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  1. We implemented Patron SAML and uses a patron variable field to be the matchpoint. This field contains the patron's email address. Our IdP accepts dots, dash and underscores in patrons' email address. Due to Sierra indexing rules where symbols (including dots, dash and underscores) will be dropped, different patrons with the same letters in their email address but have different symbols in different positions won't be able to authenticate through Patron SAML.
    e.g. Patron A's email = abc.def@test.com, Patron B's email = abc_dec@test.com . Both will fail authentication as Sierra will use abcdef@test.com and return both patron records.

    5 votes

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  2. The Sierra REST API does not return the order record for the bib if the order status is "a" (fully paid). It will only return information if it's "on order".

    Patrons are unable to place holds on new materials using Innovative Mobile for bibs with paid order records that do not yet have items attached.

    5 votes

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  3. 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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  4. 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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  5. Some time ago, an idea was submitted to enhance the Sierra API to provide statistical group information, so that circulation transactions in third party applications could be credited to a statistical group other than 0 None.

    The idea won the "Let's Connect Sierra API Challenge."

    With the release of Sierra 6.0, it then became possible to include a new optional data parameter to specify the statistical group that should be used when recording a transaction performed using the APIs.

    My library was excited to hear this, as we'd recently begun using the self-checkout feature in the Bibliocommons' app not long…

    5 votes

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  6. We were wondering if a “Return Item” button could be put alongside “Renew” “Claimed Returned” when in the Checked Out Items screen, so that you can return an item not in hand etc.
    Simply select the item already issued to a member, and hit 'Return'.

    5 votes

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  7. With the recent changes that allow the label to display in the item record, staff now see the descriptive name of the statistical group in the checkout location. However, 0 displays as None and does not honor what is in the Statistical Group Maintenance table. We have ours labeled for Web Renewals and would like this display to honor what is in the table as opposed to saying 0 None.

    5 votes

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  8. For libraries with floating collections, the location where an item was made "claimed returned" may not reflected in the item record. This is because the 3 options staff have when an item is "claimed returned" does not change the location of the item.

    Essentially the problem:
    An item is “checked out” at location A.
    The item is “claimed returned” at location B.
    The item location remains as location A.

    Staff have 3 choices when they make an item claimed returned:

    · 1. Places a claimed returned note in both the item and patron records

    · 2. (Optional) Removes the check-out…

    5 votes

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  9. Currently in Create Lists it is very difficult to specify criteria for special fields like the leader, 006, 007 and 008. Many of these have the exact same label, like Audience, which appears four different times. Each of them is for audience as it appears in different versions of the 008 for different record types. Then it appears four more times in the 006.

    It would be helpful if each of these different audience codes were labeled in Create Lists, such as "Audience for Books," and "Audience for Music," etc. This would make it much easier to use this function.…

    4 votes

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  10. We use the Repeated Bills feature, where after the bill is sent day 30, we send a repeat bill (#2) on day 40 and a final repeat bill (#3) on day 50. Unfortunately, when you run the Notice job for Repeated Bills, there is no way to tell whether the repeat being sent is for day 40 (#2) or day 50 (#3) except if you scroll through all of them and do the math as it pertains to the item status date. Staff haven't been doing that regularly. Ideally, there would be a column that showed you what # of…

    4 votes

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  11. 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…

    4 votes

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  12. 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…

    4 votes

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  13. When users return the materials via self-check machines, we want an email receipt to be automatically sent to them. Unfortunately, Sierra does not currently support the AA element in the 10 Checkin Response. Some libraries purchased the Patron API feature to get it to work but if Sierra include the AA element, it will simplify the process.

    4 votes

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  14. Similar to the keyboard codes (ex. %ENTER%), it would be useful to have a command code for today's date. In item records, we input the current date in a 995 field using a macro but must update our date macro each day. Being able to have a command for the current date would save time and lead to fewer errors when users forget to change the date.

    4 votes

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  15. When using Manage Holds, information about any recalls that have been issued for items on hold is not displayed.

    This information can be found by consulting the item record (right click, "Edit item", then open the item) and checking for a "Recall Date" value, but it would be very helpful for us if this information could be included directly in the Manage Holds results. For example, the "Hold Status" column could include indication of recalls to provide a fuller picture of the situation at a glance.

    This idea could be incorporated in work on the following related suggestion:
    https://ideas.iii.com/forums/951745-ils-sierra/suggestions/48633872-improve-standardize-information-available-when-vie

    4 votes

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  16. Z39.50 database display names are limited to 50 characters in Admin Corner, but the contents of this field is truncated (at some length < 50) when displayed in the "Selected Databases" dialog in Sierra.

    The 50 char limit may seem generous, but for multilingual organizations (and/or multilingual databases or those that just have long names!) it can already be a challenge to abbreviate the database name in each language to fit while still retaining sufficient information. Truncation of this field further reduces the functional length of the database name.

    As-is, the "Selected Databases" dialog can be dragged wider by the…

    4 votes

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  17. A lot of alt tags appear empty by default and other accessibility issues seem to be outstanding. These two are examples that cannot be corrected by admins.

    Add relevant tags to improve the accessibility of the search results page briefcit.html. The search box form has no labels that can be read by screenreaders:

    Element Location: #searcharg

    <input type="text" name="searcharg" id="searcharg" size="30" onchange="return searchtoolSubmitAction()" maxlength="75" value="[search term]">

    The search history select element has no accessible name:

    Element Location: .navigationRow[align="center"]:nth-child(5) > form > select[name="HISTORY"][onchange="onSelectChange(this, '')"]

    <select name="HISTORY" onchange="onSelectChange(this, '')">

    4 votes

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  18. 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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  19. An option for Sierra to notify the library of new ILL requests via email rather than a staff member manually checking the new requests function.

    4 votes

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  20. There is currently no way to update the status of a hold in the API.

    It would be very useful to change the status from

    "status": {
    "code": "0",
    "name": "on hold."
    },

    to

    "status": {
    "code": "i",
    "name": "Requested item ready for pickup."
    },

    Enhancement to be integrated into https://ideas.iii.com/forums/951745-ils-sierra/suggestions/47618129-it-s-about-time-to-make-holds-apis-first-class-cit ?

    4 votes

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