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Long Overdue and Lost Policies

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Learn how to configure policies related to when an item becomes long overdue or is claimed as lost.

To access this screen, sign in Service Configuration, open the WMS Circulation left navigation, select Loans, and then select the Long Overdue Policy link.

About Long Overdue and Lost items

When an item becomes Long Overdue or is claimed as Lost, replacement costs and processing fees will be applied based on the policies configured on this screen. Fees are assessed differently for items that are Long Overdue and for items claimed as Lost.

Long Overdue items

  • When items become long overdue, their status changes to Long Overdue (On Loan) in WorldShare Circulation.
  • When a Long Overdue (On Loan) item is recalled, the Long Overdue date is recalculated.

 For more information on how statuses appear to patrons and staff, see Check item status or location.

When a Long Overdue item is returned

The following occurs in WorldShare Circulation when a Long Overdue item is checked in:

  • An alert message for overdue bills or patron suspension configured in Loan Policy will appear when the item is checked in. Periodic overdue penalties will be calculated from the due date until the item became long overdue.
  • The replacement cost is removed from the patron's account if they have not yet paid the fee.
  • The processing fee is removed if the policy has been configured to cancel the fee once the item is returned and the patron has not yet paid the fee.
  • The patron is charged with overdue fees from when the item first went overdue.

Lost items

  • An item's status does not automatically change to Lost after it is Long Overdue. Items become Lost when a staff member changes the status of an item that is checked out to a patron to "Claimed Lost."

For more information on how to mark items as claimed lost, see Change loan status.

When a Lost item is returned

The following occurs in WorldShare Circulation when a Lost item is checked in:

  • An alert message appears and states: Item [title] was previously claimed Lost by the patron.
  • The replacement cost is removed from the patron's account if they have not yet paid the fee.
  • The processing fee is removed if the policy has been configured to cancel the fee once the item is returned and the patron has not yet paid the fee.
  • Overdue fees are not assessed when an item is marked as Lost or when a Lost item is returned.  

Long Overdue and Lost policies

Create or edit policies

  1. On the Long Overdue and Lost Policies screen, click Create New, or click the Policy Name you want to edit.
  2. On the Create New or Edit Policy screen, enter or edit the Policy Name.
  3. Fill in the fields for General and Notifications.
  4. Click Save.

General

Below find the general fields for Long Overdue and Lost Policies. 

Field Description
Assess long overdue fees after Time after the due date when the fee is assessed.
Preferred source of replacement cost amount Select your method of determining a replacement cost.
  • Item Record, Media Type:
    1. The system will look for the replacement cost in the item record. Cost comes from the local holding record (LHR) field 876 ‡c.
    2. If no cost is found in the item record, the system will determine the cost based on the replacement costs set on the Replacement Costs screen for media types.
    3. If no cost is found, a fee is not charged.
  • Media Type, Item Record:
    1. The system will determine the cost based on the replacement costs set on the Replacement Costs screen for media types.
    2. If no cost is found for the media type, the system will look for the cost in the item record. Cost comes from the local holding record (LHR) field 876 ‡c.
    3. If no cost is found, a fee is not charged.
Bill reason for replacement cost Select a bill reason from the list.
  • Do not use the same bill reason that is used in the Processing Charge Bill Structure.
  • For example, do not use your Lost Item bill reason for both policies.
  • Create bill reasons on the Bill Reasons screen.
Bill structure for processing charge Select a fixed bill from the list.
  • Do not select a bill structure that uses the same bill reason as the Replacement Cost Bill Reason.
  • For example, do not use your Lost Item bill reason for both policies.
  • Create a fixed bill on the Bill Structures screen.
Cancel processing charge when item is returned? Select the check box to cancel the processing fee if the item is returned, in addition to the replacement cost.
Display long overdue items with active loans in My Account, SIP2, and NCIP?

Select the check box to allow library users to see long overdue items in their list of active loans in My Account and self-checkout machines. All current and future loans will reflect this configuration and appear in the following:

  • My Account
  • WMS SIP2 - Patron Information Response
  • WMS NCIP - Patron Profile - LookUpUser

Notifications

If changes are made to a policy, you can manually reschedule the notification at the policy level. Refer to Reschedule a notification for more information. 

  • Next-Generation Notifications are sent out every 10 minutes. 

Loan Long Overdue Notice

Once you have created a Loan Long Overdue Notice in the Loans section of the Next-Generation Notifications module, complete the below settings:

  • First choice reply-to address: Select the reply to address to use for the notification. Options include:
  • Second choice reply-to-address: Select the second choice for reply-to address. Only appears if Use the address configured by patron type is selected for the First choice reply-to address. 
  • Proxy borrowing: Determine how to send notifications when an item is checked out by a proxy account. Options include:
    • Send to primary patron only
    • Send to proxy patron only
    • Send to primary and proxy patrons
  • Series Schedule: Determine on which schedule to send the notification after the due date occurs. 
    • Select the timeframe after the item is long overdue for which to send the notification. Options include:
      • Minutes
      • Hours
      • Days
      • Weeks
      • Months
    • Select the Time to send the notification. Options include:
      • At the due time
      • At a specific time. An additional box appears to enter the specified time upon selection.
    • Select the Notification Template. Use the drop-down to select the desired Loan Long Overdue Notice template. Refer to Loan Long Overdue Notice for more information. 
  • Repeat last notice? 
    • Determine whether to resend the notification on a scheduled basis. Options include:
      • Never 
      • Daily
      • Weekly
      • Monthly

Copy policies

  1. Click the Policy Name you want to copy.
  2. In the top right corner, click Copy. The copied policy appears.
  3. Enter a policy name and edit any additional fields.
  4. Click Save.

Delete policies

Policies cannot be deleted if they are in use.

  1. Click the Policy Name you want to delete.
  2. In the top right corner, click Delete.
  3. On the Confirm window, click OK.

Related policies

Long Overdue and Lost Policy depends upon:

Long Overdue and Lost Policy is used in: