Circulation Services Subcommittee Minutes

May 10, 2022

Phone/video conference

Action Items: None

Present: Zach Ott (BAR), Steev Baker (SUN), Jeff Kauffeld (MAD), Margie Navarre-Saaf (MAD), Emily Harkins (WAU), Kelly Heasty (MCF), Erica Kersten (PIN), Eddie Glade (STP), Barbara Henderson (MID), Autumn Baumann (POR), Tanya Bolchen (FCH), Robin Behringer (STO)
Absent: Ronda Evenson (VER)
Excused: Emily Noffke (MTH)
Recorder: Michelle Karls (SCLS)
SCLS Staff Present: Heidi Oliversen, Cindy Weber, Vicki Teal Lovely,

1. Call to Order

a. Introduction of guests/visitors.  Nate Snortum with Dane County Library Service is attending today.

b. Changes/Additions to the Agenda.  None.

c. Requests to address the Committee.  None.

2. Approval of previous meeting minutes: March 8, 2022

a. Motion:  The subcommittee approved the March meeting minutes via consensus. 

b. Discussion: none.

c. Vote: motion carried.

3. Action Items

a. None.

4. Discussion

a. Extending Hold shelf expiration date – share workarounds.

i. Discussion: N. Snortum reported that DCLS has had many problems due to losing this feature/functionality.  When an Item is on the Bookmobile hold shelf for patron, a stop may only provide a 30-minute window for a pickup.  If a patron misses it, DCLS would extend the hold expiration for a week to give the patron another chance for pick up the following week.  LibLime reported that this previous “feature” was a flaw in the code and that it had been “fixed”.  No one is able to extend the hold shelf expiration date by checking in the item anymore. DCLS has always put a mark on the hold slip as a way of documenting how many chances they gave the patron.  They are now using the Holds Awaiting Pickup report/Expired Holds, with the marks on the slips, to keep track of the holds that need a second week for pickup.  Items will remain on hold for the patrons until canceled or checked in.   Once a hold expires, the Hold Waiting message is removed from the patron dashboard but is still listed as a Hold Waiting on the patron’s Check Out screen.  If MCF know that a patron will be in library to pick up an expired hold in a couple of days, they will check the item out to the patron, keep the item in back and extend the checkout period by a couple of days for the patron.  PIN does something similar.  FCH has rarely had to extend the hold shelf expiration date but now, if requested, will cancel the existing hold, create a new one and check the item in again trapping it for a hold.  Does that work with a waiting list?  They never extend it if there’s a waiting list.  WAU checks out the item to the patron and places it on the open holds with note that it’s checked out to the patron and a provides a pull-by date for staff.  V. Teal Lovely been talking to LibLime about this and they are adamant that this was a flaw in previous software versions and not the way it should work.  We would have to pay for development to reinstate this functionality.  Since it is “functionality”, we had and used previously, we are unsure if they will charge us for it.  PIN is OK living without this.  SUN, MID, BAR don’t really use extending the holds.  This is a courtesy for patrons not policy.  ILS Staff will work with DCLS to see if we can improve their workflow.  The consensus of the group was not to pursue “fixing” this.  Extending hold shelf expiration dates seems like it goes against moving holds through the system and it should only be done for an exception or special circumstance.  MAD thinks updating this could be useful (library closures, etc.)  V. Teal Lovely expressed that perhaps this needs more thought and discussion.  People are concerned about holds not being filled in a timely fashion.  We will review this at next CSS Meeting.  Please discuss this with your staff and bring any ideas or suggestions to the next meeting.   

b. Discuss parameters for local hold project – format, item type (loan period; hold policy; renewals), length of time items will be “local holds”; 45, 60 or 90 days?

i. Discussion: H. Oliversen reviewed the Local Hold Project.  The basic idea is to allow a library to retain some new materials at their library, for a limited period that would be checked out by walk-in patrons or fill local holds only.   If a patron with the same (Home) library as the Owning library placed a hold during this period, the hold request would show up on their Holds Queue report. Items would not be available to fill hold requests for pickup at other locations for that period.  Once that period is over, libraries would change the item type and status to the “regular” item type and an Available status so that item could potentially fill holds at other pickup locations.  This could be very helpful for small libraries to keep more of their new items in house.  It’s difficult for some libraries to purchase extra copies for their Walk-in or Lucky Day Collections.  These items will be given a different Item Type and a custom item status of Local Hold.  The Local Holds workgroup is working on this project.  FCH voiced a recent concern by a patron that had noticed that there was an item Available at a different location and wondered why it was not arriving to fill their hold. A survey was recently sent out to LINKcat directors asking for their concerns and feedback.  Would this group be able to make some recommendations for the parameters of this pilot project?   The group felt they did not have any recommendations at this time and would prefer that the Local Holds workgroup develop the parameters for the project.

c. SW 21363 Circulation Print overdue notices – branchcode is currently patron’s home library not checkout library.  Is this still needed?

i. Discussion:  The consensus was yes, this is still needed.  Are libraries required to send out print notices?  MCF only do the 28 day notices.  We will leave this on the development request list but will change the status to low.

d. Update on alternate workflow for Lost and Paid Items checked in/identifying Refunds.

i. Discussion:  H. Oliversen sent this out via email and asked people to review before today’s meeting.  MAD and MCF felt the new report was not as good as the Unallocated credit report.  The new report is limited to refunds.  This alternate workflow has not been written yet.  Some CSS members volunteered to help draft the wording of the alternate workflow; we will schedule a virtual meeting to review the reports and write up the workflow.  We will send out what we develop for review and feedback via email (before our next meeting).   

e. Update on Fast BIB Add form Item Type field.

i. Discussion: The field that LibLime thought would provide a default Item Type in this form did not.  Heidi asked Rose to see if this was something that she could provide making modification to the CSS for the Fast BIB Add form.  She thinks it is possible but is extremely busy right now with Drupal updates.  This will be done in the Sandbox first, for testing, and then implemented in Production when we know it is working correctly.  We will keep you updated.. 

f. Known Problem #20939 Changing the priority of an item in transit or on hold shelf (to change pickup location or position in queue) – updated workflow and demonstration.

i. Discussion:  H. Oliversen demonstrated the new workflow for re-queuing holds at Check In or for items on the hold shelf.  She will finish updating Section VIII and Section IX of the Circulation Manual and the Problem Item form and then post the updates information, along with a blog post and email announcement.     

ii. Side-note:  E. Kersten still thinks that the order of some of the Parts in Section VIII should be re-arranged so that information about how to determine the state of an item and how to report it comes before filling out the Problem Item form.  That can be done but later, as it will require hunting down all the links in other Sections that refer to the different Parts of Section VIII and changing them.

g. Review changes to Section XIII Notices, Messaging Preferences and Message Queue.

i. Discussion: This was tabled until the next meeting. 

h. Virtual vs. in-person/hybrid meetings.

i. Discussion: We will review this at the next meeting and determine this for the rest of the year. 

5. Plan for Next meeting:  July 12, 2022

a. H. Oliversen is taking vacation time in July during our July meeting week.  Should we chose a different date?  Yes. H. Oliversen will send an email with proposed dates/times via email.

6. Adjournment at 11:38 am.

For more information about the Circulation Services Subcommittee, contact Heidi Oliversen.

SCLS staff are available to attend cluster meetings to share information and answer questions pertaining to this committee meeting and other departmental projects.

Circulation Services Subcommittee/Minutes/05-2022