Original_To:  JNET%"uramage@usouthal"
Original_cc:  SCHNEITE
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.notis-l
Date:         Tue, 21 Jul 1992 07:46:32 CST
Comments:     Resent-From: Pat Ramage <URAMAGE@USOUTHAL>
Comments:     Originally-From: TOM SCHNEITER <SCHNEITE@IUBACS>
From:         "Pat Ramage" <URAMAGE@USOUTHAL.BITNET>
Subject:      Another 5.2 list
Comments: To: circ1@maillist.BITNET, notcirc1@maillist.BITNET,
              NOTIS/DOBIS discussion group list <NOTIS-L@TCSVM.BITNET>

This document describes enhancements to the patron charges index.
Please send comments to the Rewrite/Oversight Committee:  Bruce Hulse,
HULSE@WRLCVM; Ed Moeller, 70523.250@compuserve.com; or Tom Schneiter,
SCHNEITE@IUBACS.

Again, apologies for possible duplicate mailings.

Pat Ramage
Chair, NOTIS Circ SIG
Systems Librarian/LIB1
University of South Alabama Libraries
Mobile, AL 36688
205-460-7021




----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Attached below is the enhancement list for the Patron Charges Index for
distribution to the Circulation SIG and NOTIS-L.  I would be glad to answer
any questions you have about this.

Tom Schneiter/CIRC1/5.2 Circ Oversight Committee
Indiana University Libraries, Bloomington IN 47405
SCHNEITE@IUBACS.BITNET/812-855-2304/FAX:()855-8229
************************************************************************
          PATRON CHARGES INDEX ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS
                        (HAS Command)

           5.2 Circulation SIG Oversight Committee
                       **JUNE, 1992**

1. CONTENTS OF DISPLAY

A.STATEMENT: Hourly loans should include the DUE TIME on the
patron charge index.

     RATIONALE: More complete information aids helping users
     and identifying abusers.  Currently, only the DATE due
     appears on the HAS display.

B.STATEMENT: HAS screen should have "Screen x of y" on each
screen.

     RATIONALE: Multiple screens are confusing without
     reference points; many users have hundreds of items
     charged at any given time.  There is a limit of 20
     entries for each screen of the index display.

C.STATEMENT: OVERDUE items should have message "OVERDUE;"
LOST items should have message "LOST."  (See also Bill and
Fine list)

     RATIONALE: Overdue and Lost are two very different
     situations and should be separated; currently, each
     item record has to be looked at to determine which
     items are overdue and which are part of the billing
     process.  Overdue items have not yet reached the
     billing stage. (See also 1.D., following)

D.STATEMENT: TRACKING information should be retained in the
patron charge index, as well as in the item record,
INCLUDING the correct notation for the activity to which it
is attached.

     RATIONALE: Library users who allow material to get to
     the billing stage carry little indication of the
     specific level of abuse of privileges they have engaged
     in, as far as the HAS screen is concerned; the items
     involved merely carry the notation OVERDUE/LOST.  This
     message applies to the item that is one day overdue,
     billed, or claimed to have been returned.  Notation on
     the charge index display should be: OVERDUE, BILLED,
     CLM RET.  Even OVERDUE, LOST, MSG1 would be an
     improvement over the current terminology.

E.STATEMENT: UNLINKED item records should display CALL
NUMBER in addition to item ID number, if no title
information is in the record.

     RATIONALE: HAS display gives little usable information
     when title information was not included in unlinked
     item records.  When an inquiry or renewal request is
     made, it's difficult to locate the record in question
     from HAS screen.

F.STATEMENT: HOLDS should display like recalls on the
charging patron's charge index.

     RATIONALE: Currently, only recalls display.  It would
     be helpful to have information on holds placed against
     material charged to a patron, particularly at those
     sites which place holds only.

G.STATEMENT: Add ITEMS AVAILABLE to the charge index for the
patron for whom the item is being held.

     RATIONALE: Many library users miss the opportunity to
     pick up material being held for them because they
     receive the printed notice after they have visited the
     library where it is held.  This is especially important
     for non-residential campuses, but all libraries receive
     requests daily for this information (eg., "Do I have
     anything on hold?").

