Patron

Note

Please click here for technical documentation.

The Patron document is used to create and maintain the contact information of patrons within OLE.

Title	Description
Patron ID	System-assigned unique ID
Barcode	Required. A unique sequence of numeric or alphanumeric characters printed on a label (also including an optical, machine-readable version of the number) attached to a patron ID card; used to identify the patron in the system for check-out or request transactions; can also serve as a patron login to "my account" functions from the library’s public user interface.
Patron Type	Required. Indicates a group of library patrons sharing the same service privileges; one of the primary determinants of loan periods, maximum limits, fine rates, etc.
Source	Identifies origin of the patron data
Statistical Category	An identifier as locally defined to fulfill reporting requirements
Activation Date	Date on which patron’s privileges became active.
Expiration Date	Date on which a patron’s privileges expire. The expiration date in a patron record can be null.
Active	Indicates whether this patron is active or inactive. Remove the check mark to deactivate.
Upload Image	Visual ID of the patron. Browse to find the image on your local machine. Click .

Contacts Tab

The Contacts tab contains the patron name and contact information. When you modify contact information to an existing patron record, the old tabs will display above the new. When adding lines to the Address, Phone or Email sub-tabs, enter information and then select the add button.

Note

Click Details to view and edit the address.

Patron Contacts Tab Definitions

Title	Description
Name Sub-Tab
Name Type	Defaults to Preferred.
Title	Form of address preceding a name, used in notices and messages addressed to patron
First Name	Required. Enter the patron’s first name
Middle Name	Optional. Enter the patron’s middle name
Last Name	Required. Enter the patron’s last name
Suffix	A descriptor following a name and providing additional information about a person; used in notices and messages addressed to patron
Address Sub-Tab
Address Type	Required. A descriptor identifying characteristics of an address; an address type must be assigned to any address.
Address Source	Required. A value that identifies the origin of a patron's address.
Valid From	The date at which an address becomes the preferred address for sending notices and patron bills.
Valid To	The date at which an address is no longer the preferred address for sending notices and patron bills.
Address Verified	Indicates whether or not the address is verified; when checking out an item to a patron with an unverified address, the operator will receive a prompt if no addresses have been verified.
Preferred Address	Indicates which address is used when sending notices and patron bills. Only one address can be the preferred address.
Active	Indicates whether this address is active or inactive. Remove the check mark to deactivate.
Line 1-3	A building name, street number, room number, "attn. of: [nnn]", etc. Three fields are available. Enter the address for the patron.
City	Enter the name of the city for this address
State	Select the state from the State list.
Postal Code	Enter the postal code for this address
Country	Select the country from the Country list
Phone Sub-Tab
Phone Type	A descriptor identifying the type of phone number. Each Phone number must have a type but you cannot use a type more than once.
Phone Number	Enter a phone number for the patron (only numeric characters).
Extension Number	Optional. Enter the phone number’s Extension
Country	Select the country from the Country list
Preferred Number	Indicates which phone number is preferred for contact. Only one phone number can be the preferred number.
Active	Indicates whether this phone number is active or inactive. Remove the check mark to deactivate.
Email Sub-Tab
Email Type	A descriptor identifying the general use/purpose of the email
Email	Required. Enter an email address for the patron.
Preferred Email	Indicates which email address is preferred for contact. Only one email address can be preferred.
Active	Indicates whether this email is active or inactive. Remove the check mark to deactivate.

Affiliation Tab

The Affiliation tab contains information on how a patron is affiliated and to which campus. When adding lines to the Affiliation tab, enter information and then select the add button.

Patron Affiliation Tab Definitions

Title	Description
Affiliation Type	Select the type of affiliation from the Affiliation Type list
Campus Code	Select the campus from the Campus List

Library Policies Tab

The Library Policies tab contains information about a patron’s privileges.

