How to | Tasks for a Library branch temporary closure

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How to | Things to do for a Library branch temporary closure #

There are often times when Library branches are closed to the public for a short time, during such times there a range of tasks than can be undertaken by staff to support this closure. Libraries may choose to do some or all tasks depending on the reason or length of the closure.

Examples of the type of branch closures

Closure for renovations – extended period
Closure for Holiday period – short term
Closure for Unforeseen event e.g. flood – short term

Set close days for Loan Due dates – (Prepared closures) #

If a temporary library closure is planned such as holiday closure period Libraries can input close days into the system so that items are not due back on the days of the closure.
Please note if there are currently loans due on closure date prior to added the close days they due date will not change – see Data changes to update existing due date.

Example: All Libraries Are Closing for a Christmas New Year break
All Libraries are closing from 25 December 2024 to the 2nd of January 2025 and no items should be due during that period
One of the Libraries will be closed for an additional day on the 3rd of January 2025

Setting Close dates for all Libraries #

Navigate to Administration Tab / Loan Parameters / Closed days Tab
The Closed days tab allows a library to define the days of the year when the library is closed. This allows interaction with loan parameters so that when a due date is calculated, the closed days table is consulted and if the initially calculated due date falls on a date when the library is not offering service (and is not permitted to be a due date) then the next available date (whether the next day or multiple days in the future) is selected.
Select Location = All
Year = 2024
Ensure combined is selected in the Boolean
Filter specific day = None
None the existing closes days in the panel below
In the middle panel click the Plus Button to create new close day
Set year to 2024
Specific Date Day = 25 Month =12
Day of week = None
Description = Christmas Day
Fixed = Ticked (If you want this closed date to be repeated on this date every year)
Due Date = Unticked
Click the save Button

Continue this process for the other days 2612 to 02/01 keeping in mind to only tick fixed if this is a closed date for all libraries every year.

Setting Close dates for a specific Library #

Navigate to Administration Tab / Loan Parameters / Closed days Tab
The Closed days tab allows a library to define the days of the year when the library is closed. This allows interaction with loan parameters so that when a due date is calculated, the closed days table is consulted and if the initially calculated due date falls on a date when the library is not offering service (and is not permitted to be a due date) then the next available date (whether the next day or multiple days in the future) is selected.
Select Location = Technical Services
Year = 2025
Ensure combined is selected in the Boolean
Filter specific day = None
None the existing closes days in the panel below
In the middle panel click the Plus Button to create new close day
Set year to 2025
Specific Date Day = 3 Month =01
Day of week = None
Description = Extra Day for Technical Services
Fixed = Unticked
Due Date = Unticked
Click the save Button

You can view the effect of close days on loan parameters using the “Preview Loan Parameters tab of the Loan Parameters screen.
For specific information on the closed days tab see the Closed days information page

There are a range of enterprise parameters that may want to be considered as part of close days

ItemStockRotationClosedDayRange	Item automatic stock rotation is bypassed if Yesterday, Today or Tomorrow is a Closed Day at Return location
AddClosedDays	Closed Days added to Loan Period ?
AddClosedDays_DueDate	Closed Days added to Reserve collect by date ?

Update due dates for items on loan #

If there is an unexpected temporary closure of a library branch library staff can update all the items due on the close dates to a specific date in the future when the library is open using the Data Changes function in Loan Parameters.

Navigate to Administration Tab / Loan Parameters / Data Changes Tab
Select Items on Loan Tab
Entity = Input entity if part of a consortia (if Library is not a consortium the entity select box will not be visible)
Item Home Location = Choose specific Library or all
Years = Choose year e.g. 2025
Run the search using the green go button.
In the grid below a list of dates and the a count of items due on that date will display.
Using the check boxes tick the days that you wish to extend their due date.
On the right hand side select “Set New Due date” and then select the new due date from the calendar e.g. 09/01/2025
The new date will display in the results grid next to the old due date of the dates selected.
Click the save button underneath the calendar to save the change to the due date for these items

For specifics on the data changes tab see the Detailed information page

Update expiry date for Trapped Reserves on the holds shelf #

If a library is closed without close days set or enterprise parameter AddclosedDays_Duedate turned on items that are trapped and on the reservation shelf awaiting collection could be set to expire during the close period.
Data changes / Trapped reserves allows staff to update all the reservation collect expiry date to a new date when the library is open.

