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  1. Analysis of holds is often requested by managers keen to see what users are requesting and how much material is going where across multiple sites.

    However a lot of detailed information on holds in the SQL tables is transitory e.g. hold, hold_removed.

    I have long thought that it would be helpful to include hold pickup location in circ_trans, which provides a historic perspective and can be downloaded and/or adjusted to capture longer time frames.

    This would enable data and analysis which is not possible currently.

    13 votes

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  2. Currently when using the "forgot your PIN" reset PIN /Password function in the WebPAC the patron completes a pin reset form and then the system emails the patron with a link to the PIN Reset form.

    We would like to see an option to SMS the patron with the link. This would be helpful for readers who have don't have access to their email / or have changed their email address.

    13 votes

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  3. Currently INN-Reach and Sierra servers are bundled with OpenSSH 7.1, which is over 7 years old as of this writing. There is a sorting bug (https://bugzilla.mindrot.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2694) that impacts the Scheduler functionality that would be fixed by upgrading to at least OpenSSH 7.6. Also assume that multiple security vulnerabilities exist in 7.1.

    13 votes

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  4. Currently, Sierra does not provide built-in functionality for processing or tracking refunds. While the system records partial payments that result in credits (displayed as negative fines) and waivers applied by staff (visible in Fines Paid), there is no equivalent workflow or tracking for refunds.
    We request the addition of a refund tracking feature within the patron record, ensuring that staff can see when a refund has been issued. Specifically, we propose:
    A clear refund indicator in the patron record.
    A display of refund amounts including payment method in the Fines tab, similar to how fines and waivers are shown.
    An…

    12 votes

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  5. We would like to change the wording on our bills to patrons for long-overdue items from “COLECTIONS AGENCY REPORT CHARGE” to “MATERIALS RECOVERY SERVICE CHARGE,” but this is hard-coded. We use Unique Management, who describes themselves as a materials recovery service, and we try hard to always use that wording and not say "collection" or "collection agency." Some patrons have become alarmed by seeing "collection agency" on our bills for long-overdue items and in their accounts.

    12 votes

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  6. Circulation staff would like to see "did you mean" logic applied to the SDA keyword search. This is the top complaint from circulation staff who search the database to help customers place holds. Staff are used to a Google (or Discovery Catalogue) keyword search that has some flexibility for human error.

    12 votes

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  7. Libraries using SIP2 connections for self-checks cannot have due slips that have "You Saved" information because the Item Price field is not available via SIP2.

    While due slips with this information can be used at a staff station with the SDA, as more and more libraries move to self-check, the lack of this field's availability in SIP2 is a barrier.

    Use case: a library has a self-check machine that uses SIP2 and wants to include "You Saved" information on their due slips.

    12 votes

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  8. 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.

    12 votes

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  9. When you export a file with Scheduler FTP, it currently adds a time and date stamp on the end of the file name. We have no control over this addition to the file name. This stamp makes the file completely useless for many applications. Many of the vendors we might send files to require particular file extensions on our files, such as .mrc. Since this stamp is added to the end of the file name, it is not possible to specify the required file extension.

    As a result Scheduler is completely incompatible with Ingram's Ipage service for example.

    We need…

    12 votes

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  10. 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:

    1. 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.
    2. Backfill this new table using the available timestamps in record_metadata, catmaint and any other table like catmaint which might provide record edit history.
    3. Rename record_metadata and drop its four *_gmt timestamp columns. Yes, this creates…
    11 votes

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  11. Intergrating Sierra with IMMS, Sierra does not show the placement information from IMMS on item records. In particular, when the items are stored in chaotic placements such as hold shelves. This means that looking for an item on a hold shelf or other chaotic type location in Sierra, the user has to copy the barcode from Sierra to IMMS to pin point it's known location.

    With further integration, it would be great to see placement information in Sierra to assist staff with helping customers find items on hold shelves in particular.

    11 votes

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    A new field for placement information for items on the hold shelf will be added in Sierra 6.5 (planned for Q4 2025). Staff members will be able to see this hold shelf information at the Circulation Desk for items ready for pickup.

  12. Problem:
    In the current version of the Sierra system, restricted or sensitive bibliographic records can only be suppressed from the public catalog but remain visible and accessible to catalogers within the system. This visibility creates the risk of accidental editing, publishing, or mishandling of these records, particularly:

    • Restricted Records: Some records are sensitive or confidential and should not be visible to all catalogers.
    • Records Under Review: Records undergoing auditing or verification need protection from edits until the review is completed.

    • Recommendation:
      Introduce a feature that allows the System Administrator or Cataloging Supervisor to hide specific bibliographic records within the Sierra…

    11 votes

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  13. As a default suppressed records are not included in the harvest stream. This becomes an issue when a harvested record later becomes suppressed in Sierra as the harvester does not know to remove it from its listings as its omission from the stream does not allow for identification of its suppressed state. I would recommend that the option to include suppressed records should be configurable as a harvest stream level, giving the library the ability to configure the inclusion/exclusion dependent on their business rules.

    11 votes

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  14. Since becoming a III customer in 2008/2009, it's baffled me that we don't see a representation of the total number of notices sent daily via autonotices, but instead see the Notice History feature, which shows the number of items for which notices are sent.

    I think it would be far more useful for statistical purposes if the number of notices sent for each notice type was what's recorded & shared by Sierra.

    11 votes

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  15. We need to increase the number of characters allowed for the username - currently a maximum of 12. We prefer to keep our Sierra usernames the same as a user's network login name (one less thing to remember). Anything over 12 characters forces us to make a different Sierra username that fits within the Sierra parameters.

    11 votes

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  16. In Sierra we have to add additional e-mail addresses comma separated in the same field for Print template notices to be sent to more than one address.
    Right now we are implementing Vega Discover and there patrons can add additional e-mail addresses. They end up in separate e-mail fields in Sierra though and doesn´t work for Print template notices.
    The integration built for us between IMMS and Sierra does pick up addresses from all e-mail fields to send out pick up notices for holds.

    So it would be great if this could also be the case for Print template-notices from…

    11 votes

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  17. We've been exploring new ways that our library, as an institution, can meet the evolving interests of DEI efforts. One very small but meaningful way we thought we might do this is to allow for the inclusion of diacritic characters in customer names in Sierra.

    Their inclusion appears as desired on the customer record when created/displayed in Sierra (images dia1 - dia2).

    They do not appear to impede searching for the customer by name - the search just ignores them (images dia3 - dia4).

    They appear as desired in the name display in the Classic Catalog (image dia5).

    They appear…

    11 votes

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  18. There are instances where its appropriate to put in a MARC field in the bibliographic record that only pertains to your local institution and you wouldn't want that field erased if the record was overlaid. If that MARC field was designated a local-note, using a $5 then that field would be "protected".

    11 votes

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  19. Prior to Sierra 6.0 and the introduction of MFT, it was possible to use FTP to transfer files though data exchange within Sierra. This is no longer possible as MFT is not supported in data exchange.
    Please add support for MFT in data exchange in the same way as support for MFT has been added in scheduler.

    11 votes

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  20. Allow for editing of the the marc21_marc21 crosswalk in order to define what fields are presented for harvesting by external agents. This crosswalk is currently hard coded and cannot be edited as you can with the DC crosswalk

    11 votes

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