Re: Billed items for Public Libraries

[Janet Fine <greatpl@xxxxxxxxxx>]

April 11, 2000

Hi, All
Unfortunately, unless we maintain a record of overdue items charged out on a patron's card, how can we expect to recoup replacement charges, etc.  I have had patrons resurface 7 years after an item is due and deny having taken it out, etc.  We may end up putting the item in Claimsret, but at least we have a record of
the transaction and eventually patrons will begin to realize that they are responsible  for the return all  material.  There really is no solution answer to this problem of grossly overdue material, but I like to hold onto records of transactions for as long as possible in the hope that eventually the patrons will
reappear and "pay up."

Janet Fine
Head, Circulation Services
Great Neck Library
159 Bayview Avenue
Great Neck, NY 11023

Cheryl Armstrong wrote:

> Suppressing the items (and BIBs, where necessary) is the kindest thing to do for your customers and staff.  It IS a bit time consuming, but I have it down to a once/month task.  I suppress "long" (you decide what is long) billed items and unsuppress items that have been returned.  If you want details, let me know.
>
> --cheryl
>
> Cheryl Armstrong, Systems Manager
> Hayward Public Library
> 835 C Street
> Hayward, CA 94541
> (510)881-7936
>
> >>> Donna Bacon <dbacon@xxxxxxxxxx> 04/10 2:04 PM >>>
> Our Innopac has a large amount of billed items.  These can be seen by
> our patrons when they search the catalog.  Some of our staff complain
> that these billed items get in the way of searching the catalog.
> Mostly, we seem to lose the same materials over and over again so that
> you have to "dig" through a list of ASVAB records to find an active
> one.  Obviously, we need to keep these in our system.  It was suggested
> that we suppress these from public view but I have reservations about
> doing this.  There are thousands of these and keeping up with this seems
> a rather daunting task.  How do other public libraries deal with this?
> Or does it bother you?  Do you keep billed items in your system forever?
>
> Thanks,
> Donna Bacon
> Springfield-Greene County Library
> COOL (Consortium of Ozarks Libraries)