End Session Button - Turning It On & Off

As part of the Horizon 7.5.2 upgrade in April 2013, you can now enable or disable the End Session button on the Checkout window. The End Session button is used when you want to open the Session Payment window after checkout if the borrower owes any fees.

To Enable/Disable the End Session Button for your PC:

1. In Horizon, open a Checkout window.
2. From the menu bar, select CKO. Then click the End Session menu option to make the button appear on the Checkout window. You'll see a check mark next to it. 
3. Uncheck that menu option to make the button disappear.

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

Using MS Word For Checkouts When Horizon Is Down

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.

1. Open Word, Excel, WordPad. This method works for any type of word processing or spreadsheet program.
2. Save the file somewhere (USB, J: drive, K: drive, etc.) You might want to name the file “check outs MMM DD YYYY”. For example “check outs Sept 25 2009”.
3. When the patron comes up to the desk, scan/wand their library card into the file. The computer will do an automatic hard return so that the cursor is on the next line down. Note: You are NOT accessing the patron’s record in any way. This is just the same as writing the patron’s barcode on a piece of paper.
4. Enter the patron’s name. Upper and lower case doesn’t matter. Press return. This step is not absolutely required, but acts as a double check when the information is eventually entered into Horizon.
5. Begin wanding the patron’s items. The computer will automatically put a hard return after each barcode so that it moves down to the next line.
6. Press Enter a couple of times after each patron so the entries are separated making it easier to read later.
7. SAVE the file after EACH and EVERY patron. Otherwise a lot of information could be lost if something goes awry with the computer or the file. You file will look like the picture shown below.
8. When Horizon comes back up, open the check out file and Horizon. Align the windows side by side. Then copy and paste the barcodes from the file into Horizon one by one. This is much faster than printing out the file and rekeying everything in.
9. When you’re done, you can either delete the file or hold on to it for a while as a back up.
   

Request vs. Hold Check Out Override

Every once in a while a patron brings an item to the circ desk and when you check it out to them, one of these two windows appears:
"Item Requested By" Override - YES
This means a borrower somewhere in the System has simply requested this item. Your borrower with the item in hand takes precedence over someone else in a remote location. Click “Yes” to check out the item to the borrower standing in front of you. The other borrower requesting the item will be assigned another copy. Note: The self check system follows this rule and will allow the patron to check out the item.
"This item is being held for" Override - NO (in most cases)
This means the item is already on the hold shelf for the first borrower listed on the message. The hold is linked to that borrower's library card, not the library card of the person standing in front of you. In most cases, click “No”. Of course, there could be exceptions to this rule. For example, the patron whose book is on the hold shelf may have authorized this other patron to pick up their items via a note in their library account. Note: The self check system follows this rule and prevents this patron from checking out the item and directs them to see staff for assistance.

rev. 2/2018