Create a Patron Record
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
1.
When giving the patron a new library patron card, the staffer prints the name on
the top line, and the patron signs on the bottom line.
2.
USE CAPS LOCK.
3.
For those patrons with JR, etc., after their name, use TWO name fields, one with
the designation after the last name (this should be the first one) and one with the
designation at the end.
SMITH JR., JOHN W.
SMITH, JOHN W., JR.
4.
For phone, use this format: 318-445-2411.
5.
Telephone Notification System
We are using the Telephone Notification System to call customers to tell them
they have overdues instead of mailing the first notices. The second notices and
bills will continue to be mailed.
A.
This system waits for someone to pick up, and then plays a pre-recorded
message, which does not state the name of the person with the overdues.
B.
Ask your new patrons if they are willing to be called.
C.
If they do not, we need to tell Sierra not to call that number. In addition,
telephone numbers which have extensions should not be called.
D.
If a patron DOES NOT have a primary telephone, but gives you a friend’s,
relative’s or work phone, we will put that in the TELPHONE 2 field.
ALWAYS tell Sierra not to call TELEPHONE 2 numbers.
E.
The library does call cell phones for overdues. We suggest that you ask
your customers if they mind a call on an overdue notice to their cell
phone.
F.
To tell Sierra NOT to call the number, you need to put ## in front of
the number. For example:
## 318-451-4394
6.
For P.O. Box, use this convention:
A.
BOX 123
B.
BE SURE TO ALSO GET A STREET ADDRESS!! Put it in
ADDRESS2.
7.
For institutions and daycares, add them exactly as written:
Name:
CALVARY DAY CARE
Add responsible person at
SPOUSE.
Spouse:
JAN ROBINSON, DIRECTOR
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CUSTOMER (PATRON) CODES
We collect data on where our customers live. To do this, we use two new data fields, as
well as the home library fixed field.
When prompted for:
1.
PCODE2
If they live OUTSIDE Rapides Parish, ask what parish, or use the chart below.
Use these codes:
a = Avoyelles
n = Natchitoches
e = Evangeline
v = Vernon
g = Grant
z = Allen
l = LaSalle
t = Other parishes
2.
NOTE
Type here the 5-digit zip code that is placed in the address line.
CITY/PARISH CHART:
Here are SOME of the towns and the parishes they are in. The best rule is to ASK the
patron what parish they live in, if you are not sure.
City
Bentley
Bunkie
Center Point
Colfax
Dry Prong
Effie
Jena
Leesville
Vick
Parish
Grant
Avoyelles
Avoyelles
Grant
Grant
Avoyelles
LaSalle
Vernon
Avoyelles
City
Mansura
Mora
Oakdale
Pine Prairie
Pitkin
Pollock
Trout
Turkey Creek
Parish
Avoyelles
Natchitoches
Allen
Evangeline
Vernon
Grant
LaSalle
Evangeline
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1. Click on CHECK OUT (Circulation Desk) from the list of FUNCTIONS.
2. Scan Library Card.
3. Choose the record template for your library from the list:
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a. Double-click on the template's entry in the list (or single-click on the
template's entry and choose the Select button). Note that you may need to
use the scroll bar to view all of the available templates.
OR
b. Use the up and down arrow keys to highlight the desired template. Then,
press Enter (or choose the Select button).
4. Sierra Circulation offers a wizard (a series of pop-up dialog boxes). For each field
that appears in the selected template, Sierra Circulation prompts you to enter a value
for that field. For example:
Press ENTER or click on NEXT to proceed to the next pop-up box in the wizard. To exit
from the wizard without creating the record, choose Cancel New Record Creation.
Once you have responded to all of the wizard's pop-ups, you have the opportunity to edit
the record you just created.
5.
If you need to edit information in any pop-up box, first make sure your cursor is
in the box, double-click the code to see a drop-down list or press the space bar
6.
