approved by the MHLS Director's Association
|
MHLS
Resource Sharing Standards approved by the MHLS Director's Association |
Patron
Records | Circulation | Holds
| Inter Library Loan (ILL) Acquisitions &
Collection Development | Data Entry | OCIRC
Printing Notices | Management &
Reports Approved
procedures for action when standards are not followed
Items
preceded with this icon were added in the last update and should be followed as of April 1 2008. This document is updated
quarterly.
A. Manual stops should not be placed on a system-generated delinquency solely to "reinforce" the system-generated delinquency. Please note that patrons with a stop on their record are unable to participate in Request-A-Title (placing holds on materials from home). Do not use manual stops for any of the following reasons:
1. ILL awaiting pickup
2. Lost personal property
3. To reinforce a system-generated delinquency , which is generated automatically for fines $10 and above, and expired cards.B. Manual stops may be placed / removed by any library where the problem occurs or is rectified. It is up to the library director to designate what staff in their library that can perform this function. Examples are:
1. Patron has more than one card
2. Patron is not responding to noticesC. When a manual stop is placed on a patron's record, detailed information must be entered in the Patron Notes field, and should include the following:
1. date placed
2. library's name or three-letter code
3. the person placing the stop
4. details on the reason for the stop
D. Remove the notes and the manual stop once the situation is rectified. If a library encounters a situation where there are no notes on a manual stop then the stop should be removed.
A. Pop up messages should not be used to notify staff of overdue material or fines. The checked out items tab and fine tab will display red (and optionally sound) when a patron has an overdue item and/or fines. When items are checked in (especially in check-in - no patron) staff may not realize that the message or note should be removed. Any message placed on a patron's record should be removed when it has served its purpose.
B. When a Pop-up Message is placed on a patron's record, the following information should be included:
1. date placed
2. library's name or three-letter code
3. the person placing the message
4. details regarding the messageC. Reasons for placing a message include non-Millennium communications such as:
1. ILL awaiting pickup
2. Personal property left at the library
3. Instructions from patrons about use of their accountD. Patron Notes
1. The Notes field may be used for additional Patron Record information. Please be aware that Notes do not pop-up.
A. See instructions for entering patron records for the following:
1. Re-registration-Patron has a card but no longer lives in the same area of service.
2. Patron does not have a card and resides in the Mid Hudson Library System's area of service.
3. Patron has a card, but cannot find it.
4. Patron does not have a card and lives outside of Mid Hudson Library System's Area of Service.B. Check for a current record - In order to ensure that each patron in the system has only one card, it is imperative that a search be done against the Millennium database before a new card is issued. Search by all possible names to avoid issuing a duplicate card to a patron.
C. Identification and proof of residence:
1.Determine patrons home library by identification that includes proof of residence (Ex: license, lease agreement, utility bill etc.).
2. Determine responsibility of cardholder (Ex: parent for child, facility for group home individual, etc.)D. Patron registration: Any person living in an MHLS service area may obtain a card from any member library, providing the library codes the home library and town code correctly, and forwards the registration card to the appropriate library. Staff should not issue patron cards if the Patron Registration information is not fully entered in the database. The library that issues an incomplete card will be responsible for any lost items checked out to the card.
A. No library can assign VIP status to patrons not living in their library service area or is not a staff member or trustee. If you observe an abuse of the VIP status, notify the director or supervisor.
A. After proper ID has been shown, any library can update and re-authorize the information in an expired patron record. Current length of time for expiration is three years.
A. Any patron may be contacted by any physical address or e-mail in their record only for any Millennium based activity.
A. Only the patron's home library can link patrons.
A. Claims returned should be used as a last resort. The counter will be advanced by 1 for each item claimed returned. This cannot be removed after items are checked in. A system-generated note is added to the patron record which displays the item record number and the date the claim was made. This note is removed when the item is checked in.
B. Claims Returned for items belonging to other agencies: A library may NOT place a claims returned on any item that they do not own, regardless of where item is picked up. It is the responsibility of the patron to contact the owning agency regarding the missing material. The pickup agency may serve as a conduit to the contact, but is not required to do so.
