308 results found
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Allow Pickup Location Changes After Hold Is Activated (with Optional Patron Notification)
In Sierra, once a hold is activated, the pickup location becomes locked. This occurs even if an error happens or the original location becomes unavailable. The limitation creates workflow issues for libraries that use lockers, shared delivery systems, or multiple branches.
We are requesting a system enhancement that allows authorized staff to edit the pickup location of a hold after it has been activated, but before it is checked out or expires.
-Why This Is Needed:
Locker and space-based workflows: Staff may discover after trapping a hold that a locker is full or not functioning. At that point, there is…
2 votes -
Rearchitect iiirecord.record_metadata to provide improved audit trail accountability
It is sometimes helpful to see who created, updated or deleted a record. Catmaint provides a lot of detail but doesn't cover many record types. I propose the following solution, which doesn't have particularly burdensome storage requirements:
- Build a many-to-many table with an id primary key column, a timestamp, a code indicating the C-R-U-Uprevious-D record operation and foreign keys linking to record_metadata.id and to iii_user.id.
- Backfill this new table using the available timestamps in record_metadata, catmaint and any other table like catmaint which might provide record edit history.
- Rename record_metadata and drop its four *_gmt timestamp columns. Yes, this creates…
5 votes -
Automatically add date/timestamp to Notes and Messages
It would be helpful if the system automatically added a date/timestamp to Notes and Messages added to Patron and Item records by staff. Currently, we ask our staff to always add thier initials and date to notes and messages when adding them but it doesn't always happen. There are also inconsistnecies in how these are added and no easy way to search for them. We also find that notes/messages are not always removed after they are addressed.
If we had an accurate way to determine the date a note/message was added, it would be possible to develop a retention policy…
8 votes -
Add 'Previous' button to Receiving
Staff are really appreciating the addition of a 'Previous' button to the record creation process which allows them to back up and fix a mistake without having to go all the way through the process before returning to make a correction. Staff would like to see similar functionality within the Receiving process. We receive using the process that combines creating the item with receiving.
Currently, for receiving an item, it will prompt you through the boxes to fill in the required information. As you proceed through, if you make a mistake or skip something you have to cancel and start…
3 votes -
Improve clear hold functions for integrated systems
When a hold has been cleared or is defunct, the information Sierra provides integrated integrated systems (IMMS for our example) over API is not consistent In particular, when clear holds is run in Sierra. During clear holds, the item status either remains at ! On holdshelf or changes to another item status. When it remains as !, IMMS sees the hold is still active and does not instruct staff to clear the item from the hold shelf. Daily and weekly processes are needed to update the item records for IMMS to recognise the changes.
Can the clear hold function in…
3 votes -
Add "permanent location" field in item record and function to change to it
We have shelves for new materials, and item location codes for these ("new mysteries," "new fiction," "new DVDs," and lots more). Moving items from the new shelves to the regular shelves is a chore, both in handling materials and in knowing (and selecting) what location to change them to. It would be great if you could just get into a function in Sierra that would change the current item location (the "new" one in my example) to the permanent item location (a new field that would be added with this idea, which would catalogers would populate when the item was…
3 votes -
A "full Payment History file" event should log an error to the Admin App's System Messages log
Today our Payment History file reached 9,999 records which is close enough to the 10k record capacity that the attached error message was displayed. Fortunately the staff member had the presence of mind to screen-capture this error dialog today so I could read its message verbatim, but this isn't always the case. It would be helpful for an error of this severity to be written to the System Messages log viewed using the web-based Sierra admin app.
Given the low variety of error messages written to that log, there must be all kinds of similar messages which are not logged,…
5 votes -
Increase Max System Display Limit for Fines
Our library has very generous allowances for both checkouts & holds on patron accounts. This can sometimes come into conflict with Sierra's seemingly arbitrary system limits. For example, when these items go unreturned & result in replacement charges, which then cannot be added because of the imposed limits. Like my waist can no longer accommodate 32" pants, Sierra cannot currently accommodate the lending policies taken advantage of by some of our more active borrowers.
I'm sure there are other examples where these limits can manifest, but attached is an example message recently seen by staff which reads:
CANNOT ADD FINE…
2 votes -
Limit the number of holds to the total count of copies in that Bib
There must be a configuration in Sierra to limit the number of holds can be placed at the bib level. We want to limit the hold count to number of copies in the Bib.
1 vote -
RFID switching
One of our branches uses shielded RFID pads, and the software could hook in to their previous ILS and context switch the current RFID action (tag on, tag off, no change) depending on the active function screen by overlaying a screen over the ILS to track the toggling.
