RCLS Integrated Library System Handbook

Best Practice: RCLS ILS libraries should always check to make sure a user record does not already exist for a patron. Koha will alert you if it suspects a new patron duplicates a patron record already in the system, but it is best practice to check for an existing patron record before starting to add a new one.

[link to policy in Schedule A /mks]

Selecting a Patron Category

Appendix 4 of the RCLS ILS Handbook provides guidelines on the appropriate use of different patron categories. An abbreviated version is below. (Update when appendix is compiled. /mks)

Entering Patron Details

Do not place anything in the patron record that would be useful for identity theft: no Social Security numbers, no Driver's License numbers.

Names should be entered in mixed case format (not in ALL CAPS). The reason for this is that mixed case makes eye scanning a column of patron names slightly easier.

Date of birth needs to be entered as MM/DD/YYYY, or use the calendar widget to select the date. If a patron refuses to give an exact birth year, ask for a birth decade and use that as the year (for example: 1930, 1940, 1950, etc.). If the patron refuses to give a birth decade, use the year 1900 or 2000 depending on their approximate age.

The Main address is the address to which any mail regarding recent activity from the library would be sent. The Alternate address would be an alternate address the patron has indicated they reside when not active at an RCLS library. The alternate address would only be used for situations such as: a) a college student boarding in the RCLS area but maintaining a permanent residence elsewhere; b) a temporary resident who has a local RCLS mailing address as their main address but offers their permanent address as the alternate. For patrons with a PO box, put their PO box info into the main address and their physical address into the alternate address.

There are two address fields (Address and Address 2) to be used for one- and two-line mailing addresses. Please follow USPS conventions:

• Omit all punctuation marks
• Secondary address unit designators, such as APARTMENT or SUITE, should be entered on the same line as the street number and name
• The pound sign (#) should not be used as a secondary unit designator if the correct designation, such as APT or STE, is used
• If the pound sign (#) is used, there should be a space between the pound sign and the secondary number
• If a patron's PO box and physical address are located in the same city and zip code, you can place the street address in Address and the PO box in Address 2

A list of standard street abbreviations is available from the USPS website.

City, State, and Zip code are all free-text fields in Koha. Spell out the entire city name. Use the standard 2-letter USPS abbreviation for state. [There's an option to create a list of cities and towns that would prepopulate these fields, if helpful. /mks]

Use Primary phone for the number where the patron prefers to have the library call them. The automated call system will only use the Primary phone field. Use Secondary phone and Other phone for additional numbers, such as a work number or a non-local home number. Use the following format: (123)456-7890.

Primary email and all other email address fields require precise input and must include the @ character followed by the mail server domain.

Card numbers need to be scanned from the physical card being issued to the patron and entered in the add patron form section titled "Library management."

Category is chosen at the beginning this process but can be changed after the fact using the dropdown.

Sort 1 is a configurable Koha field. If your library policy is to limit patron access to public PCs running Envisionware, you can set the sort 1 value to "Internet Access" or "No Internet Access." Libraries that do not use Envisionware, or who do not enforce Envisionware limitations, do not need to use this field.

The account expiry date may be found in the section titled "Library setup." This will auto-populate with a date according to system-wide patron category settings. If it does not correspond with the date expected for the patron category being applied, or if your library has a specific expiration date policy, use the Calendar widget to select the appropriate date.

The "Library setup" section also includes two notes fields. Use Circulation note for notes that should appear within the staff interface at checkout. Use OPAC note for notes that should appear to the patron when they log into the public discovery layer.

Usernames and passwords are used by patrons to log in to Aspen Discovery, Libby (Overdrive), Envisionware, etc. These details are entered in the section titled "OPAC/Staff interface login." The barcode is automatically copied to the username field. Do not alter this value.

For the password, we recommend using a seven-character pattern: First two letters of the last name (first letter capitalized, second letter lowercase), last four digits of the primary phone number and an exclamation point.

For example, a starting password for patron with the last name Smith and a phone number of (845)555-7719 would be: Sm7719!

After providing this starting password, encourage patrons to change it to one of their choosing via Aspen Discovery.

Patron Circulation Notes

Circulation notes appear in red on a patron record during checkout or on the patron details page. Patron information that is permanent or long-standing should be entered as a Patron Record Circulation Note. Go to edit patron to add a patron note. Some uses for this field are outlined below:

Hold Pickup Permissions: Patrons may give permission to other patrons to pick up their holds. Create a Circulation Note on the patron record of both the proxy and the requester, indicating that Person X has permission to pickup holds for Person Y. When Person X appears at the checkout and asks for the items being held for Person Y, those items should be checked out on Person X’s card and staff should respond to a prompt to cancel the hold for Person Y.

Care Of Designation: A "Care Of" Circulation Note may be used to indicate the parent or guardian of a cardholder under 18 years of age. If the address of the guardian differs from that of the patron, add the guardian's address to the note.

