Procedure Manual

Circulation Related Procedures

Application Card Updates/Changes ...101.2

If a patron already has a card and wishes to do one of the following he/she needs only fill out the signature and date section of a new application card:

• Add a proxy
• Add internet access to a juvenile card
• Get a replacement card due to a damaged card or a card that will not scan (Staff are to fill out the No. section, print the patron’s name on top left of application card, and write the current expiration date on the new application card.)

If a patron already has a card, the following is a list for which the patron needs to fill out a whole new application card:

• Lost card
• Expired Card
• Address/Phone Number Change
• Name Change
• Patron Type Change

The following are the only statements that staff may write on the top front of the application card:

• 1st, 2nd, 3rd Replacement
• Proxy Only
• Internet Only
• Update Expired
• Address Change
• Name Change
• Patron Type Change (J to A, A to O)
• Damaged Card

Issuing ...101.3

Step 1 – the Temporary Card

Patrons will initially be issued a Temporary Card that will be valid for 30 days and will allow the patron to have a total of three items checked out at any given time.

A. Patrons 18 and older must present proper identification: valid picture I.D. listing date of birth and current address. Social security number is optional. Patron must complete a yellow Application Card. If a patron cannot write, he or she may make an X and someone else, including staff, may complete the card.

B. Children under 18 must have the signature of a custodial parent or legal guardian. (Parent or guardian must present picture I.D. and a piece of personal mail postmarked within the past two weeks). If the parent or legal guardian already has a card, it must be in good standing (fines under $5.00) for the juvenile to get a card. The parent must complete the juvenile Application Card. If the parent legal guardian does not have a card, staff should offer them the opportunity to apply for a library card. Both the juvenile and the responsible party must be present when the card is issued.

C. If the patron has a temporary address such as a shelter, campground, hotel, or rehabilitation center, borrowing privileges will be limited to a maximum of three (3) items at any given time until the patron is able to provide proof of permanent address. A patron in this situation may renew his/her temporary card for a maximum of ninety (90) days. If a permanent address has not been obtained by the end of the 90-day period, borrowing privileges will be suspended. Please note that this is the only situation in which a temporary card may be renewed in this manner.

D. Patron must fill out an Address Verification Postcard with their name and current address. Check to make sure the address on the postcard matches the address provided on the Application Card. The Address Verification Postcard will be mailed to the patron. The patron will be issued a Permanent Library Card once he/she presents the postmarked card to the Circulation Desk.

E. Procedure for issuing the Temporary Card:

1. Check the patron’s name in the Circulation Database to determine that the patron does not already have an account. If no account exists, continue the process of issuing a Temporary Card. If the patron already has an account, the following rules apply:

a. If a patron needs a replacement for a temporary card, and he/she is in good standing, a replacement temporary card may be obtained for a fee of $1.00 for the first replacement and $5.00 for the 2nd replacement and every one after that. The patron must pay any utstanding fines before the replacement card can be issued.

b. Items must be returned and all fines must be paid before a new card can be issued.

c. A new application card and Address Verification Postcard must be filled out for replacement temporary cards.

1. Create patron account using a temporary library card.
2. Have the patron address the Address Verification Postcard and return it to you.
3. Verify that the addresses on the application and the postcard are the same.
4. Write the patron’s name, library location, and expiration date on a temporary card. Explain to the patron how the new card process works including the limit of a total of three (3) items checked out system wide at any one time.
5. File the application cards alphabetically by the patron’s last name in the New Card bin.
6. The patron will receive a permanent library card and full borrowing privileges upon returning the postmarked postcard and photo identification to the location where he/she applied for the card. The patron must return the temporary card so that staff may shred and discard it.

