Re: Patron types for distance students?

[Ruth Helwig <ruth.m.helwig@xxxxxxxxxx>]

We follow much the same practice as Michael Wood outlined.  The main
difference is that we created a few ptypes which, for lack of creativity,
we called "multi" (i.e. multi grad).  These "multi" ptypes are used
for those people who take classes both on and off campus.  They have
their own set of loan rules and text messages which are a hybrid of the
on-campus and off-campus counterparts.  We just recently developed
these ptypes so I can't offer much information on how well it works.

Peggy Richard wrote:

 

I've run across a problem that is probably going to become more and more common in the future for our institution, and probably others as well.  We already have a very active (world-wide) distance education program, and have ptypes set up for students participating in these programs.  Their individual patron records also have fields which include their cohort code, college, degree, and major.  (In addition, we have an entire distance library department within the main library that serves the information needs of these students.)

Recently, we've encountered students that are physically local students, but they may take one or two distance or on-line classes.  So they are really "hybrids".  And this status could change from semester to semester.

Since I'm still ironing out the problems encountered in establishing a weekly load of records from our Banner system, I'm not looking for any new problems to take on.  However, this looks like it's going to quickly become problematic. (We also have 12 registration periods each year, and students can be simultaneously registered in more than one cycle.)

I'm beginning to think that maybe I should just have generic ptypes of graduate students and undergraduate students.  Maybe a more elaborate ptype scheme is asking for trouble?

Has anyone else encountered these kind of problems with ptypes and trying to establish accurate statistics?

Thanks.

Peggy Richard
Assistant University Librarian for Systems
Nova Southeastern University
Shepard Broad Law Center, Law Library & Technology Center
3305 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL  33314
954-262-4648
800-541-6682  ext. 4648
fax 954-262-3840
prichard@xxxxxxxxxx

Peggy Richard
Assistant University Librarian for Systems
Nova Southeastern University
Shepard Broad Law Center, Law Library & Technology Center
3305 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL  33314
954-262-4648
800-541-6682  ext. 4648
fax 954-262-3840
prichard@xxxxxxxxxx