Circulation Services Subcommittee Minutes

September 14, 2021, 9:30 am

Phone/video conference

 

Action Items:
The CSS recommends that the time frames in the “Items Missing from a Library’s Hold Shelf” procedure be changed from 5 months to 11 months and 6 months to 12 months.
The CSS recommends changing the LU and LUJ patron categories to a 12 month enrollment period.

 

Present: Zach Ott (BAR), Jeff Kauffeld (MAD), Margie Navarre-Saaf (MAD), Emily Harkins (WAU), Erica Kersten (PIN), Eddie Glade (STP), Barbara Henderson (MID), Jo Clark (REE), Robin Behringer (STO)

Absent: Ronda Evenson (VER)

Excused: Emily Noffke (MTH), Tanya Bolchen (FCH), Autumn Baumann (POR), Kelly Heasty (MCF), Steev Baker (SUN)

Recorder: Michelle Karls (SCLS)

SCLS Staff Present: Heidi Oliversen, Cindy Weber

 

1.      Call to Order at 9:36 am

a.      Introduction of guests/visitors

                                                              i.      None.

b.      Changes/Additions to the Agenda

                                                              i.      E. Kersten PIN added “Link to RFID tagging directions” as 4d.

c.       Requests to address the Committee

                                                              i.      None.

 

2.      Approval of previous meeting minutes: August 10, 2021

a.      Motion:  The August minutes were approved by consensus. 

b.      Discussion: none.

c.       Vote: motion carried.

 

3.      Action Items

a.      None

 

4.      Discussion

a.      Items Missing from your Hold Shelf: discussion of current policy/procedure. Circulation Manual, Section IX Placing and Managing holds, Part G Other Holds procedures, page 19.  Policy: Items missing from Library hold shelf.

                                                              i.      Motion:  M. Navarre Saaf moves stating that the time frames in this procedure will be changed from 5 months to 11 months and 6 months to 12 months.  E. Kersten seconded.

                                                             ii.      Discussion: The policy states if items go missing from a library’s hold shelf, the items should be checked out to that library’s missing hold shelf patron account and follow the procedure list in the manual.  One question that has come up, is do we really need to pay other libraries for an item lost off our hold shelf?  It’s a different cost issue for larger versus smaller libraries.  There is also such a wide variety in cost of items.  MAD is ok with paying libraries for items that get their lost on their holds shelves.  E. Kersten suggested what if we didn’t pay for it at 6 months, but after 12 months?  It seems like most of the items come back within a year.  That would cut down on how many refunds people would request but libraries would still get their library’s money at some point.  Would there be any danger of the items being deleted before the 12 months?  Annual batch deletion reports run for one year or older. 

1.      Was this run this year?  MAD reported that they noticed some items from 2019 still in the system. The items should have been marked withdrawn and included in August 18 deletion but it was delayed with the most recent reports (July) and haven’t yet been deleted.  We will review this with LibLime and make sure they are cleaned up. 

The group decided that changing the date from 6 months to 12 months is a good compromise.  What about refunds if these items are returned?  Libraries can create their own policy for refunds.  MAD will state if an items is returned after 12 months, they won’t issue refunds.  H. Oliversen will send out an email explaining this and state that it’s going to be put on the October ILS meeting agenda.  She will run the email draft by this group for input before she sends it out libraries.

                                                           iii.      Vote: motion carried.  This will go to the ILS Committee for the final approval.  Draft of the proposed changes:

Procedure for checking items out to your library's Hold Shelf card.

Item has been checked in at your library and placed on the hold shelf for a patron.

If the patron and staff members are unable to locate the item when the patron is trying to check the item out OR when you run your daily Holds Awaiting Pickup report and the item that expired on the hold shelf is not on the hold shelf, follow these steps:

If the item is found, it will be checked in eventually, either to fill a hold or when it is received at the owning library. The act of checking the item in will remove the item from your library’s Hold Shelf card.

 

If the item is not found and the item Lost Status converts to Lost, your library becomes a “patron” with a lost item on its account. You will need to reimburse the owning library for the lost item, within 6 12 months of the date the item converted to Lost.

 

Some libraries change the due date to 5  11 months from the date of checking the item out to their Hold Shelf. If your library does this, be prepared to pay the owning library for the lost item within one (1) month of the items converting to lost, in order to reimburse the owning library within the 6 12 month period.

 

b.      Review Survey results regarding change to enrollment period for LU and LUJ patron categories.

                                                              i.      Motion: M. Narvarre Saaf moves to change the LU and LUJ patron categories to a 12 month enrollment period.  J. Kauffeld seconded. 

                                                             ii.      Discussion: As of September 10, the survey results were as follows; 9 libraries had no opinion, 2 libraries wanted to keep the enrollment period at six months (one did change their vote after more explanation), and 22 libraries voted to change the Limited Use and Limited Use-Juvenile patron categories to a 12 month enrollment period.  If this doesn’t work for an individual library, staff can manually set the Expiration date in patron records.  

                                                           iii.      Vote: motion carried.  This will go to ILS for approval at the October meeting since it’s a change to a global code and not all libraries responded to the survey. 

c.       Review Circulation Manual changes: Section XI Patron Histories

                                                              i.      Discussion:  H. Oliversen reviewed the suggested changes.  Overall, there were no significant changes.  What section should we do next?   The group decided to work on Section VIII: Problem Item Statuses A-F for the November meeting and G-L for the January meeting.  H. Oliversen will send out the entire section to the group members by the end of September. 

d.      Link to RFID tagging instructions

                                                              i.      Discussion: E. Kersten mentioned staff were asking about the RFID tagging instructions because it seems to contradict prior instructions.  One of the instructions said to tag board books for other libraries that come in to fill holds.  There are two different documents (original guidelines that were used for tagging projects and an updated, truncated version for the libraries that are tagging materials but not using self-check units).  The original document needs to be updated.  T. Miller created the second document for the libraries that received CARES grant funds for purchasing tags and tagging equipment.  She didn’t get all the pictures she requested from libraries, so it’s “bare bones.”  Should we tag board books?  R. Behringer asked that STO’s board books not be tagged.  According to the ILS Policy “Placing RFID tags on items owned by non-RFID libraries”, libraries should NOT be tagging board books or magazines that come from non-RFID libraries to fill holds.  H. Oliversen will add a link to the policy and the relevant text of the policy to the Self check RFID web page stating what formats should and should not be not be tagged.

5.      Plan for Next meeting:  November 9, 2021 at 9:30 am via phone/video conference

 

6.      Adjournment at 10:31 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/09-2021