Patron Library Policies Tab Definitions

Title	Description
General Block	Flag to indicate if the patron is blocked for a reason not otherwise defined in the system; if flag is on, patron cannot checkout or request items.
General Block Note	A field allowing staff to explain why a general block has been placed on the patron record. Click the to expand the note field.
Delivery Privilege	Enables automatic physical delivery of requested items versus being required to pick up requested items from a pick-up location (i.e., a circulation desk).
Paging Privilege	Allows a patron to place a paging request.
Courtesy Notice	Allows the system to send courtesy notices (expired holds and pending due dates) only to those who request them. Note Courtesy notices can be sent systematically any number of times from the interval setting parameter COURTESY_NOTICE_INTER

Loaned Records, Requested Records and Temporary Circulation History Tabs

The Loaned Records, Requested Records, and the Temporary Circulation Historytabs allow you to review items linked to the patron. Each tab includes basic information about a title loaned to the patron as well as the due date. Click View all records to see the patron's loaned or requested items, or the patron's temporary Circulation History Record

Note

The Temporary Circulation History Records feature allows users to look up items they have checked out in the past. If privacy concerns trump the desire to offer this feature, a library can opt NOT to create a temporary circulation history.

Proxy Patron and Proxy For Tabs

The Proxy Patron tab allows you to identify another patron as a proxy for this patron as well as set activation and expiration dates for the proxy. When adding a proxy to the Proxy Patron tab, enter the patron and then select the add button.

The Proxy For tab will display the details of the proxied patron. This tab is not editable.

Patron Proxy Patron Tab Definitions

Title	Description
Barcode	System Assigned Unique ID. Enter the Patron who will act as the proxy or use the Patron Lookup .
First Name	Display only. Once the patron ID has been entered, this field will auto-populate.
Last Name	Display only. Once the patron ID has been entered, this field will auto-populate.
Barcode	Display only. Once the patron ID has been entered, this field will auto-populate.
Activation Date	Date on which the proxy patron becomes active.
Expiration Date	Date on which the proxy patron becomes inactive.

Local Identification Tab

The Local Identification tab allows you to further distinguish a patron’s connection to the library. When adding a local id to the Local Identification tab, enter the identification and then select the add button.

Patron Local Identification Tab Definitions

Title	Description
Local ID	Any identifier as locally defined to further identify the patron, e.g., any other alphanumeric ID used in the institution

Lost/Invalid Barcode Info Tab

A patron’s lost/invalid barcode number is tracked to prevent fraudulent use of lost or stolen ID cards. Users may update a patron’s barcode on the Overview tab. When this has been done, any expired barcodes will appear on the Expired/Updated Barcode tab with an Effective date.

To update a barcode:

Choose Update barcode at the bottom of the Patron record.
In the pop-up window, select a Reason from the dropdown list and add a Description.
Click Confirm to update the Patron record.
On the Patron record, enter a new barcode in the Overview tab.
Select Submit.

Process Overview

Patron Bills

From the Patron search screen, staff may view bills and accept payments from the Patron Bill link or create a bill from the Create Bill link.

Note

For more information about creating patron bills, see Patron Bill Payment

Click Patron Bill to view and accept payments for a patron.
Check the bill from the Bills tab or the line item from the Bills in Detail tab that the patron would like to pay.
Select the Payment Mode from the drop down list if you plan to accept a payment.
Enter the Pay Amount.
Click to receive a payment.
Click to forgive an amount.
Click when the charge was made in error.

When selecting cancel, error. or forgive, you must enter a note in the pop-up box and click ok. This note has a limit of 500 characters.

Business Rules

At a minimum, a patron MUST have the following data elements: last name, first name, borrower type, delivery privileges, paging privileges, affiliation, department, barcode, address, delivery preference, address verified , address (can be either a mail address, email or text; if a mail address), address source (required for each address of any type), courtesy notice preference
Any attempt to create a patron record without a required field will refresh the display with a message indicating the missing data element.
Expiration dates in a patron's record can be set to null.
If courtesy notices are not used by a library, these will be set to "No". If switched to Yes, these will only be produced when a special batch process is run.

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PatronChapter 3. Patron

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Patron
Chapter 3. Patron