Reservation notices

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

Save the Template

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:

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.