Patron Services Parameters Reference

Account transaction deletion

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether finished transactions older than a specified period are deleted from the patron’s transaction summary. Double-click to display the Finished Transaction deletion setup dialog box. See Setting Patron Accounting Options. This setting also determines how long certain patron account data from deleted patron records is saved for cash reports. See Retaining Financial Information for Deleted Patron Records.

Accrued fine options

System

Determines whether to include claimed items and/or lost items in estimated accrued fine calculations; determines whether to include estimated accrued fines in blocking calculations. See Calculating and Blocking for Estimated Accrued Fines.

Associated patron options

System, Library, Branch

Sets a limit on the number of records that can be associated with one patron record, specifies the defaults for whether primary patrons are allowed to pick up held items for their associated patrons, and whether the primary patron is blocked when associated patrons are blocked. See Associated Patron Blocking.

Check-in: auto-charge fine from item work form and find tool context menu

System, Library, Branch

Determines whether overdue fines are automatically charged to the patron account when overdue items are checked in from the Item workform, the Find Tool context menu, or the Patron Status workform - Items Out view. When the parameter is set to Yes and an overdue item is checked in, the fine is automatically charged to the patron account. If the overdue item can fill an active hold request, the hold request message appears and the staff member takes action on the hold request message. (When the parameter is set to Yes and a billed item is checked in, the Resolve lost/billed item dialog box appears, the staff member resolves the billed charges, and the item is checked in. If the billed item can fill a request, the hold request message appears before the Resolve lost/billed item dialog box. The staff member takes action on the hold request message first.) If the parameter is set to No, the Check In - Fine dialog box appears when the item is overdue, and the staff member resolves the fine accordingly. However, if the item can fill a hold request, the hold request message always appears first.

Check-in: Listview options

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which optional columns (Title, Material Type, Patron Name) appear on the Check In workform’s Items Checked In list for the Normal view and Bulk view. See Setting Up the Check In Workform.

Check-in: Prompt for in-transit in bulk mode

System, Library, Branch

Applies to bulk check-in. Items assigned to another branch are automatically given a status of In-transit when checked in. This parameter specifies if a message notifies the user of the In-transit status when an item is checked in at a branch other than the assigned branch.

Check-in: Prompt for in-transit in normal mode

System, Library, Branch

Applies to normal check-in. Specifies if a prompt appears when an item is checked in at a branch other than the assigned branch. The prompt offers the choice of changing the item’s status to In-transit to its assigned branch, or changing the item’s status to In.

Check-in: Receipt options

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which fields appear on the check-in receipt. See Setting Up Circulation Receipts.

Check-out: Charge options

System, Library, Branch

Sets policies for charging for check-out and/or renewal. See Charging for Checkout and Renewal.

Defines the number of items an enabled patron can check out in addition to the total item limit defined in the Patron/Material Type Loan Limit Blocks policy table.

See "Increasing Check-out Limits by Branch" in the Leap help for more information about this feature.

Check-out: Listview options

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which optional item information columns appear on the Check Out workform. See Setting Up the Check Out Workform.

Check-out: Optional patron data

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which optional patron data fields appear on the Check Out and Patron Status workform. See Setting Up the Check Out Workform.

Check-out: Receipt options

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which optional fields appear on the check-out receipt. Also specifies if receipts are printed after a prompt and whether Leap checkouts prompt for eReceipt options for patrons who do not receive eReceipts. See Setting Up Circulation Receipts.

Check-out: Require format selection when checking out integrated eContent

System, Library, and Branch

Specifies whether patrons are required to select the format when checking out integrated eContent titles in the PowerPAC and Mobile PAC.

Check-out: warn if item is from another branch

System, Library, Branch

Determines whether this message is displayed when you attempt to check out an item that belongs to another branch: This item is assigned to ‘Branch X.' Do you want to continue with this transaction?

Check-out: warn to send item in-transit

System, Library, Branch

Applicable when the parameter Check-out: warn if item is from another branch is set to Yes and the staff member chooses No (do not continue with the check-out transaction). Determines whether this subsequent message is displayed: Do you want to put this item in transit to ‘Branch X?’

Claims: Number patron can have at one time

System, Library, Branch

If a patron claims that she never had an item or that she returned an item, and a claim is added to her record, this setting determines how many claims she can have before Polaris blocks her account. These include only the claims still on the patron’s record, not items that have been recovered.

Claims: Total number allowed

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the maximum number of resolved and unresolved claims a patron is allowed. If a patron accumulates the maximum number of claims, Polaris blocks the patron from borrowing any more items. Maximum claims include current claims and all the old claimed items that have since been found.

Collection agency options

System, Library, Branch

Defines the conditions and methods for sending delinquent account information to a collection agency. Double-click Collection agency optionsto display the Collection Agency Setup dialog box. See Using a Collection Agency.

Consortium circulation

System

Specifies the governing library (transacting branch, item’s assigned branch, patron’s branch) to use for due date calculation, loan and request limits, fine calculation, and lost item recovery. Double-click Consortium circulation to display the Consortium Circulation dialog box. See Governing Library for Circulation Transactions.

Course reserve options

System, Library, Branch

Defines the default settings for the reserve item “record,” which stores circulation, status, and disposition information about an item that has been placed on course reserve. Double-click Course reserve options to display the Course Reserve dialog box. See Setting Up Course Reserves.

Credit for overpayment

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether an overpayment on a patron account can be applied to the account as a credit. See Setting Patron Accounting Options.

Days not fineable

System, Library, Branch

Identifies the days of the week for which fines are not charged on an overdue item. For example, a library decides to designate Sunday as a “day not fineable” because the library is closed. If an item is due on Saturday and returned on Monday, fines are not charged for Sunday.

To select days for which overdue fines are not charged, double-click Days not fineable to display the No Fine Day(s) dialog box. Then select the checkbox for each day to be omitted for overdue fines, and select OK.

Distributed waives

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether a specific amount can be deducted from each of several selected charges on a patron’s account. See Setting Patron Accounting Options.

Due date truncated: Prompt

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether a message is displayed at circulation when a due date is changed automatically according to the number of hold requests for an item (see Defining Hold Processing Options), or for an end-of term due date setting (see Setting End-of-Term Due Dates).

Duplication detection options

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which, if any, additional patron record fields are checked for matching criteria during patron duplicate detection. Double-click Duplicate detection options to display the Duplicate detection options dialog box. See Setting Patron Duplicate Detection.

End-of-term due date options

System, Library, Branch

Specifies one or more due dates for items. This feature allows libraries to prevent the circulation of items after a certain date, such as the end of a school term. After the date has passed, items can circulate again. Double-click End-of-term due date options to display the End-of-term due date options dialog box. See Setting End-of-Term Due Dates.

EReceipt options

System, Library, Branch

Enables eReceipts (e-mail and/or text message receipts) so that patrons can receive these instead of printed check-out, renewal, and fine receipts. See Setting Up eReceipts.

Express patron registration options

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the values that automatically appear in fields on the Express Registration workform upon express patron record creation. Double-click Express patron registration options to display the Express patron registration options dialog box. See Setting Express Registration Defaults and Requirements.

Fine and loan period defaults

System, Library, Branch

Specifies default fine and loan period values to use when a new fine or loan period code is created. See Setting Up Course Reserves and Set SIP self-check parameters.

Fine receipt options

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which optional fields appear on the fine receipt, and whether a receipt is printed for waived charges. See Setting Up Circulation Receipts.

Fine receipts: Print duplicate receipt

System, Library, Branch

If fine receipts are printed, this setting specifies whether duplicate fine receipts are also printed, which may be required by library policy. See Set fine receipt options.

Floating options

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether floating collections processing is enabled. At the System level, specifies limits on items that can float by collection or title/material type. See Setting Up Floating Collections.

Free days (bulk)

System, Library, Branch

Identifies the default number of days omitted from overdue fine calculations at bulk check-in and when uploading offline transaction files (Bookmobile workform). This setting also determines free days A value applied at normal and bulk check-in, renewal, and offline that allows you to omit a specified number of days from the overdue fine calculation. for check-in and renewal from the Patron Status workform - Items out view, the item record, Find Tool, and during check-out when an item already checked out to one patron is checked out to another. See Calculating Overdue Fines.

Free days (normal)

System, Library, Branch

Identifies the default number of days omitted from overdue fine calculations at normal check-in. Free days are used to cover unexpected closings when books might be checked in late, and the library does not want to charge overdues for the unexpected down time. See Calculating Overdue Fines.

Hold slip options

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which optional fields appear on the hold slip. See Setting Up Circulation Receipts.

Holds call slip: enable

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether a specially formatted hold call slip is available. This slip includes extended information, and can be folded to conceal patron information. See Setting Up Circulation Receipts.

Holds pickup slip options

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether a specially formatted hold pickup slip is available. This slip is formatted for libraries that let patrons pick up their own held items. Specifies which optional fields appear on the hold pickup slip and the number of blank lines to place at the right ride of the hold pickup slip. See Setting Up Circulation Receipts.

Hours of operation

System, Library, Branch

Identifies the days closed and hours opened for the organization. Double-click Hours of operation to display the Hours of Operation dialog box. You can also make these settings on the branch workform (select Tools, Define Hours of Operation). To set specific dates closed, such as January 1, 2010, see Identifying Dates Closed.

In-transit slip options

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether a requesting patron’s name is printed on the in-transit slip, whether the destination branch’s full name or an abbreviation is printed, and whether the in-transit and pickup slips are to be combined. See Setting Up Circulation Receipts.

Items out receipt options

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the optional information to include on the printed Items Out list, available from the Patron Status workform - Items Out view. See Set Items Out receipt options.

Last use patron display

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether the link to the previous borrower’s record is available, and whether the patron’s barcode is displayed, on the Item Record workform - Circulation view. Privacy policies at the library may restrict displaying who had an item after the item is returned.

Lost item charge options

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether an item’s status is changed to lost when the item is billed for overdue fines (system level only); whether overdue fines are charged to the patron’s account if you set billed items to be declared lost automatically; whether overdue fines are charged to the patron’s account when an item is declared lost; or whether overdue fines are instead calculated when a lost item is returned. See Overdue Fines on Lost Items.

Lost item recovery

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the automatic actions to take when lost items are recovered at check-out, normal check-in, and bulk check-in. Certain settings also apply to offline circulation and Polaris ExpressCheck. When you set automatic default processing options, staff do not need to resolve lost items manually when they are recovered at circulation. See Setting Lost Item Recovery Defaults.

Updates the circulation status of Lost items to either Missing or Withdrawn based on the amount of time they have been lost. See Set up lost item transition to missing or withdrawn.

Material type groups

System

Specifies groups of material types and sets check-out limits on a selected groups for specified patron codes. See Defining Material Type Group Limits.

Offline (Automated): Client workstations: Continue on error

Specifies whether to continue or stop the automatic offline process if an error is encountered when pulling transactions from a workstation. If this parameter is set to Yes, the process continues even if an error is encountered, such as the workstation is offline or the .TRN path is invalid, and the job cannot pick up the .TRN files.

Offline (Automated): Directory where offline TRN files are stored

Specifies the directory where the offline TRN files are gathered and stored on the client workstation.

Offline (Automated): Enable automatic offline uploading

Offline (Automated): Polaris user for automatic upload process

Offline (Automated): Send offline upload log report to email address

Specifies the email addresses of users who receive the log reports. (If the job runs and no email address has been entered at the branch, library, or system level, the logs will still be produced, but they will not be emailed.) You can enter one or multiple email addresses, not to exceed 255 characters total. If multiple email addresses are entered, they must be separated by semicolons.

Offline: Include patron account balance

Determines whether the patron account balance is included in the offline MDB files. (It does not affect offline circulation operations.

Offline: trap holds at check-in

System, Library, Branch

Determines whether eligible items are trapped An item is said to be trapped for a hold when an item that fills a request is scanned at circulation and the system links the item to a specific request, either automatically or by displaying a message that prompts you for a decision. for holds when an offline file with check-in transactions is uploaded. See Setting Up Offline Circulation for Manual Uploading, "Holds Processing at Upload".