Patron Messages

Patron Messages appear in red on a patron record during checkout or on the patron details page. Patron information that is temporary or which needs to be communicated only once should be entered as a Patron Message. Some uses for this field are outlined below:

Information Verification: Bounced email addresses, out-of-service phone numbers, or returned mail may indicate that patron information needs to be corrected. Messages of this type can be deleted when patron information has been updated.

Personal Item Left Behind: Patrons may leave library cards, clothing items, or other personal items at the library by mistake. Messages of this type can be deleted when the item is returned.

Password Recovery

If a user forgets their password, they can request a password reset through Aspen Discovery. This prompts an email to be sent where they will receive a special link to reset their password. Patrons must have a valid email address on file in Koha for this to work.

Staff users cannot see current patron passwords, but they can assign new ones if the patron requests it. 

Patron Privacy

Patron privacy is a feature in Koha that can allow a library patron to keep a historical record of all the titles they have ever checked out. Patrons can enable this feature in Aspen Discovery. That list of titles appears in the discovery layer as part of the user's My Account information. Keeping a charge history record involves allowing library patrons to make a choice and alerting them that these library records are subject to subpoena by a court order. Policy dictates that this choice should not be offered to library patrons under 18 years of age.  Aspen Discovery prevents YOUTH patrons from turning on their reading history.

Koha applies the default privacy settings when a patron account is created. These settings keep checkout history for 30 days until the batch_anonymize.pl script runs and anonymizes the circulation transaction. This setting is not changed unless patrons choose to save their reading history via Aspen Discovery.

You may change any user record field of an existing patron if they are currently a resident of your library district. If a patron has moved to your district from a different RCLS library district where they had been given a card, replace the following elements of the user record:

• Card number
• Library
• Municipality
• Internet Access
• All address fields

Before modifying the patron record, if they have outstanding bills or a blocked status at their prior library, they should resolve those issues first. If the user has their old card, it is recommended that you collect it from them and discard it.

Open the patron's account for editing and scroll down to the "Patron account flags" section. For more information, see:

Patron accounts should only be flagged with a lost card if a) the patron has reported their card lost or stolen and it has not been replaced yet, and b) if the patron does not want to continue receiving library services.

Before assigning a new barcode, make note of the old card number. If the patron uses Overdrive/Libby, the new barcode will need to be associated with their existing account via the Overdrive Marketplace. See this page for more details. Copy old barcode into message? Replaced on xx/xx/xxxx. Message can be deleted after an amount of time.

[The above section will no longer be necessary after we notify Overdrive to change authorization to Borrower # rather than barcode. This can happen a few months after migration. Section should be deleted after that time. /ac]

When a patron receives a new card, replace the card number with the new one and remove the lost card flag (if used).

Removing patron records from the system is something that will be done automatically each year based on patron inactivity. However, there may be occasions when you might need to remove a patron record before those scheduled purges. You cannot remove a patron record if the patron has items currently checked out, active holds, or an outstanding account balance.

By default, new library cards are set to expire after 120 months. Member libraries do have the option to have their resident cards expire in order to force patrons to visit the library. All libraries have their temporary, visitor, and teacher registrations set to expire after a certain period.

Once a patron's account expires, their login authentication to Aspen Discovery and to services like Overdrive and Envisionware will not work.

If a patron account is within 30 days of expiration, Aspen Discovery will display a message telling the patron to contact their library for a renewal.

The meaning of each restriction is explained below:

• BLOCKED - Patron has an outstanding account balance due that exceeds the $10.00 threshold. Checkout can proceed only with an override password; online logins (Overdrive, Envisionware, etc.) will not work. This restriction is applied to patron accounts automatically when they exceed the $10.00 threshold.
• Manual - All library privileges have been manually revoked. Typically, this is used for library infractions unrelated to circulating items or fines. An example may be a patron who has been banned due to violations of the library's code of conduct.
• Card Pending - Used for issuing new cards where incomplete registration information (usually a lack of proper confirmation ID exists).
• Invalid or No Email on File - The email address given by the patron has been identified as not valid.
• Invalid or No Phone Number on File - The phone number given by the patron has been identified as not valid.
• Invalid or No Street Address on File - The street address given by the patron has been identified as not valid.
• Redundant, functionally the same as a Manual block.

When using manually applied statuses such as Manual or Invalid or No Email on File, also include an explanation of the issue in the comment. Include your initials, your library code, and the date.

NOTE: When you resolve a restriction related to contact information, check the Main Contact Method field to make sure it connects to the patron's preferred contact method.

Library staff may have a personal library card, issued by their home library. 

The system-wide "no fine" status is offered to presently employed and paid library staff. 

These cards must be set to the "Library Staff" patron category to be fine-free.

When an individual leaves the employ of a member library, their personal library card must be set to a patron category other than "Library Staff."

For professional login information please refer to Section 2.2 of this Handbook.