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293 results found

  1. The "import records" within Create List was a game changer. But going a step further would be adding the ability to direct scan barcodes into a review file. This would save time in circumstances where you have only a few records you need to update.

    31 votes

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  2. There SHOULD be an OpenAPI definition document available for Sierra's APIs via Swagger, but currently, there is not.

    The OpenAPI definition document (https://swagger.io/specification/) is a standardized format for describing the structure and behavior of an API. It is a machine-readable document, usually written in JSON or YAML, that provides a comprehensive blueprint of an API's endpoints, operations, input/output parameters, response formats, authentication methods, and other essential details.

    For comparison, here is an example for the Polaris API / Swagger install (on an iii training server):
    https://polaris-training.polarislibrary.com/PAPIService/swagger/v1/swagger.json

    Benefits of an OpenAPI Definition Document:

    * Standardization: Provides a consistent format
    30 votes

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  3. We are needing a way to update the inventory date field when an item is checked-in using the "checkin no patron" function.
    When an item that is already in "-" available status, and you check-in the item, there is no field in the item record that records the date of this transaction. We are wanting a checkbox on the screen in that function that when checked, will update the item inventory date so that we can then see the last time that item was scanned.
    This will help us with our inventory projects, as we do a full scan of…

    28 votes

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  4. In the print/send orders function, it can be easy to accidentally upload an order to a vendor multiple times. As a means to mitigate this error I propose a two part feature.

    As a first step, the system should provide some indication when viewing the orders to ftp queue if an order has already been ftp'd once. I could see two methods for accomplishing this. 1) Add a column to the queue display for sent date, taking the most recent date present that has been appended to the ISBN pick field in a record from having been previously sent. 2)…

    27 votes

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  5. Allow patrons to set a thaw date when freezing holds. Patrons often forget they froze holds and the hold lingers until it expires. Also, make this information available in the API for third party vendors, such as discovery layers.

    26 votes

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  6. Currently to find a list of all INN-Reach items located on a branches holdshelf, not just expired ones is a difficult task. The Received Too Long report only allows you to sort by Patron Home Library which may not correspond to their hold pickup location. A person would need to run this report and look up each INN-Reach item to see if they are actually at the patrons home library, or a different branch. For library systems with multiple branches this is a time consuming process.

    The Clear Expired Holds and Holdshelf Function only allows you to view expired INN-Reach…

    26 votes

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  7. The Time to Holdshelf feature in Sierra is useful in keeping patrons from showing up too early to pick up their holds. As seen in the attachment "Discovery Layer View" – which in our case happens to be BiblioCore – the availability status correctly reflects that the recently checked-in item "Easter Mice!" is not ready for pickup because the item is en route to the pickup location (which in this case is a set of freestanding pickup lockers in a remote area of the county).

    However, the holds status as displayed in the SDA incorrectly reports the item as being…

    25 votes

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  8. Circulation staff would like the ability to waive portions of individual fines/fees on a patron record.

    Sometimes staff forgets to backdate items in our book drop or the library is closed for some reason (weather, etc.). Staff wants to waive part of the late fee, but are forced to waive the full amount for the item, then go back and enter in a manual fee (or just waive completely).

    Idea Value

    Save staff time (no need to waive and then add a fine back in)

    Accuracy re: fines paid data (will be properly noted as fine vs. manual)

    Increase customer…

    25 votes

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  9. In Sierra 5.5 the circloanrule view was added to SierraDNA, providing SQL access to an abridged form of the loan rule table. A few of the fields missing from this view are particularly notable and their addition would greatly expand on the opportunities to utilize this view in queries:nameis_bookablemax number of auto renewalsamount of fine

    Idea Value
    SQL access to this fields would enable the construction of more detailed loan rule based queries. In particular being able to look at fine rates and their impact on checkouts would be of great value.

    25 votes

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  10. Currently you can define fixed field data in a record template and have that data loaded into records via a load profile when using data exchange. Variable fields, however, are not available in this process. Make variable fields in a template available for inserting into records via the load profile and data exchange process.

    Idea Value
    Currently when we have a note or message that needs to be inserted into every record in a load we do it through global update after the load. If we could add this note or message to the template being used with the @dflt…

    25 votes

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  11. We use the patron's 18th birthday as their youth card expiration date. Due to the Year 2038 issue we have been unable to add the correct date for several years now. We would really like to be able to have (any/all) date fields updated so we can begin to record accurate future dates again.

    24 votes

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  12. We have a non-holdable lucky day collection whose items are on the same bib as our regular, holdable copies of those titles. Sierra allows patrons to place holds on titles that are on order, but sometimes the non-holdable copies are the first to arrive -- at which point, Sierra sees that all items on the record are non-holdable, and stops allowing holds until the first holdable copies come in.

    Innovative recommended splitting nonholdable items onto a separate bib record, which seems liable to clutter up the catalog; moreover, some of these items are likely to be moved into our regular…

    23 votes

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  13. Idea: Create an additional notice type, Hold Pickup Reminder/Courtesy, that can be configured to send a reminder notice to patrons that they have a hold ready for pickup that is about to expire, similar to the courtesy notice for checked-out items.

    Relevance: When you place an order for pickup at most other businesses, you are sent a reminder email before the pickup deadline that the item is ready for pickup. Libraries would benefit from a similar option, especially those that use hold pickup lockers where there is limited space for holds. This way, if a patron decides they don't want…

    23 votes

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  14. We occasionally have issues with staff abusing their ability to waive fines or deleting items inappropriately or accessing patron accounts outside of acceptable library operations. We would like to have a way to view these actions within a log file associated with each Sierra login (or filterable by login) so that these activities could be periodically audited by managerial staff and retroactively be reviewed when inappropriate system activities are believed to have taken place.

    23 votes

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  15. Our library uses the icode1 field as a statistical category code. We'd like to be able to define our icode1 values, with codes and labels stored in Sierra and visible to staff. Currently we keep a list of codes and their meanings stored in a shared drive and have to share it with our cataloguers. Staff can see the "stat category" field in item records, but there's no translation anywhere in Sierra and the userdefinedicode1_myuser SQL view is blank.

    23 votes

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  16. I'm hoping that the great improvements to patron notices with LXStarter can be considered for staff use, like paging lists.

    22 votes

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  17. Add the ability to create a template specifically for repeated bills. This would allow us to send a different message for a reminder bill than what we sent in the original bill. This is would be similar to how we are able to create different templates for 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc Overdue Notices.

    21 votes

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  18. At checkout, Circulation Staff must ask patrons at the end of each checkout if they want a printed receipt, email receipt, both, or none, or place a pop-up message on their account. It would be great if there were a way to retain each patron's receipt preference so that upon closing out the patron's record, the preferred receipt would be sent, print, both, or no receipt would be given.

    21 votes

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  19. Can we get some new skins to choose from for the SDA/Sierra Web?

    There are currently two: Half Dome & Glacier Point.

    We currently use colors to differentiate between our Production instance of Sierra & our Test version. However, we also have a Training database.

    Variety is the spice of life! How about a rose-colored skin, a powder blue, or a "Millennium Green" as an homage to the Millennium database?

    21 votes

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  20. Provide Libraries with the option to "always be able to freeze a bib or item level hold".

    If circulation/OPAC rules allow a customer to place a hold, the customer should always be able to freeze it.

    At this time, customers cannot freeze a bib level hold if there is an item attached to the bib that could fill the hold. Customers tell us that they want to manage their holds. They are unsure of a "Not Needed Before" date, but they know that they do not want to fill the hold immediately.

    This is important for libraries that split out…

    21 votes

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