Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] What should be done during unexpected library closings?
The idea of newly added closed dates pushing back current checkouts due on that date sounds like a good wishlist request to me, if anyone is so inclined to create one: https://bugs.launchpad.net/evergreen Thanks, Dan -- * Daniel Wells, Library Programmer Analyst d...@calvin.edu Hekman Library at Calvin College 616.526.7133 On 4/24/2013 at 11:59 AM, Aaron Zsembery azsemb...@pls-net.org wrote: We also backdate. Adding closed dates for weather closings will not effect the actual due date in the system as that is computed at the time of checkout. It might help with fines, but using a backdated check-in works just as well. Aaron Z Jr. Systems Administrator Pioneer Library System 2557 State Rt. 21 Canandaigua, New York 14424 Phone: (585) 394-8260
Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] What should be done during unexpected library closings?
...it could be cool? Would make my staff a little more sane a little more often, but would also require them to think less - which I don't advocate. On Wed, Apr 24, 2013 at 12:10 PM, Dan Wells d...@calvin.edu wrote: The idea of newly added closed dates pushing back current checkouts due on that date sounds like a good wishlist request to me, if anyone is so inclined to create one: https://bugs.launchpad.net/evergreen Thanks, Dan -- * Daniel Wells, Library Programmer Analyst d...@calvin.edu Hekman Library at Calvin College 616.526.7133 On 4/24/2013 at 11:59 AM, Aaron Zsembery azsemb...@pls-net.org wrote: We also backdate. Adding closed dates for weather closings will not effect the actual due date in the system as that is computed at the time of checkout. It might help with fines, but using a backdated check-in works just as well. Aaron Z Jr. Systems Administrator Pioneer Library System 2557 State Rt. 21 Canandaigua, New York 14424 Phone: (585) 394-8260 -- Ruth Frasur Director of the Historic(ally Awesome) Hagerstown - Jefferson Township Library 10 W. College Street in Hagerstown, Indiana (47346) p (765) 489-5632; f (765) 489-5808 Our Kickin' Website http://hagerstownlibrary.org Our Rockin' Facebook Page http://facebook.com/hjtplibrary and Stuff I'm Readinghttp://pinterest.com/hjtplibrary/ruth-reads/
Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] What should be done during unexpected library closings?
On Apr 24, 2013, at 11:59 AM, Aaron Zsembery wrote: We also backdate. Adding closed dates for weather closings will not effect the actual due date in the system as that is computed at the time of checkout. It might help with fines, but using a backdated check-in works just as well. Aaron Z Jr. Systems Administrator Pioneer Library System 2557 State Rt. 21 Canandaigua, New York 14424 Phone: (585) 394-8260 Thank you everyone for their reponses. Could someone share their workflow for back dating checked out items on the list, since I assume other would benefit. Is this something that is done en masse or individually? Thanks, Yamil
Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] What should be done during unexpected library closings?
In the check-in screen, for us, when we begin the check-in process in the morning (before we open and continuing throughout that business day), just change the date to the appropriate check-in date. The top bar will change from green to red (assuming it was green to begin with) showing that you're backdating. Until you change the date, that screen will continue to all you to check-in to that date. If you open another tab, or have to log in/out, etc. you'll need to reset the date as it will default to the current date. On Wed, Apr 24, 2013 at 2:08 PM, Yamil Suarez ysua...@berklee.edu wrote: On Apr 24, 2013, at 11:59 AM, Aaron Zsembery wrote: We also backdate. Adding closed dates for weather closings will not effect the actual due date in the system as that is computed at the time of checkout. It might help with fines, but using a backdated check-in works just as well. Aaron Z Jr. Systems Administrator Pioneer Library System 2557 State Rt. 21 Canandaigua, New York 14424 Phone: (585) 394-8260 Thank you everyone for their reponses. Could someone share their workflow for back dating checked out items on the list, since I assume other would benefit. Is this something that is done en masse or individually? Thanks, Yamil -- Ruth Frasur Director of the Historic(ally Awesome) Hagerstown - Jefferson Township Library 10 W. College Street in Hagerstown, Indiana (47346) p (765) 489-5632; f (765) 489-5808 Our Kickin' Website http://hagerstownlibrary.org Our Rockin' Facebook Page http://facebook.com/hjtplibrary and Stuff I'm Readinghttp://pinterest.com/hjtplibrary/ruth-reads/
Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] What should be done during unexpected library closings?
