From: SCHNEITE@UCS.INDIANA.EDU (TOM SCHNEITER)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.notis-l
Subject: RE: Carrel charges
Date: 29 Sep 92 15:03:15 GMT
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Comments: To: notis-l@tcsvm.bitnet

***From:         Stephen Davis <daviss@CUNIXF.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU>
***Subject:      Charging books to carrels

>One of our last sites to come up on circulation wants:
>
>	--to charge books to carrels
>	--to have the OPAC display the actual carrel number
>	--to have NOTIS carry information about which carrels are assigned
>	to which patrons, via a patron record link of some kind
>	--to allow desk staff to readily see from staff side exactly which
>carrel an item is charged to (so they can direct readers to that
>	carrel)

(They want a lot.)

>After tossing around different options, we're currently investigating using a
>subrecord of the "owning" patron's record, with a dummy ID that incorporates
>the carrel number and a luis message field that also displays the carrel
>number.

>Has anyone tried this sort of thing who's willing to admit to it?

>==============================================================================
>Stephen Davis				email:  daviss@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu

The Research Collections of Indiana University Libraries, the largest
single service unit in our 8-campus system, has had great success with its
method of carrel charging.  Prior to beginning NOTIS circulation, we created
a patron record for each of our 800+ carrels and faculty studies, putting the
carrel number in the NAME field and the current "owner" of the carrel in the
address field.  The LUIS message field contains the message, "Charged to
CARREL xxxxxx. To place recalls, inquire at desk."  The OPAC user is able
to peruse the material at the carrel or to place a recall; the recall
notice arrives with the appropriate date interval and is addressed to the
carrel holder.  If the item isn't returned by the recall due date, the
overdue notice prompts circulation staff to retrieve the item and discharge
it from the carrel.  All carrel loans are indefinite, and the carrel holder
MUST bring the item to the service unit desk if he/she wants to switch to a
personal charge.  Carrel charges are not desensitized, so they cannot leave
the building.

If a carrel holder suspects that books are missing from the carrel, it is a
simple matter to print the HAS index screens to provide a list for
reference.  Staff can find the name of the carrel holder easily, but access
is by the carrel number, rather than by the name of the person who "owns"
it.  Carrel "Patron" IDs are kept in the stacks office for charging purposes;
a carrel charge flag is filled out by the holder and left in books on the
carrel.  Staff go through the carrels to find new charges and take care of
the charging process away from the circulation desk, at a staff workstation
located in a non-public area of the stacks.  The collection itself
comprises 6 stories in an 11-story building.

This process was labor-intensive to set up, but the ensuing year-and-a-half
of use have been no problem.  A student was trained to create the patron
records, so it was a fairly inexpensive process that took a couple of
weeks.

Tom Schneiter/CIRC1/NOTIS 5.1
Indiana University Libraries, Bloomington IN 47405
SCHNEITE@IUBACS.BITNET/812-855-2304/FAX:()855-8229
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU