[LM_NET] Patrons with outstanding fines & overdues

["Magnus, Zoe" <ZMagnus@SUMMER.COM>]

Hi All

We've been discussing how best to handle patrons with outstanding fines & overdues 
at the end of the school year and in September.

The most efficient way to update student records in September is to delete all 
existing students and reimport using SASI data.  This means that circ data 
(including overdues and fines) will not be carried over from the previous school 
year.

There are a couple of solutions to this:

1) During import of SASI data, a pop-up message in Insignia can alert district 
staff when a student has outstanding fines and overdues.  District staff can choose 
to skip this patron.  These patrons can then be moved in to a special grade (eg: 
Grade 99).  After import of student data, library staff at each school can move 
patrons from Grade 99 into correct grade and homeroom.

OR

2) Library staff can print and file overdue list or letters for items outstanding 
at the end of June and re-enter circ data in patron records in September.  In 
addition to this procedure, Mary Waddell (SLMS) uses the patron warning feature to 
remind library staff about patrons who have chronic overdues etc.  She records 
payment information in the check out notes when a student pays for a lost copy.  
This generates a message to library staff if a lost item is put back into 
circulation.

OR

3) Library staff can forgive overdue items and outstanding fines at end of June.  
Status of overdue items should be changed from Out to Lost.  If an item shows up 
later its status will return to In once the item is checked in.

Options 2 and 3 are less labour intensive than option 1.  Schools using options 2 
and 3 retain control over their circ data and site management of missing and 
overdue items.

Contact IMC staff  for more information about managing fines and overdue items at 
the end of the school year.

Zoë



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