How to Deal with Missing DVDs

Occasionally patrons return media without all the disks. Our policy is to keep the item checked out to the patron until such time as they can make the item complete. This requires that the folks in Materials Management and the Service Specialists work together efficiently. Guidelines are in place so that we can deal with the situation in a consistent manner. There are three basic scenarios that come up over and over again.

Scenario One (Materials Management): Patron returns a DVD or CD case that turns out to be empty, or contains the incorrect disk, or is missing disks.

The correct procedure involves 4 separate actions:
- Check the item back out to the patron and make it due on today’s date.
- Block the patron’s account.
- Add a message to the patron’s account explaining the facts with today’s date and your initials.
- Call the patron and explain the situation.


Scenario Two (Service Specialists): Patron is unable to use the self check and comes to the circulation desk to find out why. When you bring up the account you find the account is blocked and there is a message about the missing disk.
- Explain the situation to the patron.
- Verify that the item is currently checked out to the patron.
- Find the empty or incomplete case in the back room.
- Renew the item so that the patron has time to go home and look for the disk.
- The patron should leave with the incomplete item in their possession.
- You can now remove the block, since the patron has all the different pieces in their possession, and is responsible for bring them back complete.


Scenario Three (Service Specialists): Sometimes, a patron comes up to the circulation desk with a disk in their hand, and explains that they got a phone call, etc, and are here to return the disk. They probably do not have the incomplete case.

-Bring up the patron’s account. Read the message carefully. If there are problems with the phone number, or any other patron data, fix that now.
-Verify that the item in question is still checked out to the patron. Chances are the empty case is in the back room. If it’s not checked out to the patron, was it accidentally shelved?
-Hopefully you can find the item, match it up with the disk the patron presents, and check it in.
-If this all goes well, remove the message, and remove the block.

Remember: Ultimately it is the patron’s responsibility to return all of the disks in the case at the same time. We assist them by renewing the item and putting as many of the separate pieces back in their hands as we can.

TELLURIDE ROOM!

Please note the new sign on the Telluride Room Doors!

No cellphones or computers….. This is our super quiet space.

Laptop users may be disappointed, thus, if approached, please provide our users with options like the Periodical room, carrels, comfortable chairs in the sitting area on 2nd floor, study rooms if available, etc. (Joe will move Wireless Access point out of the Telluride room so as not to entice.)

Let me know patron feedback –
Thanks,

Sarah

One Telluride

Benito stopped in to leave a stack of business cards. He encourages us to refer patrons seeking accomodation or navigating language barriers to him for assistance.

His business cards are at the upstairs service desk. He can be reached by cell at 708-7830.

Sarah

MAILING ADDRESSES

Hi there,
Let's help our patrons through the maze of getting mail - and in turn help us get those Library Cards sent out properly!

The process for getting a mailing address is this:
All NEW RESIDENTS MUST REGISTER THEIR MAILING ADDRESS WITH THE POST OFFICE or GET A PO BOX!
(This includes residents of Mountain Village even though their mailing address actually is their regular street address0

Example: If you live at Big Billies

Step 1: REGISTER WITH THE POST OFFICE (in town)
Step 2: Their mailing address will be:
NAME
330 Adams Ranch Road UNIT#
Mountain Village, CO 81435
Step 3: The patron will get a key to a box up in Mountain Village where they will actually get their mail.

Questions? Please let me know.

Thanks,

Sarah

LAPTOP

Hi there,

Don't forget, there is a Millenium record for checking out the Laptop. Please try to use this, as it will help us keep statistics. (Just watch the fines....if a user has it more than two-hours)

Thanks,

Sarah

BIOGRAPHIES, Spanish and more....

The 'Language' area has been revamped. The Spanish books are on the first floor, behind the non-fiction DVDs. The Language materials have been reintegrated into the regular book and audiobook collection.

The BIOGRAPHIES have been shifted to take over this shelf space. So they have lots of room for face-front display! Take a look, it looks good. Large, Oversize books will take the place on the shelves where the Spanish books once where.

The SPANISH computer is now with the MACs......the Rosetta Stone machine will move near the Ref computers.

Whew! Thanks to John for moving the Biographies and to Ty for organizing the shelves prior to the move.

---Sarah

CLAIMS RETURNED

What do you do when a patron says that an item on their account has already been returned? While you might encourage them to double check at home for the item, and you might yourself want to physically check on our shelves for it, there comes a point when you just need to take the item off of the patron's account. And of course you would then only impose fines that would have accrued up to the date on which the patron says the item was returned.

That being said, how is it done? In Millennium, highlight the item in question and click the "Claims Returned" button. A window pops up wanting to know on which day the item was returned -- usually this will be some time in the past. Leaving this field blank is also an option. The next window that comes up offers 3 choices, please always use the middle one. This calculates the fine as described above, takes the item off of their account, and changes the status field (in the item record) to "z - Claims Returned."

The other part of the equation is what to do when an item finally turns up. Simply check it in, and just like items that have been declared missing, its status will be changed to "ON SHELF." It is not necessary to refer back to the patrons account.

2nd Floor New Books

The face-front displays are really popular with our browsing patrons, and we can make them equally popular with our Materials Management Team if we keep the books in order with as few exceptions as possible (like the big books being on the top shelf).

Thanks for your attention to this matter and for making sure that our New Books are readily available for check-out.

Sarah

GARAGE: DOOR IS NOW CLOSED

The Garage Door is Fully Operational....so to get in, one must use a Pass CARD -
Let's be prepared for patrons needing access cards. Dan has signs in place to alert our patrons.


Sarah