Borrow by Mail Dialog Box

To open this dialog box:
In Polaris Administration, select Parameters, Requests, Borrow by mail.

The Borrow By Mail dialog box provides options to set up Borrow by Mail processing in the staff client and PAC. With Borrow by Mail, staff members and patrons can request library materials and have the requested materials delivered by mail. Polaris Borrow by Mail is available by license. There is no additional cost, but Borrow by Mail features are available only if the license is activated. See Managing Integrated EContent in the PAC for details.

Borrow By Mail Dialog Box - Processing Centers Tab

Available at the system level only. Use this tab to set all the organizations that might serve as processing centers for the branches that will enable Borrow by Mail. To enable Borrow by Mail features, at least one organization must be designated as a processing center on this tab. Processing centers may be actual branches or virtual organizations set up for this specific purpose.

Borrow By Mail Dialog Box - Options Tab

These settings are available at the system, library, or branch level.

• Enable Borrow by Mail - Select this option to enable Borrow by Mail for this organization. When this option is checked, the other controls become available.

• Processing center - Select the processing center for this organization. The available options are determined by your settings on the Processing Centers tab. An item that fills a Borrow by Mail request created in the staff client is shipped to the processing center designated for the log-in branch of the workstation that created the hold request. An item that fills a Borrow by Mail request from the PAC is shipped to the processing center designated for the patron’s registered branch.

• Display confirmation message in PAC - Select to display a confirmation message to the patron when the patron places a Borrow by Mail request. If the processing center charges a delivery fee, the message states the charge and offers the option to continue or cancel the request.

• Staff display note - Select to enable this option and edit the text of the note if you wish (maximum 250 characters). This message appears when an item that fills a Borrow by mail request is trapped An item is said to be trapped for a hold when an item that fills a request is scanned at circulation and the system links the item to a specific request, either automatically or by displaying a message that prompts you for a decision. at circulation, and alerts the staff member that the item requires Borrow by Mail processing.

• PAC display note - Select to enable this option and edit the text of the note if you wish (maximum 250 characters). This note is available in the information view for individual items listed on the PAC patron account Requests page. The system uses the processing center’s setting. Staff members with the branch-level Circulation permission Hold requests: Modify PAC display note can edit the note for individual hold requests.

• Suppress charge for Outreach Services patrons - Select this option if the processing center ordinarily charges a delivery fee for Borrow by Mail requests but do not want to charge a fee to homebound (Outreach Services) patrons.

• Add days to loan period - If you want to change the loan period to accommodate shipping time, select the number of days to extend the normal loan period for an item.

Borrow By Mail Dialog Box - Limits Tab

These settings are available at the system, library, or branch level.

• Patron codes permitted - Select the patron codes for the patrons permitted to place Borrow by Mail requests.

• Charges - Set at the system or library level only, or for an organization designated as a processing center. If you want to charge a Borrow by Mail delivery fee, select the appropriate patron codes, set the charge amount, and click Apply. You can set separate charges for different patron codes. To specify the same charge for multiple patron codes, select the codes, then set the charge amount and click Apply. The system uses the processing center’s settings for charges. A processing center should set charges for all the patron codes it intends to charge, regardless of whether those codes are used for the processing center’s own patrons.

• Item material types permitted - Deselect (uncheck) the item material types that should not be eligible to fill Books by Mail requests. The system uses the setting for the governing library for patron blocks, specified in the system-level Patron Services parameter Consortium circulation. If the governing branch setting for patron blocks is Use patron branch, the permitted item material types for the patron’s registered branch are used. If the governing branch setting for patron blocks is Use transacting branch, the permitted item material types for the processing center are used.

Note:
You can prevent a specific item from filling a Borrow by Mail request by checking the new setting Do not mail on the Item Record workform - Cataloging view.

Borrow By Mail Dialog Box - Print & Notices Tab

These settings are available at the system, library, or branch level.

• Return address - Specify a return address for the item mailer. You can select Processing Branch (default) or Item’s Branch (item’s assigned branch).
• Enable failure notice - Select this option to generate a notice to the patron if an item cannot be checked out during Borrow by Mail bulk checkout due to blocks on the patron account. If you check this option, select a notification method. The available method options are determined by your settings in the Notification options parameter - General tab.