What is the difference between Alma statuses: Lost, Missing, Claimed Returned, and Found? When should I use each status?
Answer
Alma has process types for loans that are Lost, Missing, Claimed Returned, or Found. See the explanations below for each status and related LRCQs. The following statuses can be applied when in the Fulfillment Menu, Manage Patron Services view. Search for the patron, view the loan, select the More Actions menu (...).
Tip! It’s better to apply a process type to track a loan status instead of making a Note in the patron record. The process types allow librarians/staff to gather reports and track loans/inventory better across the district. Often, user notes are not cleared after a situation is resolved which can lead to future confusion for staff and patrons.
Claimed Returned items were borrowed by a patron, but the patron claims to have returned the items. To mark this status, view the loan from Manage Patron Services. Use the More Actions list to mark the loan as claimed returned. Follow your college’s appeals or claimed returned workflows to resolve these loans.
Note: The claimed returned option does not show in the more actions list once the item goes to Lost status. See our instructions for how to mark an item as claimed returned when it is in a Lost status.
Lost items are items that are on loan but are no longer assumed to be coming back to the library. This status is usually applied automatically by Alma once the loan is long overdue (via job according to the Overdue and Lost Loan profiles). This status can also be marked by a staff member manually if a patron notifies the library that an item has been lost or damaged. To mark this status, view the loan from Manage Patron Services. Use the more actions menu to mark the loan as lost. When an item is in Lost status, the patron is charged the replacement cost for the item.
When a loaned item has been marked as Claimed Returned or Lost and it is found by the patron, then the loan can be marked as found. To mark this status, view the loan from Manage Patron Services. Use the more action list to mark the loan as found.
Note: For loans that are claimed returned and are found on library shelves, use the Return Items function to clear the loan from the patron's account.
Missing items were not checked out by a patron. These items ought to be in place on the library’s shelf but are not located by staff. There is a separate post on how to mark an item as missing.