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* Circulation Committee
cir-lib@mit.edu








 MIT Libraries

Circulation Committee

C-Space

PATRON CLAIMS RETURNED

BACKGROUND
PROCEDURES
IF THE ITEM IS NOT FOUND AFTER 3 SEARCHES

BACKGROUND:

Patron Claims Returned (PCR’s) items are dealt with in a similar fashion to searches.

  • Look the item up in the circ module, highlight the missing item on the record and select “Print.” This will bring the record up in a notepad screen. At the bottom of the screen type: “Please search for PATRON’S NAME, PATRON”S EMAIL and PATRON’S ID # (Aleph or MIT)” Mark the printout in the upper right hand corner with the letters PCR.
  • Through the patron’s Aleph account access the Loans screen. Find the item in question, highlight it and click on the “Claims Returned” button. This will remove the due date for the item and reflect its “claimed return” status on the patron’s record.

    • NOTE: if the PCR in question has already been marked LOST you will have to waive the replacement changes, delete the item from the loan record (after recording all pertinent information about the last check out i.e. when, how many renewals etc.) and check the item out to the patron again in order to use the PCR button.

  • Question the patron for any/all information regarding the return of the item.

Such as:
Where the item was returned (Barker? Dewey? Science?)
How was the item returned? (to the desk? the bookdrop?)
Who was working the desk?
Was it returned alone or with other items?
When was it returned?

All of these help get the patron thinking about where the book could be and the answers supply clues for the searcher as to where the item might be found. Make notes on the back of the printout.

  • Explain to the patron that they are allowed only TWO PCR’s over the span of their career at MIT. If the patron already has two PCR’s on their account they will need to speak to the Circulation Supervisor who will make a judgment as to whether additional PCR’s will be allowed.
  • Give the completed paperwork to the staff searcher.

PROCEDURES:

Before searching the stacks:

Make detailed notes on the back of the search/PCR card regarding the date the item was checked out, the original due date, who performed the transaction etc.

Search the PCR the same as you would any other missing item. If the item is not found in the stacks after the first search, the searcher will need to:

1) Contact the searcher at the library the patron claims to have returned the item (if different than the owning library)

2) If the item is not there or the patron is unclear where it might have been returned the searcher should email the item information to circsearch@mit.edu

3) If the item is not anywhere to be found in the MIT Libraries the searcher should change the item status to ON SEARCH.

4) The searcher should then contact the patron who filed the PCR via email explaining what has occurred to date. For example:

You recently spoke to someone at our circulation desk regarding an
item you believe you had returned (title and call # below). In good
faith, we have removed this item from your record, and have searched
our stacks for it, but it is not there. In almost all cases where the
item does not appear on the first search, it is never found, except
when the patron discovers he or she had the book after all. We will
keep searching here for the book, but we also ask you to:

1. check once more in your home, office, studio, car, or any other
place you may have left the item

2. consider whether you may have lent the item to a friend or
colleague, or asked someone else to return it for you

3. think if there is any other information you may have surrounding
the return of this book that might assist us in tracking it down

The item in question is:


Thank you for your assistance with this matter.

5) The item will need to be searched two more times


Fact: 7 OUT OF 10 TIMES THE PATRON FINDS HE OR SHE STILL HAD THE ITEM CHECKED OUT.

 

If a PCR is NOT found after three searches:

  • Look the item up in circulation. Once you have the record up select Print and copy and paste the item’s title, author, call number and barcode from the Aleph generated notepad into a word document entitled “Items On Search Month 20__”
  • Go into the patrons Loans tab and highlight the PCR item. Select DELETE. Aleph will ask you if you really want to delete this item. Click Yes
  • Go into the patron’s Global Information tab. Click on Update. Select tab 2 User Information. Under the note field make a note indicating that the patron had a PRC from Barker. Include the date, basic item information (i.e. barcode) and your initials. Example:

    390800421023 PCR at Barker June 2003 sent for REPL see JCH for details

This way we will have a record of the number of total PCR’s on the patron’s account over their time at MIT.

  • Change the item’s process status from “On Search” to “Missing Quarterly Season 20__”
  • Once all of the missing PCR’s have had their statuses changed, forward the list on to the collections manager or processing supervisor, as appropriate.

 

page maintained by cir-lib@mit.edu
last updated 15-Jul-2005