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276 results found

  1. Update the Sierra API to allow self-check out of virtual items. We use Bibliocommons app and our customers cannot use the self-checkout feature to check out INN-Reach items.

    5 votes

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  2. We require certain information to create a library card, however Sierra does not enforce this requirement at the system level. Since it isn't mandatory, some data simply never gets captured and creates more work on the backend.

    Beyond that, having certain information in the record would allow us to build a better understanding of our usership so that we can make better decisions as an organization.

    I especially would love the ability to require any and all of the fixed-length fields; especially patron category, birthdate, home library, and notice preference.

    16 votes

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  3. Currently Decision Center only returns data for a location parameter if there was activity for the selected time period and does not return a zero placeholder for locations without activity. This creates extra work for staff when working with the resulting Excel files. They can't easily reference the cells in Excel consistently.

    14 votes

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  4. When creating a new customer record from scratch, or when updating & finalizing those submitted through our online application, we have staff perform some checks to prevent duplicate records.

    They'll begin by searching the Name index to make sure that there's no pre-existing record for the same name. Then as backup, they'll try searching by birth date or phone number.

    However, when you search by birth date or phone number, the results do not come back in alphabetical order, making things a bit harder than they should be for frontline staff. See example image where the search for the DOB…

    6 votes

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  5. When exporting MARC tags, export should have all the subfields marked. Now that I try to export say 041, I can´t see if the language code is in a, b or d... And this would be important to know as it is not the same to have say |a fin |h eng and |a fin |a eng.

    13 votes

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  6. At present, we can only see the full name field in get patron endpoints. For some systems that connect via api, it would be highly beneficial to have other fields available relating to patron information. For example, separated first and last names.

    This is due the some systems relying on the information it can read from Sierra and not process further to define a first name.

    4 votes

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  7. Our homebound customers love the Sierra reading history functionality, but tell us that they do not want the Library to give them a checkout receipt that includes an option to rate the title. They also tell us that they do not want their personal information on the receipt (and the library cannot edit the Homebound receipt template).

    Additionally, circulation staff workflows are hindered because if a stack of homebound items are returned, they have to use the keyboard / mouse to move past the checkin rating prompts.

    5 votes

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  8. Sometimes we want to update a patron record and blank out a date in the expiry date field for a continuing staff member.

    The patron API cannot do this - blank values are rejected as invalid JSON e.g.

    {"expirationDate": " - - "}
    {"expirationDate": ""}
    {"expirationDate": "--"}
    {"expirationDate": "null"}

    All we can do is add a date, and for continuing staff we can only use the maximum possible date of 18 Jan 2038.

    Enhance the API to accept a blank value in expiry date.

    5 votes

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  9. We frequently have the unfortunate situation where staff accidentally delete their paging list from the list of Notices. Ideally, we'd prefer that frontline staff be able to prepare, print, & fulfill their paging lists but not be able to delete them.

    Separating authorizations to create/edit/delete these lists from the preparation & printing would save support staff a great deal of time spent recreating these lists & remove some of the potential for frustration & confusion among frontline staff.

    46 votes

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  10. We can’t use this button because we don’t use print templates for our bills.
    We would prefer them to look pretty with Print Templates instead of the plain text we currently have. To avoid staff confusion, it would be great if this we had the ability to disable/grey out this button.

    3 votes

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  11. https://ideas.iii.com/forums/951745-ils-sierra/suggestions/46670854-sierra-5-5-direct-view-public-display-to-disco is closed/says it's already supported, but the part for being configured to more than one display option is not addressed. We would like to be able to have more than one option to display - Vega, Classic, Encore and even III Mobile if possible - so we can see how all iterations look right from the SDA. So in the menu it would be View | Public Display | array of choices

    14 votes

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  12. There are two things we would like to see in the Mark Damaged Items process. First we need a separate notice text for damaged items. We are trying to differentiate between lost and damaged and having to use the same notice text is problematic. Second, we'd like the status after the bill is paid to be Damaged & Paid (just like Lost & Paid) instead of just Damaged, as staff can't tell if this is an initial damaged status or one that has been paid for. These are handled differently and being able to create a list, for example, of…

    45 votes

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  13. Idea: create a new status that references a scheduled booking for an item.

    Value: Currently, Sierra does not change the status of an item that has a scheduled booking. When using the API to reflect the status of an item on a catalog, the item will show as status - (On Shelf) even though the item is not available because it has a scheduled booking for that time. This makes it seem as if the item can be scheduled for a specific time when it is already booked. When an item has a booking, changing the status to "Booked" when…

    2 votes

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  14. We see the Sierra 6.0 Release Notes features new Accessibility improvements in the SDA. It is unclear if this includes a high contrast display option which staff recommend to support use of the software by many different types of staff.

    14 votes

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  15. Searches of Innovative databases that contain authority records using Z39.50 search do not return authority records.

    The ability to search for an authority records would contribute to the quality of the database and make it easier to generate linked data.

    7 votes

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  16. It would be very helpful to be able to print a Statement of Charges directly from a patron record (and have it formatted for 8-1/2 x 11 paper and mail-ready).

    For context, we are a 138-library consortium, all notices are Auto Notices, and we do not run Statement of Charges for the consortium. Yes, you can run a statement for 1 patron in the Notices function, but this requires consortium staff intervention since that permission is locked down to consortium staff. It would be much simpler for our member libraries to be able to print such a statement on an…

    16 votes

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  17. When you increase the font size to 20 for cataloging, it enlarges all the other information except the title line which remains the same. As a result, the title line appears smaller in comparison to the other information. It would be great is the title also displayed in the larger font.

    13 votes

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  18. Problem: Many patrons have holds on titles in Quick Pick or Lucky Day collections. When they "get lucky" and check out one of these non-holdable copies their original hold remains in the queue and the patron often neglects to cancel their hold.

    Impact: Fulfilling these unnecessary holds wastes time for staff and patrons and delays trigging other patrons' holds as the item sits on the holdshelf until the expiration date. Collection budgets are also negatively impacted as these unnecessary holds can skew the item-to-holds ratio for high-demand items that selectors use to determine how many additional copies to purchase.

    Solution:…

    42 votes

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  19. Would love to see the word "replacement" changed to a word that gets at the actual status. Currently the charge type of "replacement" is used for a long overdue item that has been billed or a damaged item that has been billed. To find out if the item that has been billed is damaged or just hasn't been returned you have to go into the item record to see if a damaged note has been added.

    7 votes

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  20. When using Create Lists and using Retrieve Saved Query, you are able to sort the list in ascending order. When you go to Save As a query, it goes in and there doesn't appear to be any sort of order (in the past I swear it went in the order it was added/saved). So if you have to tweak your query and need to Save As again, good luck finding it, esp. when you have 100+ saved queries. Ideally you could sort the list of queries, like you can when you initially retrieve them.

    2 votes

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