Step 2 – The Permanent Card

A. The Permanent Card will be made when the postmarked Address Verification Postcard is presented by the patron.

B. Accurately record all information into the Circulation Database.

1. Verify the spelling of the patron's name. Include Jr. Sr. I, II, etc.
2. Verify that the birth date is present and has been recorded accurately in circulation.
3. If a social security number is provided, verify its accuracy in circulation. Also be sure the social security number is listed in the alternate I.D. field.
4. All patron records should have a type, A-adult or J-juvenile.
5. All patron records must indicate a gender.
6. Verify that the address and phone number are present and recorded accurately in circulation. If patron does not have a phone, make sure the phone field states "NO PHONE."
7. If a proxy is listed on the application card, check that the proxy has been recorded in the field in circulation.
8. Verify that all information on the patron record is in CAPITAL LETTERS and that no periods have been used in the name or address.
9. If the card is a replacement card verify that the 1st or 2nd replacement card has been marked in the patron record.
10. If the patron is a juvenile verify that his/her responsible party is listed.
11. When making a juvenile card, go to the “Patron Record”, “Basic Info” tab and scan the guardian's barcode in the “responsible party” field. Then click on the set button and then click on “save.” If the “responsible party” does not have a PPL library card, offer to make one for him/her. Please note that a “responsible party” is not required to have a PPL library card in order to sign as the “responsible party” for a juvenile. After issuing a permanent library card, the clerk should inform the patron how many items can be checked out at one time. The limit is 25 items total per card. There is a limit of 5 videos (system wide) per ADULT card. A list of library hours should also be given to the patron.
12. When the Permanent Card is issued, the Temporary Card must be destroyed.

C. If the Address Verification Postcard is returned with a bad address notice:

a. Verify that the information was entered correctly

b. Block the patron’s account

c. The patron must complete a new Address Verification Postcard

d. A permanent card will not be issued until a valid Address Verification Postcard is presented

Expired - Almost Expired ...101.4

• Expired adult account – patron needs to show valid picture I.D. and must complete new application card for renewal. Expired juvenile account - responsible party must complete new application card for juvenile.
  • Staff must write “Update Expired” at the top front of the new application card. (See section 101.2).
• Almost expired - treat like a current card; Adult – patron needs to show valid picture I.D. and verbally verify information. Juvenile - patron can verbally verify information after providing date of birth or phone number.

Replacement ........101.5

If a patron needs a replacement card, the patron must present valid picture I.D. with current address and date of birth and fill out a new application card.

• If the old card is still in good standing the patron must pay $1.00 for 1st replacement and $5.00 for the 2nd (3rd, 4th, etc.) replacement card. This replacement fee must be paid before issuing replacement card.
• All fines must be paid and all overdue items returned before issuing a replacement card.
• Staff must write 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Replacement on the top front of the new application card. (See Section 101.2) The replacement number also needs to be marked in the “Patron Fields” tab in the “replacement card” value of the “Patron Record” tab.

The patron must pay for a lost card, except for a stolen purse/wallet, fire, tornado, flood, etc. staff should do the following:

• Ask for police report, fire report, insurance claim, etc.
• Upon viewing report staff do not charge for replacement card or mark replacement in “Patron Fields.”
• If stolen, staff must type in comment area in the “Basic Info” tab “CARD STOLEN (279770005604023) 6/10/04 EB/NB.” in capital letters. This ensures that another person will not use the card.

Check in Date – Overriding ..102.1

The override check in date/time button should be used after a holiday/closing and while checking in the morning book drop. To override the check in date do the following:

1. Check/click the "Override Check In Date/Time" box.
2. Enter the override password.
3. The check in box will turn red.
4. Enter the last date open. (06/17/2004). The year must be 4 digits.
5. Enter the time as 8:00 a.m.

To turn off the override check in date, uncheck the “Override Check In Date/Time checkbox

Amounts/Limits .103.1

Agency -$10.00 (Can only be waived by the Director)

Book Drop - $1.00

Copies - $0.10 a page

Damaged - $3.00 or Price of the item (see 106.5)

Disks - $1.00 for Floppy Disk, $15.00 for Zip Disk

Fax - PER PAGE $2.00 to send, $1.00 to receive, $6.00 to send outside the U.S.

