Found Damaged

If an item is found on the shelf damaged Circ Staff should:

-Assess whether the item is able to be circulated

-If yes, use the damaged stamp/date/initials

-If no, change the status to “Selector Assessment” in TLC

-Sticky note the item: “damaged, reorder/weed?”

-Send to the Selector

 

Returned Damaged

If an item is returned damaged Circ Staff should:  (wet/moldy/heavily stained/etc)

-Assess whether the item is able to be circulated

-If yes, do not charge the patron - use the damaged stamp/date/initials

-If no, charge the patron for the amount as outlined in the manual

-When the patron pays for the item, it becomes their property

-If the patron does not want the item, Circ Staff should mark the item “Weeded Item” in TLC

-Remove the security and dispose of the item

-Email the item info to the Selector

 

Item Not on File

If an item is returned and the screen shows “No Titles Found” upon check in Circ Staff should:

-Fill out a tech slip “Item Not on File”

-Send the item to the appropriate Selector

 

-The selector will determine if they want to add the item back into the system or weed it from the collection

Damaged Procedures P&PMan pp31/32 ApndxG

*If Circ Desk Staff are not comfortable making the assessment on whether or not an item is able to be circulated, they should ask a supervisor

 

 

 

Incident Reports and Damaged/Lost Items

INCIDENT REPORT:  If a patron gets hurt or injured on county property, a Staff member must fill out an Incident Report form. When a patron comes to the Circ desk requesting a Band-Aid or other medical attention, please get a supervisor or our Security/Safety officer to fill out the report. All incident reports must be filled out completely and signed by the patron. Copies must be made and given to Pam Nance, Tara, and one copy gets sent to the County.

Incident Reports are over on the right side of the Circ Desk with other essential forms.

 

 

 

 

REMINDER: Patrons may not buy a replacement copy in exchange for items that are damaged or lost. RPL policy is to mark the items damaged/lost and charge the patron for the replacement fee that is listed in the system.  

 

Staff Development/Circulation Meeting

Thank you all for your attendance at our Staff Development Circ Mtg.

Here are the questions that I received and the answers to them.

Please forward to all Circ Staff at each location.

If you have any other questions please email. 

Thanks! Brooke

 

 

 

Staff Development 12/09/16  Circulation Meeting

 

Rowan One Card

-Please do not delete or make ID number changes to the Rowan One Cards. New students were added to our system just this past Thursday. The ROC’s primary function is for student/teacher usage. For now, If a student comes in and wants a physical card, treat them as a new patron and have them fill out an application. Please do not make any changes to their pin numbers. These pin numbers were set up for easy retrieval for teachers/students.

-More info about checking out on ROC will follow.

 

 

Text/Email Receipts and Notices

-How do we know if a patron receives a text or email?

 

Edward receives a “bounce back” text/email if a patron’s info is incorrect. This is forwarded to Brooke who calls and confirms or leaves a comment on the patron account. *Make sure when updating TEXT or EMAIL only that you go under settings and make changes as well.

-Changes are coming to the Holds Slip. Edward is adding a field that will print based on the patron’s notification settings i.e. text, email, or telephone.

The phone number would automatically print on the slip, but a new field would also print showing which communication the patron prefers.

 

 

Contacting Patrons RE: Holds

-If a patron already has an item on the shelf and then another item comes in, should we call them again?

 

If the items they have on hold are for a previous day, then yes please call them. If you have already called them once that day and other items come in for that same day, then no you do not have to call them a second time.

 

 

Damaged Items

-How do we know what to charge for a damaged book? Is it always a total loss or can we break down the damage?

Can the item still be circulated? If yes, then do not charge a damage fee. If no, then follow the SNAGS damaged process and send a damage letter to the patron.

*If the damaged item is from another location, but was returned to your location, you should send the damage letter not the owning location and then send the item to Tech if applicable.

 

 

Reference Questions

-What constitutes a reference question? And can some reference questions be marked in two categories? Example: Jobs and Tech?

 

Definition of a reference question as determined by the NC State Library Statistical Report:

      A reference transaction is an information contact which involved the knowledge, use, recommendations, interpretation, or instruction in the use of one or more information sources by a member of the library staff.  It includes information and referral services.  Information sources include print and non-print materials or records, and through communication or referral, other libraries and institutions and people inside and outside the library.  The request may come in person or by any other means by a person of any age.  Do not count directional transactions or questions of rules or policies.

 

 

What is not a reference question:

 

    Messages (to pull hold requests)

    Renewal of items checked out

    Checking items in/out

    Creating guest passes

    Looking up library card numbers

    Directional assistance (where are the biographies, bathroom, etc)

 

Some questions can count in two categories.