ORS packing list

System, Library, Branch

Specifies header and rating line text for outreach services packing lists where reader ratings are enabled. See Setting Up Reader Ratings.

ORS reading history

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the length of time a title is kept in an Outreach Services patron’s reading history, and the maximum number of titles the history can contain. See Setting Up Outreach Services.

ORS automatically print packing list

System, Library, Branch

Determines whether the packing list is automatically printed when items are checked out for outreach services patrons. See Setting Up Reader Ratings.

ORS: Include other library items in selection list processing

System, Library, Branch

Used in outreach services processing. When this parameter is set to Yes, items belonging to the libraries in the ORS: Included Branches policy table are candidates for selection list processing when staff members choose Default branches to select items. The staff member can also choose Any to include items from any branch in the system. When the parameter is set to No, the table is ignored and the Default branches and Any options are not available. Only items belonging to the logged-in branch are selection list candidates. For more information about setting the ORS: Included Branches policy table, see Set branch items to include in outreach selection lists. For more information about all Polaris Administration settings that affect outreach services processing, see Setting Up Outreach Services.

ORS: Prompt for update during normal check-out

System, Library, Branch

Displays a prompt to update the next service date for an active ORS patron during normal check out.

Outreach title rating enabled

System, Library, Branch

Determines whether reader ratings for titles can be added to an outreach services patron record (Patron Status workform -Reader Services view). See Setting Up Reader Ratings.

Overdues: # of days until long overdue

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the number of days to count from the day the item becomes overdue until the item becomes “long overdue.” Polaris uses the threshold to increment the long overdue counter.

Overdues: Add closed days/dates to grace days

System

Specifies whether to include closed days and dates in your system’s grace period calculations. See Grace Periods.

Overdues: Block for long overdue items

System, Library, Branch

Specifies whether a check-out is interrupted if the patron has any borrowed items with the long overdue status. The time interval that makes an item long overdue is specified by the Overdues: # of days until long overdue parameter

Overdues: Charge fines for claimed items

System

Specifies whether an overdue fine is charged if an item with the status Claim Returned or Claim Never Had is checked in or checked out.

Specifies whether Polaris charges overdue fines on closed dates.

Note: Closed dates are configured in the Dates Closed policy table. See Dates Closed Policy Table. For more information about how Polaris calculates overdue fines, see Calculating Overdue Fines.

Overdues: Clear fine if recovered at check-out
(System)

System

Specifies whether an overdue fine is automatically waived if the item is “recovered” during a check-out.

System

Specifies whether an overdue fine is waived automatically for an overdue item if the patron is renewing the item.

If a dollar amount above $0.00 is set, the overdue fine balance in all patron accounts cannot exceed this amount.

See Circulation Permissions Reference.

Overnight loan period

System, Library, Branch

Indicates that the library automatically permits overnight loans for hourly loans (less than 24 hours) due after the library’s closing time. Double-click Overnight loan period to display the Overnight Loan Period dialog box. To permit automatic overnight loans, select the Allow automatic overnight loan checkbox. To make overnight loans due later than the library’s opening time, input hours or minutes in the time period boxes (Time after opening when item is due). Select OK to submit your settings. See Hourly Loans.

Patron delete options

System, Library, Branch

Defines whether and how Polaris automatically deletes patron records in batch processing. With this parameter, you also set the thresholds for exceptional conditions to block patron record deletion. Double-click Patron delete options to display the Patron delete options dialog box. See Setting Options for Deleting Patron Records.

Patron message text: Configure

System, Library, Branch

Defines available messages for posting to specific patron records and provides the ability to translate the messages into languages licensed for Polaris PowerPAC. See Setting Up Patron Messages.

Patron message text: Expiration period

System, Library, Branch

Sets the standard posting period (1-99 days) for messages that have been posted to specific patron records. See Setting Up Patron Messages.

Patron registration: Filter patron codes

System, Library, Branch

Specifies which patron codes, as defined in the Patron Codes policy table, are available for selection in the organization's workforms. See Defining Patron Codes.