Can support for this functionality be offered for Sierra? I assume it would involve working with the RFID vendors to get it up and running.
The current workaround is to use Sierra macros to trigger the RFID function change, but this is reliant on staff remembering to press the keys which may…
1 vote -
Allow for Customization of Fields Included in Expanded Display of Patron Records
I recently learned that the fields included in the Expanded Display for patron records (when you rollover/click the i next to the record) are hard coded.
I found this unfortunate, because what's shown in the Expanded Display differs depending on where you're viewing it, which in the case of patron records is either going to be in the Search/Find a Patron view or the Check Out mode view.
Examples of where I see room for improvement here:
1) When I search for a patron by name & come up with dozens of people with the same name, an identifier like…
3 votes -
Send To: Globally Purge Charges
It would be great if the logic & momentum that introduced Send To - Rapid or Global Update in Sierra 6.3 & will soon allow the same shortcut to Delete Items could also be applied to Globally Purge Charges.
The state of Ohio has a statute of limitations on debt collection that has us purging money owed longer than 5 years on a weekly basis. While this is bazonkers IMO, apparently it's also the law of the land, & it would make the process much more quick & convenient if we could select a file in Create List, navigate to…
2 votes -
Expand the 1,000 location code capacity of Locations Served (portloca) groups
I currently have a need for a Locations Served group which can accommodate 1,245 location codes. The limit imposed by Admin Corner is 1,000 location codes, and per case #08077395, Support asserts that Sierra will not support more than 1,000 location codes per Locations Served (so it's not simply a limit of the Admin Corner interface).
Increasing this limit will potentially lead to a modest increase in memory consumption by any and all circulation processes which hold these Locations Served tables in memory, but do we really need to be concerned about Kilobytes of RAM in 2025? Other Sierra configuration…
2 votesThis idea will be developed for Sierra 6.5.
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Create a pop-up when you are about to overwrite a review file in create lists.
It is very easy to accidentally overwrite a review file in create lists. There should be a pop-up that asks if you want to overwrite the file so that you know you're doing it.
4 votes -
Permit writing a pre-encrypted PIN via the API without additional encryption
For testing purposes, it would be beneficial to be able to make a backup of a patron PIN, assign a new temporary PIN, perform the testing from the patron's perspective, and then restore the original PIN. This way we would not have to inconvenience the patron by asking them to reset their PIN when testing has completed.
We can retrieve the encrypted PIN with this API GET request:
https://library-app-server:443/iii/sierra-api/v6/patrons/patron-record-number?fields=varFields
but the PIN string will be re-encrypted if we attempt to write it back using the patron record PUT request. We would like to have the option of passing a directive…2 votes -
add location column in Count Use function
Under the count use function, is it possible to add a location column? Currently, we have Title / Barcode / Count / Status. This way, when staff collects used but not checked out items and counts their usage, they can also see - at a glance - if the item belongs to a different floor/location and can separate it on the spot.
This added information will save staff time and minimize the chance of something being misplaced.
4 votes -
Statistics - Saved Queries Should Retain Cross-Tab Selections
Saved Queries in the SDA should function the same as they do in SierraWeb.
In the SDA:
If the first review file with search results in Sierra Create Lists is based on a specific record type (e.g., bibliographic record), and you create a saved Cross-Tab query based on the same record type, then the selection of the two fields in the Cross-Tab Field Selection panel will be retained when switching to another bibliographic review file in Sierra SDA.
If the first review file with search results in Sierra Create Lists is based on a specific record type (e.g., bibliographic record),…
3 votes -
Abililty for Sierra's NCIP responder to be able to parse ISBNs
Right now NCIP for Symphony, Voyager, Polaris, Koha and Evergreen all accept ISBNs, but Sierra's does not.
4 votes -
Deposit Functionality
Ability for patron to add money to their Sierra patron account (via self-check) to pay for future fines, fees, and printing. We are looking to go mostly cashless, but some patrons aren't able to get credit cards (like our young patrons here after school). Our self-check machine takes cash, which would allow patrons to print and pay fees/fines with cash, even if the staff doesn't have a cash register.
5 votes -
Add "mark damaged items" workflow to checkin
Staff need an easy way to make an item "damaged" when performing check-in. The current damaged workflow requires staff to be in the patron account.
All of our libraries have book drops, and every day, damaged items are returned. It doesn't make sense for library staff to stop their process, review the item record, and then review the patron account details in order to mark an item as damaged.
Can the "Mark Damaged Items" button that appears in the checkout function (checked out items) screen be added to the check-in window. I have attached an image where we would like…
12 votes
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