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Reservation notices

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Learn how to create pick-up lists in Amlib to retrieve items on reserve that are either on the shelf or have recently been returned so that they can be put aside for collection.

It is possible to create pick-up lists to retrieve items on reserve that are either on the shelf or have recently been returned so that they can be put aside for collection.

Similarly, once these items have been retrieved, it is possible to notify patrons that an item is awaiting collection.

Reservation Report Templates

  • &RESLIST.QRP – Reservation List (Full Details)
  • &RESBRF.QRP – Reservation List (Brief Details)
  • &RESBRFC.QRP –Reservation List by Class (Brief Details)
  • &RESBRFG.QRP – Reservation List by Group (Brief Details)
  • &RESMAIL.QRP – Reservation Notice (Letter)*
  • &RESEML.QRP – Reservation Notice (Email)*
  • &RESSMS.QRP – Reservation Notice (SMS)*
  • &RAX4010.QRP – Reservation book slips

Save the Template

  • It is possible to customise any of the Reservation Notices sent out to patrons (see Amlib Basic Reports Training manual)
  • Save the customised template into the Amlib/Reports folder on the Amlib server. This will make the template available for use for all users. Alternatively, you may save it into a local folder on your PC – but please be aware, that the template (once loaded) will only be available for use on that PC.
  • Ensure that the template is saved with a name that clearly identifies it as a customised overdue letter template – for example: KINRESMAIL.QRP

Load the Template

  1. Launch the Amlib client
  2. Go to Main > Reports > RepAddNew – the Report Files screen will display
  3. From the Report Entity drop-down, select Reservation
  4. Click the F1 New button – the Reservation Reports – New Report File screen will display
  5. Type in a Description – for example: Reservation Notice (Letter)
  6. Browse to the Amlib/Reports folder on your Amlib Server and locate the template to be loaded (if the template has been loaded onto your PC – then navigate to the local folder)
  7. If loading an unmodified template, change the Files of type drop-down to: System Report Templates (&.qrp)
  8. Highlight the template to be loaded and click on the Open button
  9. Choose Type – there are several types to select depending on the template being loaded (the type is important as it determines the type of data that is sent to each particular notice):
    • Reservations (Default)
      • Use for: &RESBRF.QRP, &RESBRFC.QRP, &RESBRFG.QRP, &RESMAIL.QRP and &RAX4010.QRP
    • - Email
      • Use for: &RESEML.QRP
    • Unlimited Reservation Format
      • Use for: &RESLIST.QRP and &RESSMS.QRP
  10. You can leave Default Stats Code and Default Details Stats Code blank
  11. Update History (Y/N) = Y
  12. Update Entity (Y/N) = Y
  13. Click on the F3 Update button
  14. Close out of the Report Files window

The template is now loaded and available for use in a Report.

Reservation Statuses

When an item is placed on reserve, a Reservation Status is placed against that item. The status is important as the reports use this status as a determinant for what to print and what not to.

STATUS

EXPLANATION

ISSUE

Item was on loan when reserved (reserve placed via Amlib client)

ON LOAN

Item was on loan when reserved (reserve placed via Opacs)

SHELF

Item was on shelf (available) when reserved

RETURN

Item has been returned AFTER reservation placed

TRANSFER

Item was on transfer when reserved

ORDER

Item was on order when reserved

READY

Reservation on item has been CANCELLED through an expiry report and is now ready for the next reader

PRINTED

Item was included in a scheduled Reservation report with Update Res Status = Y

Setting Up the Report: Pick-Up List

If you allow reservations to be placed on items that are ON SHELF (available) at the time of the reservation, then you will need to create and run a report that will create a pick-up list to collect these items

Create Report

  1. Launch the Amlib client
  2. Go to Main > Reports > RepReservation- the Reservation Reports screen will display
  3. Click the F1 New button – the Select Report Format screen will display
  4. Highlight Reservation Pick List (wording may differ – it will be using the &RESLIST.QRP print template) and click the Select button
  5. Type in a Report Description – for example: Reservations Pick List
  6. Create Hist (Y/N) = N
  7. Update Res Status = N
  8. Click the F3 Save button

Where Statement

  1. Select the report from the list and click the F7 Where button – the Reservation Reports – Where screen will display
  2. The statement must include the following settings:
    • Only Show First in Queue (Y/N) = Y (otherwise ALL reserves on an item will show)
    • Res Item Status IN SHELF,READY (this will pick up any available or recently expired reservation items)
    • On Loan (Y/N) = N
    • (Optional) Item Perm Loc = (enter your location code) – for example: Item Perm Loc = CHELSEA (where multiple locations available)
    • (Optional) Process IS NULL (paste without putting a value in 3 – this will exclude any items in Processing, Binding, Missing, etc)
    • (Optional) Is on Order (Y/N) = N (this will exclude any items on order)
  3. Click the F3 Save button when complete

