How Sierra Calculates the Due Date for a Renewal
When an item is renewed successfully, Sierra extends the item's loan period. The system calculates the new loan period as follows:
- Determines which loan rule to use, based on the setting of the Renewals: Check loanrule at time of renewal circulation option:
- If the option is set to "NO", the system uses the loan rule assigned at the time of the original checkout (specified in the item record's LOANRULE field).
- If the option is set to "YES", the system checks the Loan Rule Determiner table and recomputes which loan rule currently applies to the patron and item. If the applicable loan rule has changed, the system updates the value in the LOANRULE field and uses the new loan rule's parameters for the renewal.
- Determines which loan rule element to use in calculating the renewal period. The number of previous renewals, indicated in the item record's # RENEWALS field, determines which loan rule element controls the calculation of the new loan period.
- If the item has not been renewed by this patron (that is, the item record's # RENEWALS field is zero), the system uses the loan rule's First Renewal Period element as the renewal period.
- If the item has been renewed at least once, the system uses the Additional Renewal Period element of the loan rule as the renewal period. Sierra continues to use the Additional Renewal Period value for the all subsequent renewals, until the renewal is blocked.
Additional Renewals under Absolute Loan Rules
When you renew an item under a code A (absolute date) loan rule three or more times, the system extends the loan period by one year for each renewal.
- Determines whether to add the renewal period to the renewal date or the current due date. To do so, the system checks the value of the Renewals: New due date is computed circulation option.
- If the option is set to "FROM RENEWAL DATE", or if you are renewing an overdue item, the system adds the renewal period to the current date.
- If the option is set to "FROM DUE DATE", the system adds the renewal period to the value in the item's DUE DATE field.
Automatic renewals always add the renewal period to the value in the item's DUE DATE field.