Weeding? Don't Delete Items. Change Their Status Instead.

Have an item you want to get rid of? There are procedures in place for this very situation. 

NEVER delete an item that you want removed from the catalog.  If the item needs to be removed from the catalog change the status to 'wd' (withdrawn).  

Items with the status 'wd' are deleted from Horizon once a month by Systems.  OCLC is then notified that FCPL no longer owns that copy.  They in turn update their database.  It is important to keep Horizon and OCLC in sync with each other so that other libraries looking to borrower items will have the most up to date information of our collection. This is why it is important not to delete any items yourself. 

For more information about item statuses and their definitions click this link.

For more detailed information on this procedure click this link.

Procedures for Entering New Stat Classes in Horizon Starting March 9th 2015

New Bstat Project and Procedures:

The new Borrower Statistical Class codes (bstat) will allow FCPL to be more precise and consistent with SJVLS in the collection of user statistics. It will also make assigning bstats during the creation of new accounts more straightforward.

This procedure change will only affect permanent residents, meaning those with addresses inside Fresno County. Continue existing procedures for other types of borrowers.

What to do when creating a new account:

1. Location = The code for the branch the card is created at (frsn, fig,wdwd)

           2.  Enter the address (note the zip code this will be used in the bstat)

          3. Find and select the f + zip code in the drop sown menu of the Stat Class section.                   you can also manually enter f + zip code

           

             4.  Continue card creation with the normal procedures.

            If a P.O. Box is given make sure to also add their 
            resident address.  Use the resident address 
            zip code for the Bstat.

Note:  Patrons can have more than one bstat.  The WoW! team will be getting different/additional bstats soon so they can keep statistics specific to them.  Please do not delete bstats. 

Circulation Procedures When Horizon is Down

Here's a summary of circulation procedures for those times when Horizon is down.

What are the policies to CHECK OUT materials when Horizon is down?

• Customers must have their library card to check out materials. No other form of ID is required.
• 5 item limit
• No renewals
• Do NOT check out any non-circulating items.

What about HOLDS?

• No new holds can be placed by customers or staff until Horizon is up.
• No holds can be filled so you do not need to run a holds list during the down time.
• Check out holds already on the holds shelf using the above check out standards.
• If a hold has expired, leave it on the shelf until we come back up.
• When we come back up, check each item on the holds shelf to see if it has expired and treat it accordingly.

Can I issue new LIBRARY CARDS during this downtime?

Continue to accept library card applications during the downtime. However, no new or replacement library cards can actually be issued during this time.* Save the completed applications in a file at the branch and input them into Horizon when we come back up. Please do not send any of these accumulated applications to Central for input. 

Do I have to CHECK OUT items using paper and pencil?

If Horizon is down for an extended period of time, it’s easier to scan the borrower’s library card number and item barcodes into a Word or Excel document than hand writing them. Then when Horizon comes back up, you can copy and paste the information into Horizon quicker and avoid problems with data entry errors and poor handwriting. Please follow the instructions at: FCPL On The Horizon: Word

Can I CHECK IN materials while we are down?

No, do NOT check in any materials until you are told by Tech Support that it is okay to begin using Horizon. No returned materials will be checked in during this time.

If I can’t CHECK IN materials, what should I do with them?

• Date your book trucks as they are filled so you know which ones to check in first when we come back up.
• Store the materials away from public view since you cannot allow another customer to check out a returned item they might spot behind the counter.

When can I start using Horizon for CHECK OUT and CHECK IN?

Do not begin using Horizon until your branch has been contacted by Tech Support.

What if material becomes overdue while it’s waiting to be checked in?

When we begin using Horizon, all materials should be checked in as “Exempt Fines” for a number of days. This should give us a safe margin of error and ensure our customers are not negatively impacted.

Can we continue to accept interlibrary loan requests (ILLs)?

No. We cannot add any ILLs to Horizon while it is down.

Can I accept payment of fines during the downtime?

No. We cannot accept payment of any fines. We will not be able to look at the customer’s record to calculate the total fine. Neither will we be able to clear it from their record. The online payment system will also be down because it requires the customer to enter their library card barcode.

Will notices go out while we are down?

No notices will be sent out (mail, email or phone) during the days we are down.

What do we do with the shipments we receive during the downtime?

You will not be able to check in any of these items so simply store them until we come back up.

When we come back up, does it matter if we do CKOs or CKIs first? 

YES...do all your CKOs FIRST. Then process your CKIs. If you fail to process items in that order, you risk the chance of checking out an item after the customer has already returned it. 


rev. 5/2018