Description

How can we block patrons who have overdue items from checking out more items?

Resolution

There are three ways of doing this:

1) If you charge fines on overdue items when they are returned, specify a fine level in the xxx50 tab16 and/or tab_block_circ table which will cause the patron to be blocked.

2) Enable check_circ_1_d in the xxx50 tab_check_circ.  The number of overdue notices which will trigger the block is specified in the tab100 OVERDUE-LETTER-NO parameter.  (If left at the default of "0", the patron will immediately be blocked, even before any overdue notices are sent.)

3) Use the tab16 "fine methods" 5 or 8 (overlapping block date) or 6 or 9 (cumulative block date).  See the article " Overdue item returns: patron is not suspended " in this regard.

Note that all of the preceding blocks are at the ADM level or sublibrary level: though patrons can be blocked, in tab16, from checking out items of a particular item status when the tab16 maximum number of loans or tab16 maximum fine amount is exceeded, there is no way to block due to *overdues* at the item status level.

• Article last edited: 8-May-2018