Better Handling of "Display" Items
: In its current configuration, a "display" shelf location can be used to indicate an item has been placed on display. However, changing this shelf location is a semi-permanent change and when the display comes down staff must change the location codes, either manually or through a record set, to the original location. Because displays are often very popular, this often results in items being checked out and returned. Without markings on the books that indicate they're on a temporary display, these items are often reshelved in their original location while their Polaris record indicates they're still on display, hindering findability. The idea is to create the ability to set a "temporary display" designation on an item (or several, depending on the number of display spaces in a Library) that is automatically cleared from the item record when the item is checked in.
Idea Value
This would save staff time in multiple ways. Shelving staff would be able to quickly check-in and shelve items without having to monitor the shelf location to ensure they're shelving on the correct display; staff creating displays wouldn't need to remember to revert record sets back to the original shelf location; and the occurance of items shelved incorrectly (in standard shelving with a "display" location code) would decrease, increasing findability for both staff and customers.
Tracey Thompson
shared this idea
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AdminSamantha Quell
(Admin, Innovative)
commented
This idea is outside of our agreed upon Idea Graduation Workflow, but because it was just raised in the most recent rount of MEEP voting, I'm going to keep it open for another cycle. Moving to "Under Review" status.
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Roseanne Bromberg
commented
Either have a temporary shelving location or a "Display" circulation status would be such a great help to my library. Right now, staff check out items to a "Display" account, which is a terrible workflow. Either of the options mentioned in the comments would fix the problems we've had with using shelf locations for this purpose in the past and let us get away from our current process.
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Alison Hoffman
commented
Requests for an option like this has come up so many times in this consortia. It would simplify things considerably to have this functionality. It currently requires significant staff time and effort to manage items moved to temporary locations.
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Katie
commented
This is something that would simplify things SO much for staff.
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Stephanie Bertin
commented
This recently came up in our library system. Staff want a way to have a temporary display status that will allow patrons to check out materials and automatically change back to available when the item is checked in. The shelf location and temporary shelf location options that we currently have both require a lot of staff intervention and management.
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Susan Millwater
commented
I like the idea of a new status. Another possibility is adding a new field that would give you more flexibility with what to do with the item when it is checked in. You could have it be a temporary On Display so on check in it would just go back to In/Shelving Cart or permanent which would cause it to go back to On Display. I'm not sure if another value needs to be added to account for libraries with floating collections or not.
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AdminSamantha Quell
(Admin, Innovative)
commented
We had two separate ideas related to better handling of display items that I have merged into this single request. It is still to be determined exactly how this workflow will be improved (a status, automatic updates on location), but this idea now combines all the votes, comments, feedback for both so we can consider the best path forward.
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Beth Lane
commented
I agree. We can use "Shelf Location : Display", but seeing the item's circulation status as "Display" would be more efficient and intuitive.
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Violet Jaffe
commented
Add a "display" status to the circulation statuses in Polaris like they have in Sierra.
In Sierra, we could change items to display status so they would be easier to find. When the item was checked out, the status cleared. At the end of the display, we could pull the items and check them back in. In Polaris, our only option is to create a display shelf location, but it doesn't get cleared when the item is checked out, so we would have to tape all the display books every month to make sure they got back on display when they were returned
Idea Value
. It would be easier to create displays and keep track of our items. Less items would get marked missing erroneously and it would save staff time.