Library Answers: Los Rios Common Questions

In Alma, blocks are automatically added to patron records based on a job that is run daily of all Overdue and Lost Loan Profiles. If a patron has an item overdue by more than 7 days, the system applies a block.

The code used in Alma for this block is DELINQUENT, but it appears to the user as "Overdue block".

This block prevents patrons from borrowing and renewing materials, though these limits can be overridden by staff. It does not prevent patrons from requesting materials.

How do library staff know a patron is blocked?

• If you pull up a blocked patron in Manage Patron Services, you will see a pop-up informing you of the block. Blocks may be overridden by Circulation Desk Operators.
• When you print a request slip for a request placed by a blocked patron, the block will be mentioned under System notes.

  

When you see evidence of the block, follow your local campus library guidelines regarding, for instance, contacting the student and working to retrieve the item or collect a replacement fee, canceling the request, and so on.

How do patrons know about blocks?

• Patrons who are blocked have already received multiple notices warning them that library services will be suspended if they don't return their overdue items.
• If blocked patrons visit their library account in OneSearch, they will see they are blocked.
• If you place an item on the hold shelf that was requested by a blocked patron, the pickup notice the patron receives includes a statement about the block.

Removing Alma Blocks

If a patron should no longer be blocked, we need to remove the block manually.

1. Go to Manage Patron Services and open the patron record, or use Alma's User search to find the patron and open the record.
2. Resolve any overdue items or fines and fees. See How do I process library fines?
3. Go to the Blocks tab.
4. The next step depends upon the status of the loan and fees.
   • If the student has resolved their situation, either by paying their fines/fees or returning outstanding items, use the row actions to delete the Delinquent block.

     

   • If the student has filed a fines appeal, claim return or similar, switch the slider in the Active column from blue (right) to neutral (left). This will deactivate the block so that later, if the fines appeal or similar process is unsuccessful, it can be more easily reactivated.
5. Save the user record.

Complications of "Change to lost" overdue and lost loan profiles

Alma is designed such that when the overdue and lost loan profiles changes an item to lost, it also removes the overdue block from the user's record. Why? Why indeed.

Because we believe that retaining the overdue block is valuable, we have implemented some extra measures. A script on our web server listens for loan events as reported by Alma's loan-type webhooks. These webhooks send data anytime a loan-type event, such as a loan, renewal, return, or change-to-lost, occurs.

When the listener detects that an item has changed to lost, it polls Alma's user API to check if the patron already has an active circulation block. If they do not, then the script adds one.

Conversely, when the listener detects that an item was found, it polls Alma's user API and checks if the patron still has a positive balance. If they do not have a positive balance and have no overdue loans, but they do have an active circulation block, the script removes the circulation block.

In addition to the webhook, a nightly service uses an Analytics report to do a similar check, adding or removing blocks as appropriate given the fee and overdue loans situation .

Cleaning up user records when items are returned

While the above measures normally work, in some cases the user's block is not automatically removed. We have an Analytics report that identifies user accounts that are blocked but no longer have any items out on loan. This report is slow to run, so it is scheduled to run every Monday morning and is emailed to the system administrator or designee. The location of the report is:

/shared/Los Rios Community College District 01CACCL_LRCCD/Users/Users with active block but no active loan more than 2 weeks overdue by campus and primary ID

The report, using the Users subject area, contains the following filters:

• Block status is equal to / is in Active
• Primary Identifier is not equal to any Primary Identifier in Users with active loans overdue more than 1 week by primary identifier.

The report "Users with active loans overdue more than 2 weeks by primary identifier" is created using the Fulfillment subject area. It uses a column "Borrower Details" "Primary Identifier" and contains the following columns:

• Loan Status is equal to / is in Active
• "Due Date"."Due Date" < TIMESTAMPADD(SQL_TSI_WEEK, -2, CURRENT_DATE)

So in short, we get a list of users who do not have active overdue loans, and of those, we check if any are blocked.

On some weeks, this report contains a few users who will need their blocks removed. Whoever is working on this can check the user record and ensure that no items are checked out. Fines will likely have been removed as well. If you go to Manage Fulfillment Services for the user, you will probably see that they have one or more recently returned items, which would have accounted for the block. If everything looks good, clear the block. If there are still some questions or inconsistencies, you may need to refer the issue to the appropriate campus's circulation lead or system administrator.

If you need to run the report manually instead of receiving it via email, it is recommended not to open the report, and instead export a file directly from the Analytics catalog list. This will probably take several minutes to complete.