A. The Replacement cost of an item will be the cost listed in the item record. If the library wishes to recover processing fees, those fees must be included in the item's price. Replacement fees are forwarded to the owning library.
B. If a patron offers to replace the missing or damaged item with a replacement copy at a library other than the owning library, that library must contact the owning library to see if they will accept a replacement copy. It should not be assumed that this is acceptable. Replacement copies must be forwarded to the owning agency.
C. Material was lost, paid for, and then found:
1.This situation is a local issue on whether the policy of the library is to accept the return of the lost item or not, or refund the money paid back to the patron or not.
A.Fines $25 and over owed to one library, must be sent to the owning library.
1. Should be forwarded to the originating library regardless of the amount. (Some examples include: fax fees, copy fees, fee for missing barcode, fee for missing case)
A. The renewal cannot be processed if:
1. owning library does not allow renewals of that item
2. your library's rules do not allow it
3. there is at least one open hold on that title
A. The delivery location must be printed in a large format at the top of the delivery slip and secured in the item. Do not use the location's 3 letter code.~Amendment approved at December 7, 2007 DA Meeting
B. When using two-sided routing slips, make sure the library name is crossed-off on the used side. Do not include patron personal information (ex: phone number).
A. Owning library must indicate the number of parts in the item - in M-message field of the item record. Without this indication missing pieces will be the responsibility of the owning library. An item checked in is considered accepted by the library that checks it in, and the library assumes responsibility for the condition. ~Amendment approved at November 11,, 2006 DA Meeting
B. Do a visual check before check-in. If the item is missing pieces or damaged, do NOT check the item in. See Missing Components Procedure.
C. It is the responsibility of the library, at check in and check out, to make sure all pieces are included.
D. The library that is checking in the item needs to make the first attempt to recover the missing parts by a phone call to the patron within 48 hours. The library that is checking in the item over their desk from the delivery box will call the last patron, regardless of whose patron it is, within 48 hours. ~Amendment approved at November 11,, 2006 DA Meeting
A. Permanently attached notes (including tape and stickers) may only be placed on an item by the owning library.
A. Loans can be extended on your own materials. Generally, if the item belongs to another library, you have to call the library to ask for permission. Exceptions: book clubs (as long as there is no demand for the title), 7-day books coming in for holds can be changed to 14 days.
B. Only directors or their designated representative(s) can override messages, to prevent abuse. The director is responsible for all overriding done at their library. ~Amendment approved at December 7, 2007 DA Meeting
A. Libraries should use Bibliographic level holds (Hold copy returned soonest) and not Item Level holds for faster service, excluding those with volumes. ~Approved at March 26, 2006 DA Meeting
A. There are no limits on the number of system holds a patron can place.
A. Items remain in "awaiting pickup" status for no longer than 7 business days (open days for individual library).
A. Libraries should own 1 holdable copy for each 4-7 holds; 2 copies for 8-14; 3 copies for 15-23 holds to be picked up at their location. These minimum purchases also apply to audiovisual material. In the case of DVDs, holds are considered by title not format (widescreen or full screen)
A. Items that are in transit to fill a hold cannot be rerouted. Only exception is when patron has made an error in choosing their pickup agency.
A. Only one hold can be placed by or for a patron on any single Bibliographic record unless that patron is administering a book discussion. For book discussions the override option can be used.
A. Be aware that any hold being sent to 'PATRN NAME: Mid-Hudson Library System-ILL-OCLC/ILL' is an out of area request, which will have an extended loan period in accordance with regional ILL lending procedures.
A. From time to time a library will request a title through ILL that was filled via OCLC by Mid-Hudson, and for whatever reason this title will become overdue. It is the prerogative of the owning/loaning library to determine if a renewal is allowed (many academic institutions do not allow renewals of ILLs); all Mid-Hudson ILL staff can do is make the renewal request. The owning/loaning library can then determine whether or not it wants to continue to loan to Mid-Hudson and its members while this overdue item is still outstanding.
