Regular loans
Every item checked-out is given a due date. Four days before a regular (not Reserve) item is due, Aleph will automatically send the loaning patron a ‘Reminder Notice’ via email. If the patron’s email is not valid, the notice will print out at the Circulation printer and will be mailed to the patron. At this point the patron is still able to renew the item online through his library account (refer to “Renewals” in Chapter 9).
Once the item has reached its due date, fines will start accruing at a rate of 25¢ per day. These fines will not show on his account until the eighth day, as Aleph does not assign fines under $2. On the eighth day, after this seven-day ‘grace’ period, the fines will show on the patron’s account and continue to increase until it reaches the maximum fine of $20, or until the item is returned. If the item is returned within the grace period, all fines accrued are waived by the system.
In Aleph, fines can be viewed in the ‘Patron’ tab, under the ‘Loans’ node:
Any fines incurred will transfer to the ‘Cash’ node, once the item has been returned and checked-in.
- To view this in Aleph, be sure you are looking in the ‘Patron’ tab, under the ‘Cash’ node and the ‘Active Cash’ tab in the upper right pane of the screen:
The patron will continue to receive notices of the overdue status of the item, while the fines are accumulating.
Schedule of notices:
· First Overdue Notice – eight days after due date
· Second Overdue Notice – 21 days after due date
· Third Overdue Notice – 60 days after due date
· Billed for Replacement (BFR) Notice – 90 days after due date
After the system has sent out the third overdue notice, Aleph will automatically change the books status to ‘Lost’. The (BFR) notice will be the last notice sent out after that point.
Back to Overdue Items
- The patron will no longer be able to renew the item online after the first ‘Overdue’ notice has been sent out.
- To have the item renewed, the patron will have to bring the book to the Library in person or call the Circulation desk.
Schedule of notices:
· First Overdue Notice – eight days after due date
· Second Overdue Notice – 21 days after due date
· Third Overdue Notice – 60 days after due date
· Billed for Replacement (BFR) Notice – 90 days after due date
After the system has sent out the third overdue notice, Aleph will automatically change the books status to ‘Lost’. The (BFR) notice will be the last notice sent out after that point.
- The patron will have a block on his account, as the replacement charge for the item will be applied to the patron’s account, and is usually more than the $10 limit.
- The $20 maximum fine for overdue loans will not be applied to his account until the item has been returned and checked-in.
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