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Just got email? Here's what you can do!!

basically, go over all the options they have for communicating with their patrons using email

specify to set up email must have Admin > Email configured, the from/reply email will be the site address in Sites, and of course patrons must have emails in their record (use one of our SIS syncing services!).

Once your email is set up, you can decide if you want to turn on the preference "Enable Automatic Email Notifications” (http

://support.

companioncorp

goalexandria.com/

display/ALEX/Circulation+Settings). It currently sends quite a bit of automatic notices, which are all-or nothing (we’re hoping to offer more customization in the future). Then there are a bunch of email notice type reports (list a few examples, mention scheduling them), you can set up normal reports to email to you (especially nice when they are scheduled), and then our favorite of course is emailing Patron Details  

Letter text customizable...

…And I’m sure our Support Team can go into a lot more details if you need any help at all configuring the email in Alexandria.

(also see Using Automatic Email Notifications)

options in communicating w/ patrons

knowledge-base/email-notices-best-practices/



Communicating with everyone is essential when running a busy library, and email is usually the easiest route! Whether it's notifying patrons about holds that are ready to be picked up or letting a librarian know about upcoming reservations, Alexandria and Textbook Tracker offer a variety of notices.

There are two different kinds of email notices: those that are automatic and those that can be set up in Reports. Depending on your library's needs, you can use one or both. 


Requirements

In order for any email notice to work, you need to make sure several things are set up:

what to set up in Alex

  • Configure your Email Preferences.

    Configure your Email Preferences

    These can be accessed through Preferences > Setup > Email or /admin > Email.

  • Make sure

    at least one operator has a Primary Email on their record.?Patrons must have a Primary Email on their record to

    your patrons and operators have a Primary Email on their record so they can receive notifications and messages. Run a Patrons with No Email report to see who still needs to have an email added.

Tip
Open Links in New Window

Use GG4L or Clever to

manage

automatically update patron information, such as email addresses.


Automatic Email Notices

Some notices go out automatically when certain events happen in Alexandria or Textbook Tracker. Here are a few things to note about these:

  • Several notifications also require additional preferences to be set. 
Expand
titleHolds
Tip

These notices are Alexandria only.

NotificationRecipient
Trigger
Additional Preferences
Customizable
Customized Notice Text
Holds

Queue Hold

Patron
  • Librarian places a hold on an unavailable item through Circulation 
  • Patron places a hold on an unavailable item through Researcher 
No
PatronN/AN/A

On-Shelf Hold

Librarian
  • Patron places a hold on an available item through Researcher
('Email Librarian when an On-Shelf Hold is placed through Researcher' preference must also be turned on)This is being sent to the librarian immediately when the preference to 'Enable Automatic Email Notifications' is enabled along with the preference to 'Email
' and a patron places a hold on an available item through researcher

.

 

No
N/A

In-Stock Hold

Patron
  • Librarian bookdrops an on-shelf hold or hold queue item through Circulation, making it in-stock
Yes (
PatronN/A
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In-Stock Hold

)

Expired Queue Hold

Patron
  • Expired pending hold is automatically removed during daily

maintenanceWhen holds expire is controlled by the Days to Keep a Hold Request preference in Patron PoliciesNoReservationsReservation Placed
  • maintenance 

    Note

    Expired in-stock holds are not automatically removed. They stay until the item is bookdropped.

Patron
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Set hold expiration dates with the Days to keep a hold request in the queue preference in Patron Policies.

N/A
Expand
titleReservations
Tip

These notices are Alexandria only.

NotificationRecipientAdditional PreferencesCustomized Notice Text

Reservation Placed

Patron

Librarian

  • Librarian places a reservation through Circulation
  • Patron places a reservation through Researcher
Notice is being sent to the librarian at the

Patron

Librarian (at site that owns the reserved copy

when the Notify
Circulation preference is enabledYes (Reservation Notice and Reservation Placed (Advanced Bookings prefs - patron notice)

Holds

  • Queue Hold - Librarian.
Report Email Notifications

customize letter text

for the librarian to get a notice.

