Meeting Recording for 04/12/2022

Access Services Committee Agenda for 04/12/2022

 How to set renewal limitations on Prospector loans. (Michael from CCU

• We discovered that one of the books we have categorized as missing has actually been “out” to a Prospector patron since 9-10-2020, and has been renewed 47 times. 
• I have emailed the contact at the home library of the patron to resolve the challenge, but perhaps there could be some way to stop this from re-occurring (or perhaps I am just unaware of the current procedure to implement).

 The non-uniformity of fines/late charges (Michael from CCU)

• There has been a trend in libraries eliminating late fines to alleviate inequality and to seek the return of long-overdue items (among other reasons); each library is of course entitled to set its own policies.
• Wyoming library was upset recently (to our understanding) with their losses through Prospector.
• It is my understanding (and I may well be wrong), that libraries do not exchange money per lost item.
• What effect has the elimination of fines over the last few years (to any extent that this has happened) had on the number of prospector-loaned items not returning to their home library?
• For example, Jefferson County libraries shared with me that they no longer charge fines and that when a Prospector item is 28 days overdue, it automatically goes into the billed status and a replacement fee is added to the patron record.  If the patron returns the item, the replacement fee is cleared at check-in, and a $5 processing fee remains.
  • Presumably, the replacement fee is the fee associated with the title/Sierra file rather than a flat fee (if a flat fee, a patron could essentially buy the book at a discount).
• Have libraries noticed any changes to the rate of non-returned items after changing fine policies?
• As we decide whether to alter our own fine policies, does anyone have feedback on their experiences with changing fine policies?