Continue completing the pop-up boxes, here are some hints:
a. For the Birth Date field, the default year is 20--. When you delete the 20 and
type 1, you will see 19, this is because the system prefills the 9 in for you after
you type 1, so if you want to put in the year 1970, type 170, the 9 will be put in
automatically. You can also double-click the area to choose the date from a
calendar.
b. If you need to edit information in any pop-up box, first make sure your cursor
is in the box, double-click the code to see a drop-down list or press the space
bar.
c. The pop-up boxes change shapes, sizes and positions, stay alert during entry.
The fixed-length fields are smaller boxes near the middle of the screen. The
variable length fields are longer boxes near the top of the screen. Here’s an
example of a variable-length field pop-up box:
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d. Some pop-up boxes require text entry, like the name entry above.
e. Enter names as follows: (Last Name), (First name) (Middle Initial).
Ex. Smith, John M.
f. Enter Addresses on two lines. We do not have to use the $ for line breaks, just
ENTER to get to the next line. Substitution Phrases are still used.
Ex. %Z01 for Alexandria, LA 71301
g. Entering correct information is very important! Check your work
thoroughly.
7.
When you have entered all the patron information and verified that it is correct,
click the Save button on the toolbar.
Verify all information first,
then click Save
8.
Sierra Circulation sends the new record to the database and brings you to the Brief
Patron display for the record you just created.
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Editing a Patron Record
To edit a record, retrieve the patron record from the database and click on the Edit button
on the toolbar. (Or click Edit from the menu and choose Patron).
OR
The Editing window looks just like the View window; however, you are permitted to
make changes. It shows the record's fixed-length fields in the top section of the window
and the variable-length fields below. Below the Toolbar, Sierra Circulation displays the
record's Last Updated and Created dates, and the number of Revisions to the record:
Patron Record
Number
Toolbar
Fixed
length
fields
Variable
length
fields
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Above the record display, Sierra Circulation offers a toolbar containing the following
options:
Insert: Offers a list of the variable-length fields to insert. This option is also available
through the right-mouse menu.
Save: Saves the changes to the current record and closes the record. This option is
also available in the File option on the menu bar.
Delete: Deletes the patron record. This option is also available in the File option on
the menu bar. Circulation Staff are not allowed to delete a patron records. Refer patrons
who have died or moved away to ILS.
Print: Prints the current record's full display. This option is also available in the File
option on the menu bar.
Close: Closes the current record. Sierra Circulation prompts you to save
changes if you have made changes.
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Modifying a Fixed-Length Field
When you edit a Patron record, Sierra Circulation displays a record's fixed-length fields
in a table, above the record's variable-length fields. To modify a fixed-length field within
a record:
1.
Choose the field to edit by double-clicking on the desired field. Double-click the
field label or the text to see a drop-down list, or press the space bar You can
also select Edit Field from Edit on the menu bar or from the right-click dropdown menu.
2.
Millennium Circulation opens a Select dialog for the selected field:
The field
values
are
sorted
by code
number
or text.
3.
Click on the appropriate code and choose OK (or press ENTER).
4.
To close the Select dialog without changing the fixed-length field's value, choose
Cancel (or press ESC).
Hint:
You can undo changes by selecting Undo from the Edit menu. You can undo the
last 10 changes. You can also use Redo from the Edit menu.
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Modifying Dates
When you click on a fixed-length field that contains a date, no dialog box will appear. To
change the date, type a new date in the input box. Remember, the default year will show
20--. When you delete the 20 and type 19, you will see 199, this is because the system
prefills the 9 in for you after you type 1, so if you want to put in the year 1970, type 170,
the 9 will be put in automatically.
Double click to get to the calendar.
Remember to type the date in the same format used by the database: 06-11-2004 for
June 11, 2004; you do not need to type the hyphens.
Modifying a Variable-Length Field
When you edit a Patron record, Sierra Circulation displays a record's variable-length
fields in a table, beneath the record's fixed-length fields.