Order

  1. Highlight the report from the list and click on the F9 Order button – the Reservation Reports – Order By screen will display:
  2. Use the arrow keys to select fields to Order By – for example: Item Call Number
  3. Click the F3 Save button

Print

  1. Highlight the report from the list and click the F8 View button – the Select File for View prompt will display with the following message: This type of report may use a Saved File as the Source. Do you want to select the file now?
  2. Click the No button
  3. The Report – View screen will display with a list of the items
  4. Click the print button to print the list

Please Note: No notices will be generated to patrons nor will the Reservation Status of the item be altered.

Update Status on Items

It is important that the items collected from the shelves should be processed (returned) before being set aside for collection. This allows you to do two things:

  1. Generate a collection slip to place in the item (optional)
  2. Updates the Reservation Status of the item to RETURNED

Setting up the Report: Notices

This is the report that generates a patron notice. Notices can be sent in one of three formats: Letter, Email or SMS. Unlike the pick list, it is possible to use one report to generate ALL notices for ALL locations (if desired). Patron notices MUST be run via the Scheduler to update the Reservation Status of the item to PRINTED.

Create Report

  1. Go to Main > Reports > RepReservation – the Reservation Reports screen will display
  2. Click the F1 New button – the Select Report Format screen will display
  3. Highlight the notice template (&RESMAIL.QRP, &RESEML.QRP or &RESSMS.QRP) you would like to use and click the Select button
  4. Type in a Report Description – for example: Reservation Notices (Email)
  5. If you would like the borrower record to retain a record of any notice sent, then ensure that Create Hist (Y/N) column = Y
  6. Ensure Update Res Status column = Y (this will prevent notices from being printed twice)
  7. Click the F3 Save button when complete

Where Statement: Letter

  1. Select the report from the list and click on the F7 Where button – the Reservation Reports – Where screen will display
  2. The statement must include the following settings:
    • Only Show First in Queue (Y/N) = Y (otherwise ALL reserves on an item will show)
    • Res Item Status = RETURN – this status will change to PRINTED once this report is run, to prevent duplicate emails being sent
    • (Optional) Res Collect Location = Temp Loc [select using the Special button] – this ensures that the item is at the collection location)
    • (Optional) Res Collect Location = (enter your location code – for example: CHELSEA) – this will limit the notices sent to items for collection at the selected location
  3. Click the F3 Save button when complete

Where Statement: Email

Please Note: Please refer to the Email Reports guide for full details for setting up email installation parameters.

  1. Select the report from the list and click on the F7 Where button – the Reservation Reports – Where screen will display
  2. The statement must include the following settings:
    • Only Show First in Queue (Y/N) = Y (otherwise ALL reserves on an item will show)
    • Res Item Status = RETURN – this status will change to PRINTED once this report is run, to prevent duplicate emails being sent.
    • Bor Email Address IS NOT NULL (Paste without placing a value in 3)
    • Bor Use Email (Y/N) = Y
    • (Optional) Res Collect Location = Temp Loc [select using the Special button] – this ensures that the item is at the collection location)
    • (Optional) Res Collect Location = (enter your location code – for example: CHELSEA) – this will limit the notices sent to items for collection at the selected location
  3. Click the F3 Save button when complete

Where Statement: SMS

Please Note: Please refer to the SMS Reports guide for full details.

  1. Select the report from the list and click on the F7 Where button – the Reservation Reports – Where screen will display
  2. The statement must include the following settings:
    • Only Show First in Queue (Y/N) = Y (otherwise ALL reserves on an item will show)
    • Res Item Status = RETURN – this status will change to PRINTED once this report is run, to prevent duplicate emails being sent.
    • Bor Mobile/Cell Number IS NOT NULL (Paste without placing a value in 3)
    • Bor use Mobile/Cell = Y
    • (Optional) Res Collect Location = Temp Loc [select using the Special button] – this ensures that the item is at the collection location)
    • (Optional) Res Collect Location = (enter your location code – for example: CHELSEA) – this will limit the notices sent to items for collection at the selected location
  3. Click the F3 Save button when complete

Order

  1. Select the report from the list and click on the F9 Order button – the Reservation Reports – Order By screen will open
  2. Use the arrow keys to select fields to Order By – for example: Borrower Barcode
  3. Click the F3 Save button

Printing the Emails

Using the Scheduler has two benefits over running reports via the F8 View button: It allows you to schedule regularly run reports so that staff do not have to do it manually each time, and it allows for further functions as part of the report such as updating Borrower/Stockitem history, updating the Reservation Status and adding report information to your statistics. Reservation patron notices MUST be run via the Scheduler.

