[Wactclc-alma] Waive overdue fines once lost

Tue Aug 28 16:06:48 PDT 2018

Leslie,

We have our student laptops set up so once they are overdue they accrue overdue fines, but the fines are not applied to the student's record until the item is returned.  If returned before the item is declared lost, then the applicable overdue fine is applied and the Fines\Fees Notification letter is generated.  If the item is declared lost, a Lost Items bill is created charging the replacement and processing fee but no overdue fines.  If the item is then returned, Alma credits the replacement cost, sends a refund letter saying the replacement cost is credited and the processing fee is still due, and then applies the overdue fine and sends the Fines\Fees notice.

That sounds a lot like what you are trying to do with your overdue fines.  I've attached a flow chart I made for my new employee so he could understand how it works.  If you are interested, I or Wade or Shellie can share the settings we use.

Hope this helps.

Tammy

Tammy R. Siebenberg, MLIS
Director – Library & Media Services  
Yakima Valley College 
509.574.4984   
tsiebenberg at yvcc.edu
yvcc.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: Wactclc-alma <wactclc-alma-bounces at lists.ctc.edu> On Behalf Of Lesley Caldwell
Sent: Thursday, August 9, 2018 12:13 PM
To: WACTCLC Alma Discussion <wactclc-alma at lists.ctc.edu>
Subject: Re: [Wactclc-alma] Waive overdue fines once lost

Thanks for the ideas, Kirsti and Wade!
-Lesley

-----Original Message-----
From: Wactclc-alma <wactclc-alma-bounces at lists.ctc.edu> On Behalf Of Guidry, Wade
Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2018 9:28 AM
To: WACTCLC Alma Discussion <wactclc-alma at lists.ctc.edu>
Subject: Re: [Wactclc-alma] Waive overdue fines once lost

Not charging overdue fines is easier from an operational standpoint, for sure. 

I imagine the problem with dropping overdue fines for some libraries is the reliance of overdue fine revenue for an ongoing budget line item.

I like the approach that I've seen a couple of our institutions take, where they move overdue items to LOST pretty aggressively, particularly for items circulated for a shorter period of time. Used in conjunction with the setting to stop accruing overdue fines for LOST items, you can reduce the overall amount of fines being charged, and instead focus on a LOST-centric loan rules design. 

Another thought would be to look at the % of loans that are going overdue, by location or user group., If a large percentage of loans are going overdue, it might be an opportunity to consider longer loan periods. Based on the idea that, unless fines and fees are set quite high, patrons will always treat library loan rules as loan "suggestions". :)

Wade Guidry - wadeg at bigbend.edu
Library Consortium Services Manager
Washington Community & Technical Colleges Library Consortium (WACTCLC)
509.760.4474
________________________________________
From: Wactclc-alma <wactclc-alma-bounces at lists.ctc.edu> on behalf of Thomas, Kirsti <Kirsti.Thomas at seattlecolleges.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, August 7, 2018 6:39 PM
To: WACTCLC Alma Discussion
Subject: Re: [Wactclc-alma] Waive overdue fines once lost

That's part of why we got rid of overdue fees on everything except reserves and equipment.

Alma really, really doesn't want you putting a lot of conditional scenarios in your fulfillment policies.

Our students and our circ staff are much happier not having to deal with overdue fines for regular materials.  If you're just going to waive them, why bother with them to begin with?   Cut out the middle man and make everyone's lives easier. :)

Kirsti S. Thomas
Library Technical Services Manager
Seattle Colleges
kirsti.thomas at seattlecolleges.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: Wactclc-alma [mailto:wactclc-alma-bounces at lists.ctc.edu] On Behalf Of Guidry, Wade
Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2018 14:35
To: 'WACTCLC Alma Discussion' <wactclc-alma at lists.ctc.edu>
Subject: Re: [Wactclc-alma] Waive overdue fines once lost

The closest thing is the fulfillment general setting "overdue_at_lost_loan"

But this setting just determines if overdue fines continue to accrue once an item is declared lost, or if the overdue fines stop at that point.

So, you could limit the damage of overdues on lost loans by setting that to 'true'.

But it looks like you're already doing that.

Wade Guidry
Library Consortium Services Manager
Big Bend Community College
mailto:wadeg at bigbend.edu
509.760.4474
https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.bigbend.edu%2f&c=E,1,k1X0D78ABssckqkQro9r1PWMrP8owm5iqT9QBX_QP3zigAP2kHCFnnimv8HedicOD6h3jvmT7fqMVUeJrokKEhstDRaLZpckwmEbqsAPRg,,&typo=1
Big Bend Community College . 7662 Chanute Street NE . Moses Lake, WA 98837-3299

WACTCLC Alma Instance: https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fstatus.exlibrisgroup.com%2f&c=E,1,HvocrBGKbuxgUX8m5IPoyEOYhg67ah3cFELaW9QsiPGgX3jbKa0CAz83HPK_RLKu5n4Oqlru2-ZEWXxydJ75lN3cAp7zGvey6C0Z5G2pcSdIrErKB_voC7AJae0,&typo=1
WACTCLC Primo Instance: https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fstatus.exlibrisgroup.com%2f&c=E,1,nAsA5ypEbym8h92yqm8knDb56I64U-lFYl3WjnMru_4kBUrNVEzXkyh5xvjLVCr_eZoBvRtErEV-ThkQUJTLGFwxPb-j3_ycNrtq8xUj7LChN49l7ddA&typo=1

From: Wactclc-alma [mailto:wactclc-alma-bounces at lists.ctc.edu] On Behalf Of Lesley Caldwell
Sent: Tuesday, August 7, 2018 12:49 PM
To: WACTCLC Alma Discussion <wactclc-alma at lists.ctc.edu>
Subject: [Wactclc-alma] Waive overdue fines once lost

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This might be pie-in-the-sky, or maybe it's something very obvious that I just missed.

We don't want to double penalize students. Once an item goes missing, we manually waive any overdue fines and leave them with the lost item replacement fee.

Is there a way to automate this in Alma so we don't have to manually waive the fines? Perhaps an if-then set-up where being charged an item replacement fee automatically cancels overdue fines?

Thanks!

Lesley Caldwell
Systems and Instruction Librarian
Pierce College
p:
253-840-8420
a:
1601 39th Ave SE, Puyallup, WA 98374
w:
http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/ e: mailto:lcaldwell at pierce.ctc.edu

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