Answers To Your Questions

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Circulation Module

  • On the Circulation Matrix form: Did we talk about "Reference Flag Set." If so, I have deleted it from my memory. What does that mean? Does that mean is the item circulating or not?
ANSWER: This flags it as a reference item, meaning that it cannot be checked out or have holds placed on it


  • The Circulation Matrix form. An item type is assigned three possible loan durations, but at some point, each individual item is going to have to be assigned one loan duration either for that individual item, or for that individual item for each individual checkout. So - Is one duration selected for each individual item as part of the holdings information? Or do all duration possibilities show up as options at the time of check-out and then the circ person selects which one each time it checks out?
ANSWER: Each item is assigned a loan duration of at the time of item creation. When the item is checked out, it will automatically use the loan duration selected when the item was created.


  • And back to the Circulation Matrix form: User Group? Am I telling the system which patron types can check this item type out?
ANSWER: You are telling the system, based on user profile group:
  • Whether or not they can check out that category of item
  • How long they can check out that category of item
  • What the fines for that category of item would be
  • etc.
FOLLOW UP QUESTION My question isn't quite that broad. I am asking how to fill in the column "User Group" in the circulation matrix form. I am guessing that I fill the column in with a list of User Groups which have permission to check-out the item type for that row? Is that right?
ANSWER:In short, Yes. you are entering the types of users that have the permissions specified in the row.


  • Patron Polices form: Above the example of the patron policies form it states "In Evergreen, these groups are hierarchical, and the most specific group which has a mapping (the lowest classification in the hierarchy) is used. There is a slim possibility I understand what this means. Would that be like a broad category, such as patron, might be divided into several subsets, such as resident and non-resident, which might be in turn divided into Niles City Resident and Niles Township Resident?
ANSWER: In short, Yes!
Evergreen provides Group Application permissions in order to restrict which staff members have the ability to assign elevated permissions to a user, and which staff members have the ability to edit users in particular groups. These permissions are created, attached to groups, and assigned by the a global administrator. Here is an example of a group hierarchy. All are users. Under users, you have Patron and Staff. Each of those have their own subcategories.
  • User
    • Patron
      • Outreach
      • Trustee
    • Staff
      • Circ Staff
      • Cataloger
      • Administrator
        • Library Manager
        • Local Administrator
        • Global Administrator


  • We currently have 90 collection codes. This is the closest thing we have analagous to what Evergreen will be calling "Circulation Modifiers." However, the reason we have 90 isn't because there are 90 different variations to our loan periods and/or fine structions. It is because we use these for statistical purposes also. If what we have been told is correct, that we will be able to create infinite numbers of statistical reports based on any field in the Marc or holdings records, we do not need nearly this many. So, I am asking to be sure. Will we be able to easily create statistical reports, such as "Number of circs for all books in J 334.5s in the past twenty four months" or "List of titles in 645s sorted by publication date."?
ANSWER:The answer to your question is YES! You can do all of this.


  • What if we have patrons who are exempt from fines? How is that addressed?
ANSWER:For these, simply put the fine amount as $0


  • What about check-out limits by format? I see where we can put max items out for user groups, but what if the limit is related to the format? For example, we let them check out unlimited number of books, but only five audiobooks. How will that be handled?
ANSWER: With version 1.2.2, it will be very easy to handle check-out limits by format. If we are not up on 1.2.2 by then (it's being released this summer), Equinox will add a script that will allow you to continue doing this. Please make sure to add this information in the extra box at the end.


Cataloging Module

  • I see that you can limit catalog searches by "audience." How is the audience determined? Is this part of the MARC bibliographic record? Or is it assigned as holdings information?
ANSWER: This information is pulled from the 008 in the MARC record.


Other Questions

  • And my final question for the day is - Am I asking too many questions?
ANSWER: No!!! Not at all. Every question you ask, and that I find an answer to and post on the wiki, is one less question that will be new later. I appreciate EVERY question you ask. :) Please keep them coming!
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