Add Notification and Receipt Preferences to a Patron Record

Notification data specifies how the patron wants to receive notices, such as for held and overdue items. To add notification data to a patron record:

Note:
For more information on setting up patron records, see Create a patron record.

  1. If the patron record is not already open, select Patron Services, Patron Records to find and open the patron’s record. See Find patron services and related records. The Patron Registration workform - Addresses view appears. If you are working with a new patron record that is already open, you may need to select View, Addresses or click PatRecAddrBut00013.gif to display this view.
  2. Enter the patron’s address data if you have not already done so. See Add an address to a patron record.

    Tip:
    The default setting in the Address boxes is the first address in the Addresses, Phone Numbers list.

  3. Select the address for receiving notifications in the Notices address box.
  4. Select the Notification option.
  5. (Optional) Type the patron’s email address in the Email address box.

    This address can be used for sending overdue, billing, request, email reminder, and routing notices, as well as email receipts. To deliver notices to a patron via email, the Notification option box must be set to Email Address.

    Your library determines whether email notices are sent in HTML format or plain text format by default. On the Patron Registration workform - General view, you can set the format if the patron prefers a format different from the default format. See Add general data to a patron record. (Email receipts are always sent in plain text format.)

    Note:
    You can send reminder notices and special announcements to any patron with an email address in the patron record, regardless of the setting in the Notification option box. See Set up e-mail reminder notices.

  6. Select (check) Additional TXT notice if the patron’s mobile phone accepts text messages and your library sends text messages in addition to other types of notices such as email or print (see step 13). A patron will receive the additional text message only if the Additional TXT notice option is checked in the patron record and one Phone field is a mobile phone with a selected carrier. Also, the TXT option must be selected for that phone number. A phone number designated for text messages must follow the designated format.

    Note:
    Some mobile phone service carriers charge their customers for text messages received, so these patrons may not want to receive additional text messages.

  7. If your library has enabled eReceipts (e-mail receipts, TXT receipts, or both) and this patron prefers to receive check-out, renewal, and fine receipts by email or TXT message, select the appropriate option from the eReceipt option list.
    • At check out and renewal, the patron will receive an eReceipt when both the patron’s branch and the workstation’s log-on branch (transacting branch) have enabled eReceipts.
    • To receive e-mail receipts, the patron record must include an e-mail address. If the record includes both primary and alternate e-mail addresses, the receipt is sent to both addresses. To receive TXT receipts, one Phone field must be a mobile phone with a selected carrier, and the TXT option must be selected for that phone number. A separate TXT receipt is sent for each item checked out or renewed. For information about eReceipt settings in Polaris Administration, see Setting Up eReceipts.
  8. (Optional) Type an alternative email address in the Alt Email address box.

    Tip:
    The Phone 1, Phone 2, and Phone 3 numbers are used for phone notification, voice mail messages, and if any are mobile phones, for text message notices and receipts.

  9. Type the patron’s phone number in the Phone 1 box (include 1+area code for long distance numbers).
  10. If you want to use additional phone numbers, type the phone numbers in the Phone 2 and Phone 3 boxes (include 1+area code for long distance numbers). You can enter up to three phone numbers.
  11. If any of the Phone numbers are mobile phones, select a carrier for the number or numbers from the drop-down list next to the phone number field. The available carriers are set in Polaris Administration. See Delivering Notices by Text Message.
  12. To designate a mobile phone number for text message notices and/or receipts, check the TXT box next to the phone number.

    Any one Phone number can be designated as TXT, allowing for text notification or text message receipts to that number. You must specify a carrier for the phone number if the TXT option is selected for that number.

    A phone number designated for text messages must follow the designated format.

  13. (Optional) Type the fax number in the FAX number box (include 1+area code for long distance numbers).
  14. Select the method by which the patron prefers to receive notices in the Notification option box.

    Note:
    When your library sets up notification, the library can specify patron preference as the notification method for a specific notice type. In this case, the notice is sent by the method specified in the patron record. However, the library may choose to deliver certain notices by a specific method regardless of patron preference. See Managing Notification.

    • You can use the Phone options only if the library has telephony software for automatic telephone notification. You can select Phone 1, Phone 2, or Phone 3 for the phone notification, but be sure the corresponding phone number has been supplied when selecting a phone notification option.
    • If you select the E-mail Address option for notification, the patron record must include an e-mail address. On the Patron Registration workform - General view, you can specify plain-text e-mail format if that is the patron’s preference.
    • If you select the TXT Messaging option for notification, one Phone field must be a mobile phone with a selected carrier, and the TXT option must be selected for that phone number.

      Note:
      Some mobile phone service carriers charge their customers for text messages received, so these patrons may prefer a different notification method.

    • You can exclude the patron from receiving certain notices, and make this patron exempt from collection agency processing. See Add general data to a patron record. To prevent the patron from receiving any notices at all, select None in the Notification option box.
    • Selecting None in the Notification option menu will suppress all notices to the patron.
  15. Select File | Save to save the record.

Related Information