ILL - $5.00 for non-pickup, $1.00 a day overdue, $50.00 plus price of item for lost,$3.00 for missing white band and bar code (see section 105.1 subsection I)

Lost - Price of the item

Overdue - $0.10 a day, $1.00 day for Videos/DVDs

Replacement Card - $1.00 for First Replacement, $5.00 thereafter

The maximum fine balance for an adult card is $5.00.

The maximum fine balance for a juvenile card is $3.00.

Accidental Waive/Tender ....103.2

If a fine is accidentally waived/tendered, the employee needs to initial the receipt and have their supervisor or the lead person initial it. A note should be left in the moneybag or cash drawer explaining that the deposit will be short and by what amount. Do not reenter the fine.

Fine Code Explanations .......103.3

• A - Agency - For Collection Agency charges
• BD - Book Drop - For videos being placed in the book drop
• CP - Copies - For payment of printouts
• D - Damaged - For damaged item charges
• DISK - Disks - For floppy or zip disk purchase
• FX - Fax - Fax charges
• ILL - Interlibrary Loan - Charges related to ILL items
• L - Lost - If an item is lost and charged to a patron’s account
• LH - Local History - Fees for research, etc. in the Local History Department
• M - Misc. - For discarded items, bad check charges, plastic book bags
• OV - Overdue - For item overdue charges
• RC - Replacement Card - For replacement card charges

Paying with a Check ............103.4

• Checks must be made out to Portsmouth Public Library
• The staff member who accepts the check must put their initials and branch initials on the upper left hand corner of the front of the check.
• Staff members who accept checks must endorse the check by stamping it with the Portsmouth Public Library stamp.
• The check should then be placed in the money bag/cash drawer.

Tendering ...........103.5

• Always offer the patron a receipt upon completion of a transaction.
• If a patron wishes to pay a fine click on the “charges” tab of the patron record.
• If the patron wishes to pay for the whole account balance, be certain that the exact amount being tendered is visible in the “amount to tender” box, and then click on the “balloon pay/waive” button.
• If the patron wishes to only pay for some of their charges, click an item the patron wishes to pay on in the “All charges for current patron” box when that item is highlighted, enter the amount he/she wishes to pay (if it is not the full amount) in the “Tender” box on the right side of the charges tab, then click the “individual pay/waive.” Repeat this for each item the patron wishes to pay for.
• If a patron wants to pay for a certain amount but not the whole amount or on any specific item, then enter the amount to be paid in the “amount to tender” box, and click the “balloon pay/waive” button.

Waiving ..............103.6

• Only a supervisor or staff member with an override password may waive fines.
• Reasons for waiving, a fine include: Items found on the shelf, accidental charge, items checked out on a card that is almost expired, benefit of the doubt. Remember reasons for waiving a fine are at the discretion of your direct supervisor.
• When waiving an account balance click on the charges tab of the patron’s record.
• If you wish to waive the whole account balance, then click in the “amount to waive” box in the “patron’s total balance” section (make sure the “amount to tender” box contains 0.00) enter the total to be waived. Then click the “balloon pay/waive” button. Put the receipt in the money drawer/bag. (The receipt needs to be paper-clipped to the fines report and sent to the Deputy Clerk Treasurer.)

Email Address Information ..104.2

If a patron would like to be contacted via email with holds notifications and overdue notices, he/she may add his/her email address to his/her circulation account.

To add an email address to a circulation account, go to the patron's account and click on patron record. Type the address in the email field and click SAVE. Next, go to the patron's phone number field. Beside the patron's phone number add /email. For example, the patron's phone number field will now read 555-5555/email. This allows staff to know a patron has been notified by email when a holds slip is printed and they do not need to call him/her again.

When a hold arrives for a patron that has been notified via email simply put it on the holds shelf for 3 days.