

8. Set the patron’s preferred holds pickup branch and ask if they would like to Maintain a Reading History. The Maintain Reading History setting can only be checked off to track reading information with the patron’s consent.

If checked, this box will enable a reading history of up to 9,999 items that the patron checked out, which can be maintained from their TRACpac account. Alternatively, the patron can activate this feature on TRACpac. For more information, see page 10, Accessing Reader Services. Remember to inform the patron that if they maintain a reading history, the resulting list may be accessed by the police without a warrant.

Do not check any of the exclusion boxes in the lower left section of the work form.

Patron Password

9. Finally, use the last 4-digits of the patron’s phone number to set their password. They can change this password in TRACpac.

For TAL cardholders, Non-Residents or Temporary cardholders, enter 0000. TAL, Non-Residents, and Temporary cardholders may search TRACpac but may not log in.

10. Click SAVE

 

Patron Codes:

There are 25 Patron Codes to choose from in Polaris, but not all will be available to your library. Each Patron Code has limits attached to it. These are set by your system, however; some can be modified upon request. Some popular Patron Codes are listed below.

 

Standard	Allows a maximum of 100 checkouts, 10 overdue items, and 25 holds.
Print Disabled	Used for a patron with a perceptual disability – blindness or visual impairment; physical impairment that hinders holding a book such as Parkinson’s or Multiple Sclerosis; or a learning disability that hinders the use of print, such as dyslexia. Assigning this code gives Standard privileges as well as exclusive access to DAISY talking books.
TAL Cardholder	Used for a non-TRAC patron who presents a TAL card. Register this patron with your library’s barcode so they can borrow a limited number of local items. Such patrons cannot place holds or access databases.
Staff	Used for staff or library account. Allows for 100 items out and holds.
Limited Services	Can be used for a non-resident patron (See page 9 of this section).  These patrons are not permitted to place holds or access databases due to licensing restrictions.
	Can be used for Internet access, such as a person accessing the public computers but who does not have a library card. With this code they not permitted holds, nor do they have access to the databases.

 

Address Information:

Type	The default is Home. For other options, use the dropdown menu.
Country	The default setting is Canada.
Postal code	When a postal code is entered, it will automatically fill in the city and province. If the postal code you are entering is new, contact staff at your regional headquarters to add it in the database.
Street 1 & 2	Fill in the correct street address.
City	Automatically filled in when correct postal code is entered.
County	May be automatically filled in, or leave this blank.
Province	Automatically filled in when postal code is entered.

 

Notification options:

In order for patrons to receive notices for holds or overdue items.

Whichever notification option is chosen, the corresponding field must be entered. More than one notification field may be entered for identification purposes.
 

Mailing Address	If this is selected, ensure the Notices/bills, Statement and Invoice address fields reflect the primary address.
Email Address	This field is case sensitive. With this option, patrons will receive emails for items ready to be picked up, cancelled holds, almost overdue items, overdue items, long overdue items, and membership expiration. Modifications to the messages can be made through system headquarters.
Telephone 1 Telephone 2 Telephone 3	For all phone numbers, use dashes in formatting and include the area code, as required for use with Telephony, the automated calling system. Entering a cell phone number in this field will not send the phone a text message. *If your library does not use telephony, do not choose Telephone 1, 2 or 3 as a Notification option.
Fax	Use dashes in formatting with area code.
TXT Messaging	If a text message notification is requested, enter the applicable information here. If a text message is requested in addition to email notification, select Email Address as the Notification option, enter Mobile Phone information and check Additional TXT Messaging.

User Defined Fields:

 

Where they Live	A required field; choose from the dropdown menu the municipality in which the patron resides, typically to whom the patron pays taxes. If you are editing a pre-existing patron record because the patron has now moved into your area, be certain to update the Where They Live field.   For patrons not in your library system, select one of the options and charge the non-resident fee: Use OUT OF PROVINCE for patrons that reside out of province, e.g. if the patron is working in Alberta but resides in Saskatchewan, in which case you may want to issue a temporary card. Use NOT IN LIST when the patron’s municipality is not included in the dropdown menu. Send an email to the NLLS Help Desk (help@nlls.ab.ca) to have this municipality added so that you can then complete the patron’s location. Do not use NOT IN SYSTEM
Parent/Guardian	Fill in with the parent or guardian’s name for a child or youth card.
Local Library Statistic #1	You may enter any information you wish here, but what you enter will be searchable specifically by what you wrote, so if you make any spelling mistakes, it will be difficult to search using this statistic
Local Library Statistic #2	This field will keep track of any information that the library may require statistics on, such as special memberships, grade level, etc. You may make requests with system headquarters to add or remove options by contacting the NLLS Help Desk.
Local Library Statistic #3	This field is customizable by library location. Contact system headquarters for more information.

 

 

 

Duplicating a Record

You are able to duplicate a record in Polaris when, for instance, you are registering multiple patrons with the same address information.

1. After saving the new patron’s record, keep the record open, and click on the COPY button on the left-hand side of the screen:  

2. Click Yes to save the existing Patron Record           

  

3. When an existing work form is opened, all of the fields remain the same except for the barcode.  You will be required to change all other pertinent information such as name, statistical class, etc.

4. After completing the registration, be sure to save the record.