Patron registration options

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the values, if any, that automatically appear in fields on the Patron Registration workform upon patron record creation. Double-click to display the Patron registration options dialog box. See Setting Patron Registration Required Fields and Defaults.

Quick-circ: material type

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the default material type setting for new quick-circ item records. See Circulating Ephemeral Items.

Reading history

System, Library, Branch

Identifies how patron reading histories are maintained in Polaris. Double-click to display the Reading History Setup dialog box. See Setting Reading History Options.

Applies to Leap.
If the Enable reading history box is selected, in the Reading History Setup dialog box, the Reading History link appears in the More menu on the Patron Registration workform in Leap. If the checkbox is not selected, the link does not appear.

Registration fee options

System, Library, Branch

Specifies the registration fees, if any, for specific patron codes. The fee is applied automatically at the time of registration or renewal, and the patron account is blocked until the charge is paid.

Double-click to display the Registration Fee Options dialog box. See Charging for Patron Registration.

Remove patron ID from circ transactions

System, Library, Branch

Purges patron identification information from transaction records and item record histories after a specified time period. See Removing Patron ID Information from Transaction Files.

Specifies whether automatic renewals are performed. Automatic renewals are completed as part of the Notices Processing SQL job. When the job runs, it automatically renews eligible items for which the item's assigned branch has the Renewal: Auto-renew parameter set to Yes. A patron's items will be auto-renewed based on the number of days specified in the Notice options, Reminders setting for the patron's registered branch. See Automatic Renewal Process.

Renewal: Block if there are holds

System

Displays a block message when a renewal attempt is made on an item that is out and there are requests for the title. Staff with the required permissions can renew the item, or the renewal can be canceled.

When set to Yes, the block message is always displayed when there are requests for the title. When set to No, the block message is displayed only when the item being renewed is the only item available to fill the request. If other holdable and potentially eligible items are In, no dialog box appears and the item can be renewed. See Allow renewals for items with hold requests.

Determines how Polaris calculates due dates for renewals.

When set to No, the system calculates the due date for renewals by adding the loan period to today's date. When set to Yes, the system calculates the due date by adding the loan period to the due date.

Note: This parameter does not apply to automatic renewals. Due dates for auto-renewals are calculated by adding the loan period to the due date. For information about auto-renewals, see Automatic Renewal Process.

Replacement fee options

System, Library, Branch

Defines how the replacement cost and processing fees are calculated for each material type when a patron is charged for replacing a lost or damaged item.

Double-click to display the Replacement Fee Defaults dialog box. See Setting Replacement Fee Defaults.

Shelving status options

System, library, branch

When an item is returned to its assigned branch and checked in, the item’s circulation status becomes In even though the item may not be immediately returned to the shelf. Use this parameter to enable a shelving status description and, for each material type, set a period of time during which the checked-in item’s In status is displayed as Shelving (or another appropriate description). See Setting Shelving Status.

Standard loan period

System, Library, Branch

Defines the loan period that the system, library, or branch uses during offline circulation, when there is no access to the database to determine the loan period.

Undefined fine amount

System

Defines the fine amount that the system uses when the fine cannot be determined, perhaps because a patron code has not been defined. This value is also used to automatically populate the tables if a new branch or patron code is added.

Undefined loan period

System

Defines the loan period that the system uses when the loan period cannot be determined, perhaps because a patron or item code has not been defined. Polaris displays a message at check-out if the undefined loan period is being used. Staff members can use the undefined loan period or set a loan period manually, using the Special Loan Period dialog box. This value is also used to automatically populate the appropriate tables if a new branch or patron code is added.

Waive All displays

System, Library, Branch

Determines whether the Waive All icon and shortcut key are available for use from the Patron Status workform - Account view. See Setting Patron Accounting Options.

WAM Block if Patron has stops

System, Library, Branch

For libraries that use Wireless Access Manager (WAM) software. Determines whether patrons whose accounts are blocked can use wireless access. When you set this parameter to Yes at the branch level, it applies to patrons registered at that branch no matter where the blocked patron tries to use wireless access. That is, even if the blocked patron tries to use wireless access at a branch that sets this parameter to No, the patron cannot use wireless access at that branch.