Fulfillment - July 2018 Enhancements

Idea Exchange, NERS Enhancement (ID #3856): Alma can now send notifications and block patrons for short term loans. Short term loans are any loan defined in minutes or hours. Once a short loan is created, Alma checks the associated customer parameters. If the short_loan_courtesy_reminder parameter is set, a courtesy reminder is triggered based on the due date time less the value of that parameter. If the short_loan_overdue_reminder parameter is set, an overdue reminder is triggered based on the due date time plus the value of that parameter. For both notifications, the letter will be sent if the item was not returned, is not in Lost or Claim Return status, If there was a change in the due date, the new due date will trigger the notification.

The courtesy reminder uses the existing FulUserLoansCourtesyLetter letter. The overdue reminder uses the FulOverdueAndLostLoanNotificationLetter letters. Both letters now include indicators for a short term loan and continue to be used for regular loan courtesy or overdue notices as well.

When an overdue letter is issued, if the short_loan_overdue_block parameter is set to Yes, an overdue block will be set for the patron.

Additionally, there is now an option that allows more choices for sending the courtesy notification. The resend_courtesy_notices parameter has been renamed to send_courtesy_notices_behavior. The values for the new parameter are:

• DD_WITHIN_RANGE_DAILY - For institutions that previously had the resend_courtesy_notices parameter set to true, this value will be populated in the new parameter as the default. It allows the notification to be sent daily until the item is due.
• DD_ON_EXACT_DEFINED_DAY - For all other institutions, this is the default value. The courtesy notice is sent only on the exact day based on the number of days before due date that the courtesy notice is set to send.
• DD_WITHIN_RANGE_ONCE - The courtesy notice is sent only once on or after the days before due date as defined in the job.

This parameter is configurable on the Fulfillment Jobs Configuration page. For more information, see Configuring Fulfillment Jobs.

• When the Primo Customized Holding mapping table is used, sub fields $$u were shown in the Primo Get It tab as a hyperlink, but with a label, Press this link for more details. The actual URL is now shown as a hyperlink instead.
• Running the status update from the Overdue and Lost Loan Profiles page will now show a confirmation message before running the update.
• Previously, when changing an item's permanent location from the Change Item Information of the Scan In Items page (Fulfillment > Resource Requests > Scan In Items > Change Item Information tab), a new holding was created, but the MARC fields were not copied to the new holding. Now, the change is processed in the following manner:
  • If the call number field is empty
    • When there are no other item in this holdings, a new holdings is created that replaces the old one, and the new holdings copies the original holdings (with no change).
    • When there are other items under this holdings, a new holdings is created in addition to the old one, and the new holdings copies the original holdings (with no change).
  • If the call number field is not empty
    • When a new call number does not match any holdings and:
      • when there is no other item in this holdings, a new holdings is created that replaces the old one, and the new holdings generates the location (852) from the new call number (either normalized or raw).
      • when there are other items under this holdings, a new holdings is created in addition to the old one, and the new holdings generates the location (852) from the new call number (either normalized or raw).
    • When a new call number matches an existing holdings and:
      • when there is no other item in this holdings, the item is moved to the matched holdings. The original item’s holdings is deleted and no new holdings is created.
      • when there are other items under this holdings, the item is moved to the matched holdings. The original item’s holdings stays the same. No new holdings is created.
  See Changing Item Information.