How much to charge if an item has no listed price

If an item does not have a cost in the record, the correct amount to charge is the average cost of items that have the same collection code.  This amount is located in the Collection Code record and can be accessed through the Table Editor in Horizon.  If you do not have access to the Table Editor, please call the Jurisdiction System Administrator in eServices to get the price.

If you have access to the Table Editor follow these steps:

1. Double click on Table Editor to bring up the Code Lookup box.
2.  Scroll down to the 'collection' entry, highlight it, and press enter.  
3. The next box is called 'Indexes'. 'Collection' should be highlighted at the top of the box.  Type in the collection code for the item you are looking up (collection code can be found in the item detail status) in the 'Search for' box, press enter. 
4. Click and highlight the entry on the next screen then press the enter button.
5. You will see the 'Avg Replace Cost' about halfway down the screen. 
6. Click 'Close' when done, then x out of the Table Editor.

rev. 5/2018

No L in Front of Lost Library Card Barcode

Do NOT put an 'L' in the front of a lost library card Barcode field. This may have been the practice at one time, but it's not any longer. Continuing to do so will negatively affect other Horizon processes.

Note: Normally, the Barcode and Barcode ID fields should always match. However in the rare case when a borrower declares their card lost, but does not want another one issued, it is okay to edit the Barcode ID field to have an L in front. This will prevent the lost card from being used as a secondary look-up point for some processes. 

Rev. 5/2018

Can't Pay Fines Online with Lost Library Card Barcode

If a customer tries to log into SmartPay with a lost library card, they will get the message: User type is blocked...(and their btype). It does not specifically state the card is lost. But SmartPay does not allow them any further access. 

Fines and Processing Fees on Returned Lost Materials

The Library's policy is to charge a processing fee for lost materials to recover the staff time it takes to replace the item. As of July 2017, this fee is set at $7.00 per item.

If an item's status changes to Lost, a series of related blocks will eventually appear on the account:

1. Lost Block - Cost of the item
When a Lost item is returned, the Lost Block is automatically resolved and the cost of the item is removed from the borrower's account.

2. Lost Processing Fee Block - $7.00
The Lost Processing Fee is not removed automatically. Staff must waive the fee manually. The borrower would then only owe the maximum overdue fine.

3. Fine Block - This block only appears on the account when the Lost item is returned. It will be set to the maximum amount allowed depending on itype/jursidiction. FCPL's maximum overdue fine as of July 2018 is $4.00 per item. Other jurisdictions' items can have a maximum overdue charge ranging from $2.50 up to the cost of the item. Local policy prevails for collecting overdue fines. Fresno staff may adjust the maximum fine to $4.00 at their discretion. If the Fine Block does not appear, waive the Lost Processing Fee down to $4.

There are several exceptions to the above:

> Kern County does not charge a Lost Processing Fee. Therefore, if a Kern County item is lost and returned, no Lost Processing Fee Block will be on the account - and so there's nothing to waive.

> The Fine Block will not appear on the account when a lost item is returned in some cases.
1) After 12 months, Lost status items will change to Missing status. If a missing item is returned, the item no longer contains the original due date, so it cannot calculate the fine (or)
2) The item was manually set to Lost status by staff and then returned prior to the due date (or)

3) The account is exempt from fines (FST - Staff, FVOL - Volunteers and FHB - Home Service). (Note: these account types will eventually be charged for the Lost item including the Lost Processing Fee, but the Fine Block will never appear on their account if the item is returned.)

*See the other Lost Processing Fee post to understand how the Lost Processing Fee is calculated.


rev. August 2017

Status Update Schedule For Trace, Lost, and Missing Items

The following chart shows the progression of items from one status to another relative to items that have disappeared from the collection. Horizon will automatically change the status from Lost to Missing on a daily basis.

Trace to Missing, Relocation in Progress to Missing and Missing to Withdrawn status is done manually by Support Services on a monthly basis. For example, if you can't find an item on the shelf, put into Trace status. If it is not found in 3 months, the status will change to Missing. If it is not found in another 6 months, the status will be changed to Withdrawn and the item will be deleted from Horizon within a month.

(Click on the image to enlarge it.)

rev. 2/2018

Status Definitions

BINDERY (Status B)
Status applied to an item by Support Services staff when they send it to an outside vendor to bind/rebind. Note: this status will not change until the item is checked in by branch staff. So a item with this status could also be in the delivery van on its way to your branch, in your back room waiting to be checked in, or on the shelf if staff failed to check it in.

CLAIMED RETURNED (Status C) - DO NOT USE Use of Claimed Returned by staff was discontinued November 2007. Claimed Returned is the status set by staff when a borrower claims an overdue item has been returned. A block is placed on the borrower’s account. Items in Claimed Returned status more than 1 year will be changed to missing automatically by Horizon. When the item goes to Missing, the claimed return block is removed from the patron’s record and they are not charged for the item.

DAMAGED (Status DMG)
Status applied by staff manually or by using Damaged CKI Mode to designate the condition of an item. This status does not allow new holds. However, if the request already exists and then the item is put in Damaged status, the hold will not be filled by that copy.

DISPLAY CASE (Status DC)
Status applied by staff to designate when an item is being used in a display and not on the shelf. This status allows new holds.

IN CATALOGING (Status T)
Status used to designate that an item has been sent to the Cataloging department for special attention. Items with this status will not accept holds. This status is not used by Fresno when processing new items. NOTE: do not confuse this status for transit. Manually changing an item's status to t -- in cataloging will not put that item in transit.

IN PROCESSING (Status PR)
This status is used for items which have not gone through the normal ordering process (i.e. gift books). Items with this status are being processed (cataloged, linked, barcoded, stamped and finished) in Support Services. Items with this status will accept holds.

