User Interaction

These preferences control the level of interaction that operators have with the program and what additional content is displayed.

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Circulation Window

• Display Patron Lexile. When checked, a patron's Lexile measurement is displayed (if provided in the patron Lexile tab) in the Current Patron section of the Circulation window, Alexandria Researcher, etcetera; for more information, please review Alexandria Lexiles. If you have privacy issues concerning a patron's lexile information being displayed on the Circulation window, leave this box unchecked.

• Display Patron Reading Level. When checked, a patron's reading level is displayed (if provided in the patron Personal Info tab) in the Current Patron section of the Circulation window, Alexandria Researcher, etcetera; for more information, please review the Reading Level field in the Personal Info tab of the Patrons Management window. If you have privacy issues concerning a patron's reading level information being displayed on the Circulation window, leave this box unchecked.

• Display Copy Condition. When checked, the copy’s condition is displayed in the Current Item pane of the Circulation window, Alexandria Researcher, etcetera; for more information, please review the copy Condition field in the Copy Info subtab of the Items Management window. Condition codes are created and maintained in the Condition Codes preferences window.

• Display Item Reading Level. When checked, the copy’s reading level will be displayed, if available. The level used will be determined by your Library's reading system.

• Preferred Study Program. This drop down contains a list of Reading Study Programs you library currently uses.

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Check Out Options

These settings are sometimes useful when your site has need of separate Workstations—some that only allow bookdrop and others that only allow check out. However, the Self-Service module serves these needs far better.

The Check Out Options dropdown menu allows you to change the default functionality and customize the behavior of the Check Out mode. You have three options:

• Allow check in during check out. The default selection; this option allows items belonging to the current patron to be bookdropped when the Circulation window is in Check Out mode.

• Allow check in with confirmation during check out. If selected, the program will not allow an item (or items) belonging to the current patron to be bookdropped or renewed during Check Out mode without operator confirmation.

• Don't allow check in during check out. If selected, the program will not allow items belonging to the current patron to be bookdropped or renewed when the Circulation window is in Check Out mode. For example, if you attempt to bookdrop an item that a patron currently has checked out, or you mistakenly scan the item barcode twice during the original transaction, you will be informed that boodrops aren't allowed during checkout.

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Patron Alerts

These preferences configure patron alerts for overdue items, in-stock holds, and upcoming reservations; if you would like an alarm sound to occur when a patron with charges (i.e. fines) is made current, make sure the Alert When Fines Exceed setting in your Patron Check Out Policies is properly configured.

• Enable Patron Alerts on Overdue Items. When checked, an alert message and sound will occur when a patron with overdue items is made current.

• Enable Patron Alerts on In-Stock Holds. When checked, an alert message and sound will occur when a patron with available in-stock holds is made current.

• Enable Patron Alerts for Upcoming Reservations. When checked, an alert message and sound will occur when a patron with upcoming reservations is made current.

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Circulation Rules

These preferences configure general circulation settings for, among other things, holds, reservations, and charges.

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Holds Settings

• Email Librarian on On-Shelf Hold. When checked, Alexandria will use the Email address(es) specified in the Sites Management window to notify operators when a Hold (placed on an item from the Researcher) is changed to an On-Shelf Hold. Notifications are not emailed to operators when an item status changes to On-Shelf as a result of a Bookdrop from the Circulation window; operators are typically aware when this happens.

• Allow Renewals When Holds Are Pending. When checked, patrons are allowed to renew items which have hold requests pending from other patrons.

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Overdue Settings

• Charge Overdue Fines on Lost Items. When checked, overdue fines continue to accumulate on lost items up to the Maximum Fine for an Overdue Item set in your Patron Policy Overdue preferences. To stop fees from accumulating on a particular lost item, Remove the copy or assign it to the Discarded System Patron. Hide Overdue Payment Window in Bookdrop Mode ( )—When checked, if the Circulation window is in Bookdrop (B) mode, a patron is automatically fined (without requiring operator interaction) when an overdue book is returned.

• Returned Lost Item Fee. Check this box if you'd like to withhold a monetary portion of the fine amount refunded to a patron when a lost item has been found.

• Returned Lost Item Fee Amount. Specify the monetary amount to withhold when refunding a fine for a lost item that has been found

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Reservation Settings

Days to Look Ahead When Checking Out Reservations—This setting allows you to enter the number of days prior to a reservation's requested start date needed to prepare an item for reservation. This way, items with reservations can (a) be available for general circulation X number of days before their scheduled reservation start date, and (b) fulfill their requesting patron's reservation. During check in, if an item reservation is detected within this adjacent “days ahead” time period, Alexandria will notify the current operator. The “GG” and “GPP” circulation commands also take this setting into account before allowing you to check out an item that has a reservation. Regardless of your policies, when an item with a reservation is checked out to the requesting patron, the item due date will always be the reservation end date. The default “days to look ahead” value is set to 5.

• Days to Look Ahead for Reservation Notice. Enter the number of days that Alexandria looks ahead before emailing upcoming reservation notifications (above); default is 4 days.

• Email Librarian on Reservation. When checked, Alexandria will use the Email address(es) specified in the Sites Management window to notify operator(s) when a patron places a reservation on an item.

• Notify of Upcoming Reservations. Send email notifications to patrons with upcoming reservations.

• Allow Reservations to Begin on Closed Dates. When checked, patrons are allowed to place a Reservation that begins on a Closed calendar day (e.g. Saturday or Sunday). This is the first day that an item can be picked up or checked out.

• Allow Reservations to End on Closed Dates. When checked, patrons are allowed to place a Reservation that ends on a Closed calendar day (e.g. Saturday or Sunday).

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