Minerva Circulation Round Table Meeting — 032818

Minerva Circulation Roundtable
March 28, 2018 Minutes

Megan Donaldson, Boothbay Harbor; Laura Meservey, Rockport Public; Terry Hapch, Skidompha; Aurora Cobb, South Portland; Susan Sandberg, South Portland; Kevin Davis, South Portland; Julie Olson, Lithgow; Courtney Sparks, Freeport; Chuck Prinn, St. Joseph’s; Liz Soares, Augusta School District; Jessica Blanchard, Rockland; Shane Billings, Bailey Public; Harolyn Hylton, Boothbay Harbor; Andrew Ryder, Thomas Memorial; Josh Tiffany, Gray Public; Jackie McCann, McAthur Public; Lynne Morgan, Topsham Public; Cyndi Burne, Topsham Public; Joyce Wiebe, Orono Public; Alexis Dixon opl, Orono Public; Cynthia Young , EMCC; Diane Hanscom, Husson; Anne roman , Witherle; Cassandra pool , Old Town; Laura Edwards , Jesup Memorial; Mike Windsor, Scarborough; Lisa Gallant, York Schools; Katie Lyons, Rice Public; Bernie Alie, YCCC; Katherine Webber, Lewiston Public; Jen Dupree, Windham Public; Sylvie Dutil, Auburn Public

Reports

Maine InfoNet / Technical-Lynn Uhlman

  1. The tech “issue” a few weeks ago was due to local network issues. Firewalls and security (both cloud based and localized) where blocking ports needed for outgoing and incoming traffic to the Sierra server. For a complete list of ports needed visit https://maineinfonet.freshdesk.com/support/home and look under Sierra Desktop Applications-Ports needed.
  2. Maine Maritime Museum’s library just joined MILS and is not ready for requesting, yet requests are being made by circulation staff in Sierra that would be blocked if made in the OPAC. Circulation staff is STRONGLY encouraged to STOP placing holds in the Sierra circulation module and to place them instead in the OPAC. Placing holds in the OPAC avoids system overrides that lead to broken and/or stuck holds and allows hold traffic to flow correctly.
  3. Next Sierra upgrade to version 3.6 will be coming soon, watch for notice on the list serves. This upgrade will allow us to upgrade to version 4.0 this summer.
  4. InfoNet staff is working with Ursus on Encore. Once Ursus is established with the product they will cut and paste settings into the Minerva system. They are still exploring both Decision Center and Mobile Work List and will roll the products out soon. Please submit a ticket if you are interested in trying Mobile Work List and Lynn will send you a login and directions.

Reminders and Announcements—James Rathbun

James received several emails for discussion.

  1. Billed items are being removed by the borrowing library. Do not do this. It is against Minerva policy.
  2. Items “Long in transit” were not covered under the new billing policy. The old policy is still applicable and will be wrapped into the new billing policy.
  3. Some libraries are extending the checkout dates of items at the initial checkout instead of adhering to the original checkout of 3 weeks followed by a 2- week renewal if no holds exist. This practice is against Minerva policy, do not do this.
  4. The contact information found at https://www.maineinfonet.org/mainecat/libcontacts/ and http://www.maine.gov/msl/libs/interlib/delivall.shtml needs to be updated. Please ask the proper staff member to submit an support ticket here https://maineinfonet.freshdesk.com/support/home with the updated contact information.

Questions from the floor

  1. Is a paper bill better as a reminder than a phone call? Please put all billing issues in writing to email or mail.
  2. What is the checkout period for INN-reach ILL items? AV items check out for approx. 26 days and books check out for approx. 56 days. The IINN-reach and Minerva servers do not connect to each other in real time. This lag causes some unavailable Minerva items to be paged as an INN-reach request.
    INN-reach item can be paged as lists or individual slips. It is up to each library to set their preference. Paged INN-reach items must be set into transit correctly for the receiving library to be able to process the requested item.
    Lynn will look into how Minerva libraries are weighted when INN-reach requests are made.
  3. Does the Cloud library have fewer titles being purchased? The cloud library has more titles than Overdrive had. More items will be purchased after funding from the tax checkoff is received.
  4. What is the best way to identify your library’s patrons in the circulation module now that the use of parenthesis is forbidden in the name field? Make sure you are in full browse and not compact view in the circulation module. The library’s patron type with 3 digit code is in the first column, patron name with barcode is in the second column and home library is listed in the third column. We are unable to limit patron searches to one library like we do with item searches. Lynn Uhlman will be attending a III conference in April and will attend a preconference program with III representatives to discuss the needs of consortiums.
  5. How do other libraries identify patrons with special circumstances e.g. shut-ins? Using existing fields in the patron record for other purposes can add to clutter and confusion in the patron data base. Lynn asked for someone to play with the print template to allow hold slips to reflect the information need by circulation staff. Meg from Boothbay Harbor Memorial library tentatively volunteered.
  6. Patron notice preference can be set to email or call, not text notification.
  7. Sierra reset a few weeks ago caused a hold glitch at one location.
  8. Volume fields causing issues when requesting through the OPAC. Manga series was an example given. Bailey Public Library had trouble with graphic novels paging correctly, will submit a support ticket with an example.
  9. When cancelling a hold always print notices, remember to hit “yes”. List of cancelled holds on a patron account will last for 30 days.

Date of next meeting TBD

Cyndi Burne
Topsham Public Library