Checking Out a Booked Item

Use the Check-Out: Authorization required to set due date to overlap booking circulation option to determine the staff allowed to override bookings (all, none, or those with a specific permission).

If your library set the Check-Out: Authorization required to set due date to overlap booking circulation option to "Allow all to set due date to overlap booking," you must be assigned permission 92 (Override hold blocks) to override a booking. If your library set that option to "Enter the password level required," you must be authorized for the password that the library specified and assigned permission 92 (Override hold blocks).

When you try to check out a booked item, Sierra determines whether the current checkout will overlap the existing booking period, and whether the patron checking out the item is the same as the patron who booked the item, and prompts you accordingly:

Checkout Does Not Overlap Booking
Checkout Overlaps Booking by Another Patron
Checkout Overlaps Booking by the Same Patron

Checkout Does Not Overlap Booking

A checkout and a booking period do not overlap if one of the following conditions is met:

The due date for the current checkout expires before the booking begins. For example, the checkout expires 12-09-07 and the booking period begins 12-10-07 at 4:00 pm; or the checkout expires 12-10-07 at 3:30 pm and the booking period begins 12-10-07 at 4:00 pm.
The due date for the current checkout expires at the exact date and time the booking begins. For example, the checkout expires 12-10-07 at 4:00 pm and the booking period begins 12-10-07 at 4:00 pm.

If the current checkout and existing booking period do not overlap, the system displays the booking information before it allows you to check out the item. For example:

Item booked by Smith, Holly .p1106843 for Tu 05-02-04 to F 05-12-04.

Identifying the Patron for Whom an Item was Booked

The setting of the Holds/Bookings: Display Patron Name and/or Record Number circulation option determines what information displays to identify the patron for whom the item was booked.

Checkout Overlaps Booking By Another Patron

To override a booking, you must be assigned permission 92 (Override hold blocks). See Permissions Used by Sierra for more information.

If another patron has booked the item and the current checkout overlaps the beginning of the booking period, Sierra asks if you want to override the booking. For example:

Item booked by Anderson, Dave .p1503342 for Su 02-20-04 to Su 02-27-04. Override booking?

To continue without overriding the booking, choose Do Not Override. To override the booking, choose OVERRIDE. After you choose OVERRIDE, the system suggests a due date.

To continue without checking out the item, choose Cancel. To accept the given due date and check out the item, choose OK. To modify the due date, enter a new date or time and then choose OK.

Identifying the Patron for Whom an Item was Booked

The setting of the Holds/Bookings: Display Patron Name and/or Record Number circulation option determines what information displays to identify the patron for whom the item was booked.

Calculating Suggested Due Dates

Sierra uses the following criteria to determine which due date it suggests:

Booking has already begun: The system suggests a due date of one hour in the future (hourly loans) or the next day (daily loans).
Booking has not begun: The system suggests a due date of one hour (hourly loans) or one day (daily loans) before the booking period begins.

The current setting of the Check-Out: Authorization required to set due date to overlap booking circulation option determines the system's response after you select OK:

Option Setting	System Response
Prevent all from setting due date to overlap booking	The system does not accept any due date that you enter. You cannot override the booking and you must choose Cancel to return to the Check-Out tab.
Allow all to set due date to overlap booking	The system allows you to modify the due date and then check out the item to the patron. The override is recorded in the circulation override file.
Enter the password level required	The system allows you to modify the due date but prompts you to provide additional authorization before it checks out the item to the patron. If you are assigned permission(s) for the specified function, you can use the OVERRIDE button to override the booking and check out the item to the patron. The override is recorded in the circulation override file. If you are not assigned permission for that function or if you select the Do Not Override button, the system prompts: Sorry. You are not authorized to overlap booking. Choose OK to enter a new due date.

Checkout Overlaps Booking by the Same Patron

If the patron checking out an item is the same patron for whom that item is next booked, and the checkout and booking periods overlap, the checkout satisfies the booking. The system enables the checkout and prompts you to use the date in the Wanted To field of the booking as the due date for the checkout:

Patron has booked item until M 11/16. Use booking date as duedate?

To use the booking date as the due date, choose Yes. To use the due date as determined by the relevant loan rule for checking out this item, choose No.

Note that the system does not remove the booking from the item and patron records when checking the item out. For more information on clearing expired and cancelled bookings, see Clearing Cancelled and Expired Bookings.