On Wednesday, April 24, 2013 2:08:28 PM Yamil Suarez ysua...@berklee.edu wrote: Thank you everyone for their reponses. Could someone share their workflow for back dating checked out items on the list, since I assume other would benefit. Is this something that is done en masse or individually? Our documentation is available online and it explains the process MUCH better than I could: http://plum.pls-net.org/twiki/bin/view/Evergreen/CheckInBackdate http://plum.pls-net.org/twiki/bin/view/Evergreen/CheckInItems22#Back_dated_Check_In On a side note, if you haven't run across it most of our Evergreen procedural documentation (such as it is) can be found at: http://plum.pls-net.org/twiki/bin/view/Evergreen/WebHome Aaron Z Jr. Systems Administrator Pioneer Library System 2557 State Rt. 21 Canandaigua, New York 14424 Phone: (585) 394-8260
Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] What should be done during unexpected library closings?
We also backdate when checking in items. However, we go ahead and add an entry in the closed date editor to ensure that fines do not accrue on those days we are closed. I should add that we usually are able to put this closed date into the system at least one day before the closed date. I am not sure if the closed date can be entered the same day and fines not accrue. Cristina -- Cristina Hernandez Trotter Head of Reference Dept. and Heritage Center Oconee Regional Library System 801 Bellevue Ave. Dublin, GA 31021 478-272-5710 (phone) 478-272-0524 (fax) www.ocrl.org -Original Message- From: open-ils-general-boun...@list.georgialibraries.org [mailto:open-ils- general-boun...@list.georgialibraries.org] On Behalf Of Yamil Suarez Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2013 4:31 PM To: General Evergreen List Subject: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] What should be done during unexpected library closings? Hello, I wanted to ask the community what steps are normally taken when a library has to unexpectedly close. For my library this happens a couple of times a year because of snow storms. I already use amnesty mode when the library opens up again. I was thinking of also temporarily disabling overdue and pre-overdue notices during the unexpected closings too, so that patrons are not told to return items when the library is temporarily closed. Should I instead add an entry to theclosed dates editor instead? Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance, yamil
Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] What should be done during unexpected library closings?
On Wednesday, April 24, 2013 3:21:05 PM chtrot...@ocrl.org wrote: I am not sure if the closed date can be entered the same day and fines not accrue. IIRC, in our install the fine generator runs at 23:59 to generate daily fines, so as long as the entry gets in, it should theoretically work. I haven't tried that though. Aaron Z Jr. Systems Administrator Pioneer Library System 2557 State Rt. 21 Canandaigua, New York 14424 Phone: (585) 394-8260
Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] What should be done during unexpected library closings?
This isn't especially relevant to the conversation, but last I checked, Evergreen actually post dates fines to the end of the fine period in which they occur. In other words, daily fines are all dated with a timestamp of 23:59 regardless of what time the fine generator runs. This made the fine logic a little simpler to calculate, but it is also a source of general confusion for users, as fines appear to happen in the future if you look closely. Perhaps someday someone will find the tuits to fix this, but for now, it works. All that said, maybe you really do run your fine generator at 23:59, but that seems a little like living on the edge to me, and I wouldn't base any opinions on the billing timestamps :) Dan -- * Daniel Wells, Library Programmer Analyst d...@calvin.edu Hekman Library at Calvin College 616.526.7133 On 4/24/2013 at 3:25 PM, Aaron Zsembery azsemb...@pls-net.org wrote: On Wednesday, April 24, 2013 3:21:05 PM chtrot...@ocrl.org wrote: I am not sure if the closed date can be entered the same day and fines not accrue. IIRC, in our install the fine generator runs at 23:59 to generate daily fines, so as long as the entry gets in, it should theoretically work. I haven't tried that though. Aaron Z Jr. Systems Administrator Pioneer Library System 2557 State Rt. 21 Canandaigua, New York 14424 Phone: (585) 394-8260
Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] What should be done during unexpected library closings?
