5.6 - Home Library/Outreach
Introduction:
Most
libraries deliver Home Library (or “Outreach”) services to people who are
unable to visit the library due to age, infirmity, limited mobility, etc. Such
services may be delivered by library staff, volunteers, or a combination of
both, in accordance with local library policy and procedures.
Each
library delivering a Home Library service should assign a specific User Profile
to such patrons. Patrons with a Home Library User Profile are entitled to have
their Charge History rule set to All Charges, to assist in the tracking of
loans and services to those patrons.
5.6.1 - Circulation Rules and
Overdue Items
As with
other circulation policies, each library service is entitled to develop their
own loan rules and circulation protocols for Home Library patrons, and it is
recognised that Home Library patrons may generally be given a longer loan
period than normal due to the nature of the service delivery.
It is important, though, that items lent to Home Library patrons be followed up on if not returned, even though libraries may opt not to penalise such patrons for non-return or loss of items. If a library does not generate overdue notices for such items they must produce a list of items that are overdue so that staff/volunteers can follow them up.
If
items become very overdue (no later than 90 days overdue), an Assumed Lost or
Process Long Overdue report should be run to deal with the items, according to
the library’s preference:
Assumed Lost.
Changes the item to the LOST-ASSUM Location as
an inactive checkout on the patron card.
The item will be shadowed and non-holdable.
Bills the patron for the replacement cost of the item.
The finished report will list the items and
patrons selected, and staff may act upon them accordingly.
Process Long Overdue
Discharges item from patron’s card.
Adds a Note on the patron record detailing the
item.
Moves the item to a nominated Current Location.
This should be configured to MISSING. A separate report will convert the
Missing items to DISCARD after 6 months if not located.
Optionally bills the patron for the replacement
cost of the item. However, the bill will not be linked to the item, and an
alternative Bill Reason needs to be selected (e.g. LONGLOST). If using this
report, it is recommended NOT to bill the patron.
The finished report will list the items and
patrons selected, and staff may act upon them accordingly.
Libraries do not need to contact the owning library of a lost item for billing. The bills owed will be balanced out in the annual Libraries Victoria invoicing.
5.6.2 - Outreach Module - Delivery
Routes
Libraries
may wish to make use of the Outreach Module for their Home Library patrons. The
extent to which the Outreach Module is used may vary from library to library,
according to their service delivery methods, procedures and protocols.
Each
user “created in Outreach” (assigned as Outreach in the Outreach Module) must
have a Route assigned to them, whether the delivery route functions are made
use of or not.
Every
library using the Outreach Module must create at least one Route using the
Create Route wizard. Each route ID must be preceded by the library service two
letter prefix code, eg. CC-ROUTE for Casey-Cardinia or YL-ROUTE1 for Yarra Libraries.
HLS
patrons must only be assigned to their own Library Service Outreach Delivery
Routes.