Defining Loan Periods

Due date calculation is based on settings in both the patron record and item record, as well as the policies and schedule of the lending library. Polaris Administration tables define patron codes and item loan period codes, and determine the relationships between them. At check-out, the system links the item and patron records and determines which settings to use when calculating the due date.

Patron codes and item loan period codes are shared by all libraries to facilitate lending and receiving items anywhere in the system. However, each branch in the system can establish different policies concerning loan durations for specific patron and item code combinations.

Important:
You set which branch’s policies are used in due date calculation with the system-level Patron Services parameter Consortium Circulation. See: Configuring the PowerPAC Title Display.

The settings used to calculate due dates are established when Polaris is first installed, but you can change them when a library or branch is added to the system, or when lending policies change. After you set up the criteria that affect due dates, you can set up fines for overdue items. See Defining Fines and Fees.