Snags Procedure for Damaged Items

Damaged Items Snags Procedure 

 

B.     Damaged Items (Snags)

1.      When an item is returned with damaged or missing material:

-          Attempt to locate borrower in library.

-          Renew the item if necessary. 

-          If the borrower cannot be found, go to Borrower Info and enter “SNAGS, branch, date, your initials, and the barcode of the missing item” in the Comments field.

2.      Complete the SNAGS slip (Appendix G) for the item.  Initial each step.  Place item with slip on the SNAGS shelf.

3.      Contact the borrower by phone to inform them they must return the missing item within 7 days to avoid charges for the missing part, or that the returned item was damaged beyond its ability to circulate.

4.      Item must be held on the SNAGS shelf for 1 week if personal contact is made or a message is left.

5.      If the borrower pays for the missing item, add the fee for the cost of the material as Damaged and include a description of what was missing in the Comment field below.  Process payment according to procedures under Section II. Check Out, G. Damaged Items.

6.      Check in the item with a Special Status of Repair: Tech SVCS and forward as necessary.

7.      If there has been no contact response after 7 days:

-          Damages/Missing letter (Appendix G) will be sent and charged added to borrower’s account. 

-          Update SNAGS slip information

-          Hold item on SNAGS shelf for 30 days after the letter is sent or until the issue has been resolved.

8.      If the item is returned after charges have been added, Waive charges, delete comment under Borrower Info, check item in, and return the item to the shelf.

9.      If the item is returned within 7 days of the date on the slip, delete the comment from the borrower’s account, check item in, return item to the shelf and shred the SNAGS slip.

10.  If there has been no response after 30 days:

-          If it is a single item, go to the borrower’s account and change the status of the item to Lost.  This will automatically add cost of material to borrower’s account.

-          If the item is part of larger set, check in the item with Special Status of Repair: Tech SVCS and send the item to Tech Services.

-          Go into the borrower’s account  and add a fee as Damaged, including the title, barcode, and description of what was missing in the Comments field.  Charge according to chart below:

Damages	Fee
DVD/CD Case	$4.00
DVD	$10.00
CD	$7.00
Paper Cover	$1.00

 

-          Verify charges have been added to the borrower’s account. 

-          Remove the SNAGS comment from the borrower’s record. 

-          Hold the damaged item until the fee is paid, at which point the borrower receives the damaged item to keep.

-          Larger sets or damaged sets will be sent to Tech Services with appropriate Tech Services slip (Appendix F).

Note the date the item was sent and initial the SNAGS slip.  Put the SNAGS slip in the SNAGS folder. 

(P&P Manual p34)

Damaged Returns

Damaged Returns

 

Books that are turned in damaged must be checked in Special Status: Damaged Charged. This will throw a D Charge onto the patron’s account. We should not be checking the item in and then charging them for a Lost Item with a damaged comment.

 

A.    Special Status Option

1.      Select Special Status if you need to check in an item that has been lost, damaged, or otherwise cannot be located.

 

2.      Scan the item in need of Special Status.  You will be prompted to select the reason for the special status from the drop-down list.

 

Special Status	Examples
Repair: Tech Svcs	Item needs a new barcode, cover, or RFID tag; DVD won’t play
Missing: Staff Action	Cannot locate material that shows Available in catalog or on hold shelf
Damaged, Charged	Chewed, stained, wet, moldy, or torn items.  Only charge patrons when the item is damaged due to neglect or accident and can no longer circulate.  See Section II. Check Out, G. Pay Fines & Fees.
Lost: Staff Action	This is used until paperwork has been processed.
Damaged	Item needs staff attention before returning to circulation.  This attention may include needing to spend time in cat litter, erasing pencil marks, drying slightly damp pages or cover.  Borrowers will not be charged for material.  Use the Damaged stamp in the material near the RFID tag and date.  Once damage has been addressed check in material in regular status.

 

 

(P&P Manual p32)

 

LOST Materials

You MUST issue stamped, dated, and initialed receipts for payment of lost materials. For patrons to be reimbursed for the lost item, they must return the item AND the receipt. We DO NOT print the payment history in the absence of a receipt.

If a patron returns a lost item that they have paid for with a receipt, we fill out a blue form with the attached receipt and the patron will receive a check in the mail within 3 weeks.

We DO NOT accept partial payments for lost items. Patrons must either pay in full or bring back the material. It is crucial to use the drop down menu correctly to indicate payments taken for FINES or full payments for LOST items.

We DO NOT accept replacement items for lost or damaged materials.