This section will take you through setting up a report to use RepStartSchedule.

Start the Scheduler

  1. From the Report screen, select Application > RepStartSchedule
  2. The Report Scheduler screen will then display
  3. Select your printing options: Ensure Printing and E-mail are ticked
  4. Also decide If a report is scheduled by another user do you still want to print it? = Yes/No
  5. Then click the OK button
  6. After selecting the OK button, if you go back into the Application menu you will see that RepStartSchedule is now greyed out with a tick next to it – this indicates that the Scheduler is now running:

Please Note: If you need to restart the scheduler at any point, you will need to log out of all Report screens (Ctrl + L) and start at the beginning of these instructions.

Scheduling the Report

  1. With your report highlighted, select the F6 Print button – the Print dialogue box will display
  2. Select from the following options:
    1. From:
      • Database (to search the entire database)
    2. To:
      • Printer (to print letters to patrons)
      • E-mail (to email notice to patrons)
    3. Frequency:
      • Once Only (if this is the only time you’re going to print this report)
      • Daily (if you plan to send it every day)
      • Weekly (if this is a once a week item)
      • Monthly (if this is to be printed every calendar month)
      • Every __ days (if you want to set a specific schedule
    4. Schedule:
      • First Print Date (the day you want this report to begin its schedule)
      • First Print Time (specifies the exact minutes the report will run)
    5. Selected Printer:
      • You can specify any active printer on the network to print to – including virtual printer drivers such as a third party software that allows you to print to PDF (For example: CutePDF Writer)
  3. Once you have selected all of your settings, click the OK button

Check Print Progress

  1. You can check the progress of your reports at any time by going into Main > Reports > RepPrintProgress – the Print Progress screen will display:
  2. If your library uses the scheduler for a lot of reports, you can select a frequency type from the Filter drop-down menu at the top:
  3. You can also click through the three tab options at the top to see the ones that are Waiting, Running, or have already been Printed
  4. Your report will show up in Printed when it is complete:

Additional Items

When scheduling reports, you must remember:

  • The scheduler must be started prior to the time that reports are scheduled to run – you may have a procedure to start the scheduler first thing in the morning. Schedule your reports a bit later (e.g. if you start at 8:30am, then schedule the first report for 9:30am) so that if there are any unforeseen delays, the print schedule will still go as normal.
  • Schedule reports with time to spare. Allow time for Amlib to be started and the scheduler to be started. Allow time between scheduled reports in case you need time to refill the printer, or something else happens.
  • Check and stock the printer before the reports are due to run. Scheduling reports that print to file or send e-mails are somewhat easier to manage, so you may want to try the scheduling with these first. If you are scheduling printed reports, ensure that the printer is full of paper, not low on toner and if possible have someone near the printer when the reports are due to run, so they can fix any paper jams quickly.
  • Check the ‘Waiting’ queue. Old reports that have not run can jam up the print queue and stop your scheduled reports from running. It is good practice when starting the scheduler for the day to check RepPrintProgress and delete out any old print jobs from the “Waiting” queue.
  • Check and maintain your “Printed” queue. A large amount of print jobs in your printed queue can stop your reports from running. While there is ample space in this area to store information on past print jobs, the space in not unlimited. If the print jobs are not deleted on a regular basis (perhaps quarterly or every few months) this area will eventually become too full to allow the reports to run. It is fine to keep some print jobs in the “Printed” area of RepPrintProgress. Perhaps keep the last few days or few weeks and delete the rest. How many reports and how often you print will determine how far back you can keep this information.
  • If scheduled reports do not run for some reason (there is a paper jam or the scheduler is not started, etc.) they will sit in the “Waiting” queue in RepPrintProgress and stop other reports from printing. If there is a delay, check the “Waiting” queue. If the reports due to run have a date/time next to them that has already passed, these will need to be deleted and then manually printed via the ‘print’ button.
  • Check before your re-run reports. If there was a delay or paper jam and you have to run a report for a second time, check your settings before running it. If the report creates accounts for very overdue items, running it a second time will generate a second charge – it is best to run manually via F8 View and then print from the view screen. Do the same if you are adding history to records or recording statistics. Reservations will require a different procedure as they will already have their status changed to “Printed”.

Troubleshooting

Some users may experience some initial problems with SMTP emails not being sent. This can be the result of your anti-virus agent blocking programs that relay (mass) email or your mail server blocking relay (mass) emails.