Government Documents

Posted on July 5, 2019 by kim

When I configured Alma, I purposely left out the Government Documents, since the collection was being withdrawn from our library.

In the intervening years, we have had some patrons who wanted to borrow certain titles, which always made this a problematic decision.  So, on Wednesday, I fixed it. 

As of July 3, 2019:   As it always was before:  selected government documents are available for loan.  IF they arrive at the Circulation desk, they must have a barcode to circulate.  We will treat them as we might the odd Reference title that might circulate, they get 2 weeks.   You will have to change the due date in Alma.

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Limits on Patron borrowing

Posted on April 23, 2019 by kim

As with Millennium, certain patron types had restrictions on how many items they can have out at one time.

All Faculty groups/Staff and PhD students have unlimited access.

Other students types:  Undergrad, Grad and Cont. Ed (both Undergrad/Grad) are allowed 30 items.  I changed this number during the migration because the Consortium agreed on this number for all students and faculty.  I wanted our number to be aligned with it. In Millennium it was 25 items.

If need be, we will override the 30 items by a few. If needed.

Guests:  They continue to be able to have 15 items at any one time.

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Renewing consortia materials in ALMA.

Posted on April 18, 2019 by kim
  1. Go into the NETWORK TAB and grab the barcode number(s).
  2. Move back to the LOANS tab
  3. Select the library who owns the books
  4. Enter the barcode as if you are checking the books out
  5. Item should renew

If it doesn’t, then we have to contact the other library and plead our patron’s case for another renewal.

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New Patron Count form

Posted on April 10, 2019 by kim

A more streamlined Patron Count form has been created. Effective immediately, we are only counting the total number of patrons at any location in the library. We no longer need to know whether or not they are sitting at a plugged in CCSU computer.

We are now using Circulating iPad #1, since it is more trustworthy than the old iPad mini to do the counts.


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Alma Error: Item won’t circulate from this location

Posted on April 3, 2019 by kim

What does that mean?

This location does not have the Circulation desk attached to allow lending, returning and requesting.

Either Kim or Dana can fix this.

  • Go to the ALMA Configuration menu
  • Select General Configuration
  • Select Configure Central CT State University LIBRARY
  • Select Physical Locations
  • Find the problem location
  • Select EDIT
  • Attach the existing CCSU Circulation desk!

Sign out of Alma and log in again and try checking the item out.  If it works, delete the loan when done.  That will delete the circulation loan statistic.

 

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How to do Return receipts/Loan receipts

Posted on February 27, 2019 by kim

RECEIPTS:  Anyone remember the Italian Resource Center ladies who always need ‘return receipts?’  Well, this is what we needed way back then.

Return Receipts:

  • To get a return receipt, you need to know that BEFORE you check the item in. 
  • Find the patron record
    • Click the return TAB
    • Check the item in.
    • Click SEND RETURN RECEIPT link   (Happiness)

 

 Loan Receipts:

The Loan receipt is a variant of the return receipt, you can send this email to the patron at time of checkout, so they know what was checked out to them.

Now, maybe we don’t need a receipt printer!

Pass this along to the students!

 

 

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ALMA Activity Letter

Posted on February 27, 2019 by kim

ACTIVITY REPORT:  Remember the day, back on February 2, 2017 when Alma spit out about 900 emails to all our patrons about what books they had, what they owed, etc.?  The patrons were calling, the Bursar was calling, bedlam out?  I turned the BORROWING ACTIVITY letter off that day.   What I didn’t realize was when I did that, the Activity Report link in Alma turned off also.

What were the consequence of it not running?

  • The renewal email message didn’t work
  • The “I need a list of the books I have checked out on my account” email message didn’t work

This was a low priority problem.  I fixed it a few weeks ago.   So, now when someone renews an item, they will AUTOMATICALLY get an email message telling them the new date(s) of their renewed items.

If a patron wants a list of materials they have checked out, Alma will email them the list, click the SEND ACTIVITY REPORT link on the top right, ALMA will send them an email.

 

Feel free to use it.  Tell the students.

 

 

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Kwikiboost Charging Device Locker on 4th floor

Posted on February 27, 2019 by kim

REMINDER:  When the locking device charging unit on the 4th floor needs to be opened, because the password is not working, a form will need to be filled out.  The student must fill it out and sign it.  Blank forms are on the lateral file near the key box.  We have a key in the key box, #5:  CHARGING LOCKER KEY.  This will unlock the front doors of the unit.

Leave the completed form on Kim’s desk.  Thanks.

 

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Cancelling CONSORTIA request on HOLD SHELF

Posted on February 8, 2019 by kim

A patron requests a book from another campus.  They tell you that they no longer need the book.  What do you do?

  • Go to Fulfillment; select Active Hold Shelf
  • Find the request
  • Click Update Expiry, change date to yesterday’s date
  • Go back and Scan in Item.
  • It should put it back IN TRANSIT.
     

 

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