There used to be various fine timestamps (IIRC, the real time when fines were generated, before 2.0). But we had lots of problems with it. Now the 23:59 works. We did receive questions on it, but it's rare. I guess displaying the billing time without hour on OPAC helps. Back to original topic, it is optional to create fines for closed dates. Depending on your choice, it may have impact there (items returned on the second day after the unexpected closure). But it may sound reasonable (at least to me) if you still charge overdue for the unexpected closure. Tina Quoting Dan Wells d...@calvin.edu: This isn't especially relevant to the conversation, but last I checked, Evergreen actually post dates fines to the end of the fine period in which they occur. In other words, daily fines are all dated with a timestamp of 23:59 regardless of what time the fine generator runs. This made the fine logic a little simpler to calculate, but it is also a source of general confusion for users, as fines appear to happen in the future if you look closely. Perhaps someday someone will find the tuits to fix this, but for now, it works. All that said, maybe you really do run your fine generator at 23:59, but that seems a little like living on the edge to me, and I wouldn't base any opinions on the billing timestamps :) Dan -- * Daniel Wells, Library Programmer Analyst d...@calvin.edu Hekman Library at Calvin College 616.526.7133 On 4/24/2013 at 3:25 PM, Aaron Zsembery azsemb...@pls-net.org wrote: On Wednesday, April 24, 2013 3:21:05 PM chtrot...@ocrl.org wrote: I am not sure if the closed date can be entered the same day and fines not accrue. IIRC, in our install the fine generator runs at 23:59 to generate daily fines, so as long as the entry gets in, it should theoretically work. I haven't tried that though. Aaron Z Jr. Systems Administrator Pioneer Library System 2557 State Rt. 21 Canandaigua, New York 14424 Phone: (585) 394-8260 Tina Ji 1-888-848-9250 Trainer/Help Desk Specialist BC Libraries Cooperative/Sitka
Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] What should be done during unexpected library closings?
We also backdate when checking in items. However, we go ahead and add an entry in the closed date editor to ensure that fines do not accrue on those days we are closed. I should add that we usually are able to put this closed date into the system at least one day before the closed date. I am not sure if the closed date can be entered the same day and fines not accrue. Cristina It's been my experience that if you put the closed date in day-of, it does NOT affect the fines for that day. At least in our setup, the fines had already been charged for that day. There is a way to post-void the fines in batch through a back end process; ESI did it for us so I don't know the technical details. This is useful if, say, an item is due Monday, you're closed (unscheduled) Wednesday, and the item is returned on Thursday. In our system, we would want to charge fines for Tuesday Thursday but not Wednesday. They can be manually voided in the patron billing statement, but it's asking a lot of front line staff to do that (especially if it's a patron with multiple overdues). Perhaps an Unscheduled Closing option in the future that will trigger those post-voids, suspend notices (as Yamil mentioned in OP), add an extra day to hold-shelf expirys, etc.? Two cents. A. Andrea Buntz Neiman, MLS Librarian II, Public Services Kent County Public Library 408 High Street Chestertown, MD 21620 410-778-3636 x2115 www.kentcountylibrary.org On 4/24/2013 3:21 PM, chtrot...@ocrl.org wrote: -- Cristina Hernandez Trotter Head of Reference Dept. and Heritage Center Oconee Regional Library System 801 Bellevue Ave. Dublin, GA 31021 478-272-5710 (phone) 478-272-0524 (fax) www.ocrl.org -Original Message- From: open-ils-general-boun...@list.georgialibraries.org [mailto:open-ils- general-boun...@list.georgialibraries.org] On Behalf Of Yamil Suarez Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2013 4:31 PM To: General Evergreen List Subject: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] What should be done during unexpected library closings? Hello, I wanted to ask the community what steps are normally taken when a library has to unexpectedly close. For my library this happens a couple of times a year because of snow storms. I already use amnesty mode when the library opens up again. I was thinking of also temporarily disabling overdue and pre-overdue notices during the unexpected closings too, so that patrons are not told to return items when the library is temporarily closed. Should I instead add an entry to theclosed dates editor instead? Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance, yamil