To modify a variable-length field within a record:
Choose the field to edit:
• Click on the field, or
• Use TAB, SHIFT+TAB, or the ARROW keys to place the cursor in the
desired field.
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Inserting a Variable-Length Field Using the Insert Button
1.
Click on the Insert button on the toolbar. (Or choose Insert Field from the Edit
menu). Sierra Circulation opens a new dialog that says Insert a nonMARC field
Method A:
 Click on the down arrow in the box that says PATRON
NAME to open the drop-down menu with field options
(note that you can use the scroll bar to view other tags).

The display order of field group tags in the list at right
is the same as the order of display of non-MARC fields
in a Patron record. Notice that the 'n' tag (NAME field)
displays before the 'a' tag (ADDRESS field); therefore,
NAME fields display before ADDRESS fields in a Patron record.

Single-click on the desired tag or highlight by placing arrow on
selection without clicking, and hit ENTER.
Method B:
 Type the one-character tag; if the tag is a valid field group tag for the
current record type, Sierra Circulation inserts a new field with that tag
into the record.
2.
After you have chosen a valid field group tag, type in the information.
3.
To close the dialog without inserting a variable-length field, choose Cancel (or
press ALT + C).
4.
Once you have completed typing in the information, click on OK or hit ENTER.
Sierra Circulation adds that new field to the table of variable-length fields.
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Note that you may need to scroll down to view the newly-inserted field.
5.
The field will not be placed into its ordered position until you Save the
changes and Close the record. The next time the record is opened, the field
will be in its ordered position. If you want to see the field in it’s ordered
position before saving and closing, click on View in the menu bar, then click
Refresh.
Inserting Lines for Addresses and Using Substitution Phrases
Right clicking in the address field will bring up a menu. Clicking on Insert Line will add
a new line. The new line will appear below the field you click on.
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Clicking on Substitution Phrases will give you a list of the Substitution Phrases. Select
the Substitution Phrase you need and click on the USE button.
Multiple Messages in a Patron Record
If there are multiple messages in a patron record, only the first message is displayed upon
retrieving the patron record.
If you want a particular message to display upon patron record retrieval:
1. In the patron record, go into “Edit” mode by clicking on Edit in the toolbar.
2. Right-click on the message you wish to move.
3. Choose Move to top of group from the pop-up menu.
4. Click on Save/Close.
This will put the selected message at the top of the list.
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Deleting a Field
Only variable-length fields can be deleted from patron records.
1. Triple-click in the field you wish to delete to highlight the entire field (or click
and drag over entire field to highlight) and then hit DELETE on the keyboard. Or,
2. Make sure the cursor is in the variable-length field you wish to delete and click
Delete Field from the Edit menu. Or,
3. Make sure the cursor is in the variable-length field you wish to delete, click the
right mouse button and choose Delete Field.
4. You may also delete multiple fields by highlighting several at a time and
choosing one of the delete options mentioned above. Be sure to use caution and
review what you’ve highlighted before deleting.
Saving Changes to a Patron Record after Editing is Complete
Method A:
1. After making all changes and deletions to the Patron Record, review for
accuracy and then click the Save Ctrl-S icon on the toolbar. This saves all
changes/deletions and closes the Patron record:
Method B:
1. When you exit the record by clicking Close on the toolbar, a prompt will
appear:
3.
Choose Yes to save, No to discard the changes and exit the record, or Cancel to
return to the record.
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SUBSTITUTION PHRASES
When using, precede with %
If the patron lives in Alexandria or Pineville then just use the letter Z and the last two
digits of the Zip Code.
Examples:
%Z01 = ALEXANDRIA, LA 71301
%Z60 = PINEVILLE, LA 71360
If the patron lives outside of Alexandria or Pineville then simply use the first 3 letters
of the city.
Examples:
%BAL = BALL, LA 71405
%DEV = DEVILLE, LA 71328
For Zip + 4, add a space and dash then the numbers after the substitution phrase.
(Example: %Z01 -1234 = ALEXANDRIA, LA 71301-1234)
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