ITEM BEING HELD (Status H)
Status set when the pickup location checks in an item to fill a hold. This is the status of items on the hold shelf, but not expired. This status is borrower specific and item specific.

ITEM HOLD EXPIRED (Status E)
Status set when the item on the hold shelf has expired.

ITEM MISSING (Status M)
Missing is the status applied to items which have been in Trace status for 3 months, or Lost status for 12 months. Items in Missing status for 6 months will be changed to Withdrawn status by Support Services on the first of every month and then deleted completely from Horizon on the first Sunday of each month by System staff. Do NOT apply this status to an item manually. If you cannot find an item, put it in TRACE status.

LIBRARIAN REVIEW (Status LIBR)
Status to designate that the item is being reviewed to see if we want to keep it in the collection. In the past, it allowed holds to be placed on the item. However, after the November 2009 upgrade, it no longer allows holds. So it is okay to apply the LIBR status or WEEDED (Status W) for this purpose. Neither status allows holds.

LOST (Status L)
Items are given the Lost status one of two ways:
1. Borrower themselves claims to have lost the item and staff manually sets the item as lost by placing a lost block on the patron’s account.
2. Horizon automatically makes an item lost after the Final Overdue Notice is sent. A Lost block is automatically placed on the patron’s account.

An item with the Lost status retains the link between the borrower and the item. So if the lost item is returned, Horizon will automatically credit the patron’s account for the cost of the item when it is checked in. However it will not remove the processing fee. Staff must do that.

Lost items will automatically be changed to Missing status by Horizon after 12 months. Once the lost item has been changed to Missing, the patron’s account still retains the lost blocks and charges. However, the link between the item and the borrower is broken. Therefore, if the missing item is returned, Horizon will not automatically credit the patron’s account for the charges when it’s checked in.

MENDING (Status ME)
Status applied to staff to designate when an item has been set aside/sent to Support Services for repair.

MISSING (Status M) - see Item Missing

MISSING INVENTORY (Status MI) - DO NOT USE
Status applied to items that are not found after using the Horizon inventory module. Do NOT apply this status to an item manually. If you cannot find an item, put it in TRACE status.

NEWLY ACQUIRED (Status N)
This status is set when the item has been invoiced and received in Horizon by Acquisitions. Ninety-five percent of the time it means the item is in Support Services and being processed (cataloged, linked, barcoded, stamped and finished). The exception to this rule is for prepaid items which are invoiced and received before they even arrive at the library. Items with this status will accept holds. Note: Newly Acquired items that have a negative barcode or a barcode that begins with "acq" are most likely being cataloged. If they have a standard barcode, they have already been linked and are in the finishing stages of processing (i.e. labels, covers, etc.)

Note: this status will not change until the item is checked in. So a newly acquired item could also be in the delivery van on its way to your branch, in your back room waiting to be checked in, or on the shelf if staff failed to check it in.

ON ORDER (Status R)
This status is set when an item is ordered by Acquisitions. Items with this status will accept holds.

PATRON HOLD SHELF (Status PHS)
Staff can use this status to manually place an item on the hold shelf, e.g. someone calls in and says they are coming to look at a book. It is only item specific, not borrower specific.

RELOCATION IN PROGRESS (XR)
This status is related to floating. This status is applied to items that float to indicate they are being moved from one location to another to balance inventory of the floating collection. Items in XR status more than 2 months will be changed to Missing by Support Services on the first of every month.

TRACE (Status TRACE)
Trace is the status applied to items which cannot be found on the shelf. Staff manually apply this status to an item. Items in Trace status more than 3 months will be changed to Missing by Support Services on the first of every month. This is item-specific status only. No corresponding blocks appear on a borrower’s record.

TRANSIT (Status TR)
Status set when an item is moving from one location to another (usually back to the owning library), but is not in transit to fill a hold. Items In Transit status more than 1 year will be deleted from Horizon by System monthly.


TRANSIT HOLD /  TRANSIT REQUEST (Status TH)
Status set when a location fills a request and the item is moving from the owning library to the pick up location specified by the patron. The term "Transit Request" also appears in some areas of Horizon. It means the same as Transit Hold. Items in Transit Hold status more than 1 year will be deleted from Horizon by System monthly.

WEEDED (Status W)

Apply the Weeded status to any item that needs further review as to whether it should remain in the collection or not. Once an item is in Weeded status, no new holds may be placed on it. If the reviewer then decides to remove the item permanently, it should be changed to Withdrawn status. However, if the reviewer decides to keep the item, check it in to clear the Weeded status and put it back into circulation.

WITHDRAWN (Status WD)
Status staff should assign to items that are absolutely and positively being removed from the collection. Items set to Withdrawn are permanently deleted from Horizon at the first of every month by System staff. Once an item is in Withdrawn status, no new holds may be placed on it.


rev. 2/2018

Time Elapsed From Overdue to Lost Status

Overdue notices are sent every 15 days following the date the Overdue Still Out block is set on the borrower’s record. There are 60 days between the Overdue Still Out block and when the item status is automatically set to Lost status. The same schedule applies for print, phone and email notices. Here’s an example of the progression for an item with a three-week circulation time that has not been returned:

• Item checked out........................March 1
• Overdue Still block placed...........March 23
• First Overdue Notice....................April 7 (sent by print, phone or email depending on preference in Borrower's record)
• Final Overdue Notice...................April 22 (sent by print to all borrowers)
• Lost Notice...............................May 22 (sent by print to all borrowers 60 days after item overdue)

We used to send out additional notices between the first and final overdue notice. However, these reminders were shown to have little effect on customers' returning overdue their items. Therefore they were eliminated and we saved the cost of producing and mailing those notices.

Revised 9/15/2010
Reviewed 1/2018