Evergreen Advisory Committee Meeting, Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Agenda

Updates and announcements

1. TPAC sunset - 1/8/2024 (Dan)

Old business

1. Use of block function, new in EG3.11 (Dan)
2. Patron registration form review (Dan / support ticket)
3. Holds expiring off hold shelf frequently?

New business

1. Circulation policy updates (Dan)
   • EAC / OWWLDAC plan
   • OWWL-level circulations as fine-free
   • Fine-free patron profile
     • How is this being used by libraries?
2. Claims returned (Dan / support ticket)
   • A staff member at a library expressed concerns about the claims returned functionality:
     • A patron has a “claims returned” count on their edit screen. This is a lifetime total of claims returned that can’t be edited, even if the item is found and was missing due to the fault of the library.
     • An item that is checked in after having been marked claims returned does not indicate it had been marked as claims returned.
   • Some different options we could consider:
     • Hide the claims returned count from staff. Note that it would still be there, but just wouldn’t be displayed.
     • Allow staff to have permission to edit the lifetime claims returned count.
     • We could have Evergreen use a new “Claims returned” status.
3. New alert reports (Dan)
   • Pending patrons alert
   • Unused staff account alert
4. Monthly circ report update proposals (Dan)
   • Prototype report
     • Counts checkouts and renewal types regardless of the source of the item
     • Counts ILLs using same methodology as annual report (items sent / received rather than circulations)
5. Checking out computers to patrons (Dan)
   • Lots of approaches to this across the system. Some folks check out computers directly to patrons, others to a generic account.
   • Some potential problems:
     • Circulations of computers inflate monthly circ stats. They are filtered out for annual report, though.
     • May tie usage of specific computer to specific patron. Is this a privacy concern?
6. Permissions to create / update shelving location
   • This is something that could be given as a permission to library directors / staff with Item Cataloging permission. If EAC would like us to do so, it may be worth considering some guidelines for names (using Title Case, a reasonable character limit, etc.)

1. Stricter password requirements for patrons (Dan / Kim)
   • Kim asked a question about library liability for poor passwords. Libraries are probably not liable for patrons who choose to use a password like 1234.</Not legal advice> However, is it a problem that we have defaults (last four of phone) that are not secure? Especially when patrons may not be aware that they can reset their passwords?
   • Other library systems (like Southern Tier) have introduced stricter password requirements for patrons.
2. Intro email to patrons (Dan)
   • We may be able to set up an email to be sent automatically to patrons when they register if they have an email address on their account.
3. Lost item mailer timing (Dan / support ticket)
   • Someone questioned the timeline for lost item mailers. Since this was adjusted last year, it may be a good time for a quick check-in about how the new schedule is working.
   • Notices are generated at the first notice run after being 28 days overdue (they could be generated on 28 days overdue, 29 days overdue, etc.).
   • Items are marked lost on 35 days overdue.

Open floor: Discussions for items not on agenda

Next meeting date: 2/20/2024

• 4/16/2024
• 6/18/2024

Action items

Referred to OWWLDAC

Circulation policy updates

• Set OWWL-level circulation policies to fine-free
• Adjust fine-charging circulation policies
• Work directly with libraries to confirm that technical policies in Evergreen reflect written circulation / fine policies

Claims returned

• New "Claimed returned" status
• Allow directors to edit lifetime "Claims-returned Count"

Shelving location permissions

• Add permissions to create and/or update shelving locations for staff with Item Cataloging permissions
• Adopt new policy:
  • Libraries should be consistent in the naming conventions they use for shelving locations. Shelving locations should use Title Case and should be of a reasonable length. Shelving locations should be added sparingly and should ideally correspond with an actual physical shelving location

Minutes