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Patron Notice: Reservation Notice and Reservation Placed

Librarian Notice: N/A

Reservation Upcoming

  • Sent when there are a certain number of days before the reservation start date
Patron
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Turn on Circulation Preferences > Circulation Rules > Notify Patron of Upcoming Reservations.

Use Circulation Preferences > Circulation Rules > Days to Look Ahead for Reservations to modify the number of days Alexandria looks ahead before emailing upcoming reservation notifications.

N/A

Reservation Removed

  • Librarian removes reservation through Circulation
  • Patron removes reservation through Patron Status (Researcher)
PatronN/A
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Reservation Removed

Reservation Return Request

  • Sent when there are a certain number of days before an Advanced Bookings reservation is due
Patron
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Use Advanced Bookings Preferences > Settings > Days Before Item Is Due to Send Out Notice to set the number of days before items are due to send the notice.

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Reservation Return Request

Expand
titleOverdues
Tip

These notices work for both Alexandria and Textbook Tracker.

NotificationRecipientAdditional PreferencesCustomized Notice Text

Overdue Item/Textbook

  • Checked out item or textbook becomes overdue
Patron
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Set transaction periods and hard due dates in Item Policies

Circulation Letter

Lost Item/Textbook

  • Overdue item or textbook is declared lost
Patron
Open Links in New Window

Use Item Policy > Overdue > Declare Lost When Overdue to set the time period after which overdue items will be declared lost.

N/A
Expand
titleCharges
Tip

These notices work for both Alexandria and Textbook Tracker.

NotificationRecipientCustomized Notice Text

Charge Incurred

  • Charge is incurred on the patron's account (overdues, overdue continuing to accrue, item being declared lost or discarded, manual charges from Circulation)
Note
If you make the charge manually in Circulation, you must check the option to email a receipt; charges made with the F and DL commands won't send a receipt/notice.
PatronN/A

Charge Paid

  • Charge is paid from Circulation and librarian checks the option to email a receipt
PatronN/A

Charge Forgiven

  • Charge is forgiven from Circulation and librarian checks the option to email a receipt
PatronN/A

Charge Refunded

  • Charge is refunded from Circulation and librarian checks the option to email a receipt
PatronN/A

Credit Added

  • Credit is added from Circulation and librarian checks the option to email a receipt
PatronN/A

Credit Refunded

  • Credit is refunded from Circulation and librarian checks the option to email a receipt
PatronN/A

Report Email Notices

Some notices are set up and sent through ReportsWith these, you can:

  • Use selections to be more specific about which patrons get a notice.
  • Customize the notice text. Some notices have default text that's determined by Circulation Letters, but it can still be edited while setting everything up.

ReportUseCirculation Letter Default
Alexandria and Textbook Tracker
Give patrons their login credentials and other important library informationAccount Access Information
Notify patrons whose accounts are expiring in the next 30 daysN/A
Send out a customizable email to a selection of patronsN/A

Email Patron Details to selected patrons

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You can also email or print Patron Details from Circulation.

N/A
Overdue Items Notice *Notify patrons who have items that are overdueCirculation Letter
Alexandria Only
Coming Due Items NoticeLet patrons know their items are due soonCirculation Letter
In-Stock Hold Notice Notify patrons when an in-stock hold is ready for them to pick upIn-Stock Hold
Lost Items Charge Notice Notify patrons who have unpaid lost items chargesCirculation Letter
Overdue Items and Unpaid Charges Notice *Notify patrons who have overdue items and/or unpaid chargesCirculation Letter
Severely Overdue Items Notice Notify patrons who have items that are severely overdueCirculation Letter
Unpaid Charges Notice *Notify patrons who have charges that haven't been paid yetCirculation Letter
Note

When using the Email format for these notices, you can choose whether to send the notice to only the Primary Email or all emails on selected patron records. This allows you to notify both patrons and parents/guardians if necessary.

If there are emails you want for reference but don’t want to use for notices, we recommend putting them in the General Notes section of patron records.

For automatic notices and other email notices, emails send to only the first email in the patron record (the Primary Email). 

list of notifications patrons get