1. Libraries that send out out-of-system requests to the Mid-Hudson IlL Department will be notified of overdues with a photocopy of the original request form.. When a Library receives such a notice it should attempt to recover the irem from the patron and contact theMid-Hudson Ill Department and see if a renewal is possible. Any questions about OCLC ILLs can be directed to the Mid-Hudson System ILL Department.~Amendment approved at March 4, 2008 DA MeetingB. MHLS will bill each library for each OCLC loan filled for their patrons. It is acceptable that libraries who are not passing the fee on to their own patrons, to charge patrons from other libraries for the service. As of September 1, 2007 this fee is suspended.
C.When a fee is charged by a lending library, MHLS will send and invoice for thoes items.
A. If you receive an ALA request form from a library outside of the MHLS or Seal Membership you can either ship the item at your own expense or contact the requesting agency and ask that the request be placed as an OCLC request, which will be processed by the MHLS ILL Department.
Acquisitions & Collection Development
A. Libraries should own 1 holdable copy for each 4-7 holds; 2 copies for 8-14; 3 copies for 15-23 holds to be picked up at their location. These minimum purchases also apply to audiovisual material. In the case of DVDs, holds are considered by title not format (widescreen or full screen)
A. Members should delete order records of items that have been canceled, so as to not create bib records or transfer carts for items that will never be brought into the system.
B. Order records will be removed and holds deleted if the order date is more than one year old, and funds are not encumbered.
A. Owning library must indicate the number of parts in the item in a pop-up item message or with a label by the barcode, such as "check for 6 tapes" or "check for 1 book and 1 tape".~ Approved at March 26, 2006 DA meeting
B. Owning library must indicate the number of parts in the item in message or with a label by the barcode, such as "check for 6 tapes" or "check for 1 book and 1 tape."
C.Multi-part items owned by the library should be labeled with the library name. ~Approved at May 2, 2006 meeting
A. items that come in seasons must stay together.
B. Motion pictures with separate original release dates and separate titles can have separate bib records. Exception: If it comes as a boxed set, you have the option to catalog as a set with a separate bib record for the set or break it up with a separate bib record for each item.
A. Should be reported to MHLS Cataloging & Database Maintenance Department by e-mail, fax or phone.
A. For Items that will not be available for holds call number should read "Local Copy - no holds"
A. Barcodes may not be placed over a title, and must be in a visible place (i.e. not underneath the item)
A. Uncorrected proofs and screening copies cannot be in the catalog because they are not in their release form, are not intended to be distributed to the public, and carry the same ISBN as their trade counterparts. (New from 4/13/mtg-needs DA Approval)
A. All libraries must have an up-to-date copy of the offline circulation client installed.
B. Currently, it should be used for only for offline checkout (not check-in or patron entry).
A. should be printed and filled at least once daily.
A. should be printed at least once daily.
A. should be printed at least once a week.
A. Libraries interested in sending accounts to collection need to create their own notice to send to patrons, to warn them before collection. Note that any patron in the system could get a collection notice from one of the few libraries that would initiate this.
A. Millennium passwords need to be changed regularly, at least every six months and always when you have had a staff member leave your employment.
B. Beginning in February of 2008, each library will maintain at least 3 sets of initials and passwords for Millennium. The passwords will have staggered levels of authority. The highest level will include the ability to override renewals and claim items returned. Only directors or those designated by the director may have access to this level. The Medium level will be used by most staff and the lowest level can be used with pages, volunteers, or new employees to limit access. ~Amendment approved at December 7, 2007 DA Meeting
A. Clearing Out Review Files
1. All review files should be cleared out when finished.
2. Any review files 30 days or older will be deleted.
May 4, 2001; revised August 28, September 5, September 21, October 26, 2001, February 14, 2002, March 23, August 2, 2003, August 9, 2004, March 7, 2005, February 3, 2006, June 1 2006, Jan 1, 2007, Jan 1, 2008, Apr 1, 2008
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