Patron Access Options Dialog Box

To open this dialog box:
Open the Polaris Administration Explorer, select Profiles > PAC > Patron Access options.

Settings in the Patron Access Options dialog box control access to patron accounts and whether patrons can register or update their account information using Polaris PowerPAC and Mobile PAC. See Setting Patron Account Options.

Important:
Set these options at the branch level. Although it is possible to open the Patron Access Options dialog box at the system and library levels, some functions include automatic e-mail to branch library staff, and these work properly only when you set them at the branch level.

Self-registration Tab

Use the Self-registration tab to set up patron self-registration from the PAC:

• Allow patrons to register for a library account from the PAC - Select the Patron can self-register checkbox. The new record is blocked until it is verified by staff. See Resolve a Verify Patron block.

• Add the staff members who will receive emails when patron submit a self-registration form in PAC - Click Add and search for the staff member.

• Enable a self-registration warning message - Select the Self-registration warning message enabled checkbox. Specify the message text with the PAC profile Multiple language strings. See Editing Messages and Labels.

• Display and require user-defined fields (UDFs) - Select the UDF Display subtab, and select the checkbox next to each UDF that your library wants to display on the Self-registration page in the PAC. If the field is required, select the Required checkbox.

• Display and require patron custom data fields (PCDFs) - Select the Custom Field Display subtab, and select the checkbox next to each PCDF your library wants to display on the Self-registration page in the PAC. If an entry in the field is required, select the Required checkbox.

Defaults Tab

Use the Defaults tab to select the defaults that are assigned to patrons who self-register in the PAC:

Note:
These are the default values initially assigned to the patron record for self-registered patrons. You can change the settings when the registration is reviewed.

• Patron code

• Language

• Statistical Class

• Expiration term - To set a date according to the current date (such as two years from today), select months or years in the second Expiration term box, and type a number in the first box. To set a precise date, select exact date in the second Expiration term box, and choose a date from the calendar in the first box (or type the date using the mm/dd/yyyy format).

• Address check term - To set a date according to the current date (such as two years from today), select months or years in the second Addr check term box, and type a number in the first box. To set a precise date, select exact date in the second Addr check term box, and choose a date from the calendar in the first box (or type the date using the mm/dd/yyyy format).

• UDFs - To specify defaults for user-defined fields, select the UDFs tab and type or select a value.

• Custom Fields - To specify defaults for patron custom data fields, select the Custom Fields tab and enter the default values.

Log In Tab

Use the Log In tab to set patron account log in options for the PAC:

• Patron can change password - Check this box to allow patrons to change their passwords online.

• Enable staff override - Check this box to allow staff members to override a patron password so they can assist patrons who have forgotten their passwords.

• PAC override password - If the Enable staff override box is checked, enter the staff override password.

• Enable patron user name - Allows patrons to set up a user name online, and change it online if necessary. A patron can enter her user name instead of a barcode when logging in to use PAC functions such as viewing the patron account or placing a hold request (system level only).

• E-mail forgotten password - Displays a Forgot password? link on the patron log-in page. When the patron clicks the link, an e-mail message containing the patron password is sent to both the primary and alternate e-mail addresses in the patron record. If no e-mail address is present in the patron record, the system displays an error message (system level only).

• Passwords must be numeric only - This option is useful if you use Polaris Phone Attendant and allow patrons to log in by telephone to hear information about their accounts. If the option is checked, existing alphanumeric passwords will continue to work but the only numeric passwords are accepted when a new account is created or when a patron password is changed from the staff client or from PAC.

Contact Info Tab

Use the Contact Info tab to specify the contact information patrons can update via the PAC:

Note:
Patrons use the Contact Information and Preferences form in PowerPAC and the Update Account and Preferences form in Mobile PAC to update their account information.

• Patron can request address change - Select this option to allow patrons to request mailing address changes online. This update request places a verification block on the patron account and an e-mail message is sent to the address specified on this tab.

• Patron can change notification method - Select this option to allow patrons to change their notification method online. This option does not place a verification block on the patron account.

• Confirmation e-mail to patron - Select to have the system send an acknowledgment message by e-mail to the patron when the he or she submits a request to change account information. When this option is enabled, a single e-mail message is sent soon after the patron clicks Submit Change Request. The message is sent to both the primary and alternate e-mail addresses. If the patron record does not have an e-mail address, no message is sent.

• E-mail address - Change allowed - Select this option to allow patrons to change an e-mail address online, then select one of the following options:

• Patron can submit change request - This option places a verification block on the patron account when the patron requests a change, and an e-mail message is sent to the address specified on this tab.

• Patron can change without verification - This option allows a patron to change the e-mail address online without incurring a verification block.

• Phone number - Change allowed - Select this option to allow patrons to change a contact telephone number online, then select one of the following options:

  • Patron can submit change request - This option places a verification block on the patron account when the patron requests a change, and an e-mail message is sent to the address specified on this tab.

  • Patron can change without verification - This option allows a patron to change the phone number online without incurring a verification block.

• Enable phone validation (system level only) - Specifies whether Polaris validates phone numbers when they are entered in the Update Preferences page in Polaris PowerPAC or Mobile PAC. Libraries that require their patrons to enter an initial 1 with the phone number should leave this option unchecked.

Note:
In Mobile PAC, when validation is not enabled, each phone number option is one entry field, similar to Polaris PowerPAC. When validation is enabled, each phone number option has three entry fields (area code/prefix/four-digit number).

• Enable for patron codes - The patron codes for which the updates are allowed are selected. Select a patron code checkbox to allow updates or clear a checkbox to prevent updates.

• E-mail to: Add - Select staff members to receive an e-mail message that a patron has updated a library account.

• If your library wants to allow patrons to opt out of reminder notices, select from the following options: Almost overdue/Auto-renew, Patron record expiration, Inactive patron

Preferences Tab

Use the Preferences tab to: select the options to display for associated patrons; specify the user-defined fields (UDFs) and patron custom data fields (PCDFs) that patrons can update via the PAC; and specify whether the UDFs and PCDFs are required.

Note:
Patrons use the Contact Information and Preferences form in PowerPAC and the Update Account and Preferences form in Mobile PAC to update their account information.

• To display information about associated patrons, select the Associated patrons box and the Show 'Block me' setting and/or Show 'Allow me' setting to display whether patrons are blocked when their associated patrons are blocked and/or whether the patron is permitted to pick up and check out items on hold for their associated patrons.

• To allow patrons to update UDFs, select the UDF Display tab, and select the UDFs. If the UDF is required, select the Required box.

• To allow patrons to update PCDFs, select the Custom Fields Display tab, and select the PCDFs. To change the required setting, select the PCDF, and click Change Required Status.

Ask Us Tab

Use the Ask Us tab to specify the email addresses for library staff members who receive questions from patrons:

Note:
To provide this function to patrons, the PowerPAC profile Navigation: Ask Us must be set to Yes, and the Mobile PAC profile Navigation: Ask Us must be set to Yes.

• Click Add to search for and select the staff members who receive these emails.

• To remove a staff member from the list so they no longer receive these emails, select the staff member and click Delete.