Navigate to Administration Tab / Loan Parameters / Data Changes Tab
Select Items on Trapped Reserves Tab
Collect at Location = Choose specific Library or all
Run the search using the green go button.
In the grid below a list of dates and the a count of items trapped due to expire on that date will display.
Using the check boxes tick the days that you wish to extend their due date.
On the right hand side select “Set New Expiry date” and then select the new due date from the calendar e.g. 09/01/2025
The new date will display in the results grid next to the old expirt date of the dates selected.
Click the save button underneath the calendar to save the change to the expiry date for these items

For specifics on the data changes tab see the Detailed information page

Update user expiry date #

Library members user expiry dates could be during the close period for a library. Data changes / User expiry allows staff to update the members expiry date for those who are due to expire during the close period to a time the library is open.

Navigate to Administration Tab / Loan Parameters / Data Changes Tab
Select User Registration Tab
Entity = Input entity if part of a consortia (if Library is not a consortium the entity select box will not be visible)
User Home Location = Choose specific Library or all
Years = Choose year e.g. 2025
Run the search using the green go button.
In the grid below a list of dates and a count of users due to expire on that date will display.
Using the check boxes tick the days that you wish to extend their expiry date.
On the right hand side select “Set New Expiry date” and then select the new due date from the calendar e.g. 09/01/2025
The new date will display in the results grid next to the old expiry date of the dates selected.
Click the save button underneath the calendar to save the change to the expiry date for these items

For specifics on the data changes tab see the Detailed information page

Closure for renovations (Long term make items unavailable) #

When a Library will be closed for a longer period of time Libraries may wish to hide items from Montage (opac)

Hiding Items from displaying on Montage #

The Easiest way to hide an item from displaying on Montage is to add an abnormal status to that item. If the status is on the item, it means that Items at other Locations (Which are not closed) will be visible to customers and reservable however if there is only one item in the collection and it is at the Library which is close added the abnormal item status will hide the title from montage. Libraries often have a specific Status which they utilise for this purpose and may have renamed to the status to Shadowed, Local use or Local use 2.

Confirm if there are any items at the Library that already have the “shadowed” abnormal status prior to the close

Web report – Items – Status (RK096) – Run this report selecting “shadowed status” and the library that will be closed for renovations prior to the close.

Export the list using the CSV save and keep this list so that these items can remain as “shadowed” after the library is reopened.

Create list of items at Library which will be closed.

Run a Report to list Items held at a Library
There are a range of reports that could be used to create lists of items at a library that will be closed e.g. Items – Browse (RK040), Items – Call Number List (RK020) Due to the size of some libraries, it is recommended that lists be broken down into smaller numbers such as groups of 5000, the above reports can be filters by multiple factors such as location and item format.
Export report results as .csv
Libraries may choose to at this stage filter the report to remove Items that are currently on-loan (this is dependent on how the Library plans to handle items on loan, if they have a floating collection and if they are to be returned at other locations during the renovation)
Libraries can then copy the list Item barcodes from the list and paste the barcodes into a .txt file
Save the .txt in a safe place to be access during the process which add the item status

Adding Abnormal status to item Desktop

Navigate to Item transfer / Item status tab
Select Add item status
Tick Append to any Existing Status
In the right-hand side of the screen select the abnormal status e.g. Local Use 2
Next to Batch Input file select 3 dots to open file explores and fine the .txt file created earlier
Click the green go button to start the Item transfer run
The list of items will cycle through the process of adding the item status to the items
Note if the list is Long, it may take some time to cycle through the whole list of items.
Keep the .txt file in order to remove the status if present at the end of the Library closure

Remove Location as Collect at Reservation Location #

Navigate to Administrations tab / System Parameters / Location
Select the Logical Location from the List
Untick The Reserve Location from the Logical Location
Click the save button in the Logical Locations selection.
Note the collect at location will be removed for Both customers on Montage and the staff portal.
When the Library reopened re-tick and save the change to re-enable the Library as a collect at location.

Remove Location as from Advanced Search in Montage #

Navigate to Administrations tab / System Parameters / Location
Select the Logical Location from the List
Tick The Hide in Opac option from the Logical Location
Click the save button in the Logical Locations selection
When the Library reopened remove the tick and save the change to re-enable the library in advanced search.

Updated on December 23, 2024

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How to | Things to do for a Library branch temporary closure #