2. FUNCTIONALITY

A.STATEMENT: Add the capability to go to the COPY HOLDINGS
SCREEN from the item record obtained by selection from the
patron charge index.

     RATIONALE: A frequent question at the circulation desk
     is, "Do you have other copies?" It should be possible
     to go from the patron charge index to the holdings
     display AND BACK AGAIN.

B.STATEMENT: Add capability to qualify HAS command by PATRON
ID NUMBER and by CHARGING SERVICE UNIT CODE.

     RATIONALE: Qualifying by patron barcode, formatted as
     LPPX HAS 2XXXXXXXXXXXXX, would save keystrokes
     associated with searching for a patron record, then
     issuing HAS command.  For patrons with multiple patron
     ID numbers, such as faculty members with proxy
     borrowers, it also would be helpful to be able to
     select from the patron charges index only those items
     charged to a particular patron ID number of several
     attached to that patron record. Qualifying by service
     unit code when issuing HAS command at the patron record
     display would provide a list of material charged out to
     that patron at that service unit, thus giving immediate
     access to the items most likely to be in question.

C.STATEMENT: Add capability to issue a PRINT command at a
patron charge index display which would result in a
formatted list of charged material, including: author,
title, call number, item ID, date due.  The printed list
should be created in REAL TIME at a printer attached to the
circulation workstation.

     RATIONALE: This enhancement would satisfy the frequent
     need at most libraries to produce a printed list of
     everything an individual library user has charged out,
     without requiring that each item record be printed.
     The formatting should be along the lines of what
     appears on a bill or overdue notice, and should NOT be
     hard to understand (like an item record is to the
     average user).

D.STATEMENT: Add capability to move directly to a BILL
RECORD from an item in the patron charge index that has been
billed.  It should also be possible to move back to the HAS
display by issuing a simple command, such as HAS.

     RATIONALE: This added functionality would result in a
     saving of many keystrokes in a common operation.  The
     benefit would be improved service and simpler training
     for staff.

E.STATEMENT: Add capability to update an ITEM RECORD
retrieved from the patron charge index.

     RATIONALE: This is a much-needed addition, especially
     for manipulating records charged to pseudopatrons for
     processing activities.

F.STATEMENT: Add a space preceding each entry on index
desplay that would accommodate a single letter code
affecting the status of an item record, much like the code
that can be entered on the PBIL summary screen.  Use of the
codes would be controlled through operator security profiles
in an LSYS transaction.

     RATIONALE: Much interest exists among NOTIS customers
     in seeing a major change in the billing operation.
     An accommodation that allowed update of the status of
     an item in the patron charges index that would change
     an active charge to an active billed item is a highly
     desirable enhancement.  Possible codes are: B=Billed;
     M=Missing; L=Lost; C=Claimed Returned; R=Renew (See
     2.G., following). (See also Bill and Fine Enhancement
     Requests)

G.STATEMENT: Make it possible to perform a GLOBAL RENEWAL of
items listed on the patron charges index screen (HAS).  This
would be accomplished by the use of Patron Charges Index
Enhancement 2.F, with a code R=Renew.  This code would be
entered in front of individual items to be renewed; it
should also be possible to issue a command (RENEW ALL) from
the HAS display that would renew all items currently charged
by the patron from that service unit, or from any service
unit that has courtesy charge with the renewing service
unit.  Appropriate circulation messages would display for
individual items, just as if the renewal had been attempted
from a standard charge screen.

     RATIONALE: All NOTIS libraries that perform renewals
     have expressed the need for a global renewal function.
     By expanding the functionality of the patron charges
     index to allow selection of items to be renewed from
     the HAS screen, as well as a blanket renewal
     capability, efficient use of staff time and improved
     patron service would be accomplished.


Tom Schneiter
(on behalf of the Circulation SIG 5.2 Oversight Committee)
Indiana University Libraries
Bloomington, IN 47405
(812)855-2304/ FAX: (812)855-8229
SCHNEITE@IUBACS.BITNET
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU