Renewing Items with the Telephone Renewal System

If your library uses the Telephone Renewal System (TRS), patrons can renew their own items using an automated voice messaging system. For more information, see an overview of how to start a session or flowcharts that illustrate the workflow and system response.

Renewing Items: Overview

To renew items via TRS:

1. The patron starts a TRS session by calling your library's telephone renewal number.
2. The patron opts to renew items. The system prompts the patron either to renew items or to hear a list of checked-out items.
3. The system proceeds as appropriate:
   • If the patron chooses to hear a list of checked-out items, the system reads each item's barcode and due date and indicates whether the item can be renewed.

     Determining Whether an Item Can Be Renewed

     The Telephone Renewal System uses the same criteria as standard Circulation, plus the Patron can renew own items OPAC option to determine whether an item can be renewed. If the system encounters a condition that would require staff override, the system blocks the renewal and directs the patron to contact the library.

   • If the patron chooses to renew items, the system determines how many items the patron has checked out, and how many of those items can be renewed, and proceeds accordingly:
     
     

     If the Patron Has:	The System:
     One checked-out, non-renewable item	Does not renew the item and informs the patron of the failed renewal.
     One checked-out, renewable item	Renews the item and informs the patron that the renewal was successful.
     More than one checked-out item	Prompts the patron either to renew all of their items or to specify an item to renew. If the patron chooses to renew all items, the system attempts to renew each item and informs the patron of each successful or failed renewal. If the patron chooses to renew items individually, the system prompts the patron to enter the item's barcode. The system then attempts to renew the item and informs the patron whether the item was renewed. If your library has specified an item barcode substitution character and the item barcode contains the letter you specified, patrons can press the "*" key in place of the character. Otherwise, patrons cannot enter item barcodes that contain letters.

     Updating Renewed Items

     When an item is renewed via the Telephone Renewal System, the system makes the same updates as when an item is renewed in standard Circulation. For more information, see How Sierra Updates Records Upon Renewal.

For more information, see the flowcharts below.

After renewing items, the patron can end the session by hanging up the phone or use the Telephone Renewal System to access account information.

Renewing Items: Flowcharts

The flowcharts below illustrate the workflow involved in renewing items via TRS. They also list the file name of the message that the system plays for each response.

Renew Main Menu

The diagram below describes how the system responds after a patron has started a session and chosen to renew items.

Renew Submenu

The following diagram describes how the system responds if the patron chooses to renew items and has more than one renewable item.

Renewing Items Individually

The following diagram describes how the system responds if the patron chooses to renew items, has more than one renewable item, and opts to renew items individually instead of renewing all checked-out items.

Renewal Confirmation Menu (No Renewable Items)

The following diagram describes how the system responds after attempting to renew all of the patron's checked-out items.