Temporary Items
Use these settings to establish a “temporary item” barcode range. Any item loaned using a temporary item barcode number is considered a “temporary” check out—but only if that number hasn't been previously assigned to a patron or an item.
A temporary item check out requires a barcode number that falls within this specified Beginning / Ending Barcode Number range:
- Beginning Temporary Barcode Number. Enter the first number of the barcode range that you want dedicated to temporary items. Default is 90000000.
- Ending Temporary Barcode Number. Enter the last number of the barcode range you want dedicated to temporary items. Default is 99999999.
- Default Temporary Item Policy. Select the default policy that Alexandria will use when calculating due dates and fines for temporary items. Review your Policies preferences for more information on Standard Item and System Item policies. Default is Standard Item.
You can use “temporary” check outs to keep track of items in your library that can be loaned, but don't want part of your permanent collection. For example, you may want to track when newspapers, brochures, magazines, and other items are loaned and returned, but not inventory them due to their limited shelf life.
Temporary items are checked in and out the same as other items; they may be renewed and they can even elicit overdue fines. However, once the temporary item is checked back in, the transaction record and temporary item (barcode) information is removed from Alexandria without a trace.
While they are checked out, temporary items may appear in Loaned Item reports, Patron Overdue Lists, Charges and Overdue Fines, and Lost Copies reports. However, because they are not inventoried, they will not show on Inventory reports or Shelf List Cards reports. Additionally, a temporary item can never be found when searching your catalog. If you find that your “temporary” items circulate frequently, it may be better to permanently catalog them; otherwise information about them will need to be re-entered from scratch each time they are loaned.
There are several ways to check out temporary items:
- You can prepare several temporary item check out cards with barcode numbers taken from your temporary barcode range (see above). When a temporary item is checked out, attach one of these cards. When the item is returned, remove the card and return it to the stack of temporary item check out cards to be reused for other temporary items.
- Another way to perform temporary checks out is to place a temporary item barcode number on all temporary items that might be checked out. The barcode is then used only for that item, but never permanently entered into Alexandria. For example, as newspapers are received daily, place a new temporary barcode label on them.