Wegner Health Science Information Center Weekend and Evening Circulation Staff Training

Welcome! Introduce yourself to the class. Tell us – Your name and anything you want us to know about you, How long you have worked at the Wegner Center, When you work at the Wegner Center, and What you hope to learn from this class today.

Class Objectives The Wegner Center evening and weekend circulation staff, while working the circulation desk, will be able to load a patron record with 100% accuracy. The Wegner Center evening and weekend circulation staff, while working the circulation desk, will be able to check out materials to Wegner Center patrons with 100% accuracy.

Why is accuracy important? The PALS system keeps track of patron usage and item usage. PALS also provides statistical reports that are used for: Partner organization and Wegner Center annual reports, Partner organization and Wegner Center grant applications, and Partner organization and Wegner Center strategic planning.

Examples The Center for Disabilities uses PALS statistics to: Track the number of library cards issued to Center for Disabilities consumers, Track the number of items circulated to Center for Disabilities consumers, and Track the most requested items from the Center for Disabilities collection.

Examples The Community HealthCare Association uses PALS statistics to: Track the number of Wegner Center patrons from rural and underserved areas, and Track the number of items from the public health collection circulated annually.

Let’s get started! Turn on your computer. Log onto the network. Open Notepad. Test the scanner by scanning the barcodes on the books located at your computer. Close Notepad. Write your system password on the 3X5 card located at your computer.

Load a Patron Record As a group we will load a patron record for a new Wegner Center patron – Sabina. We will follow the transaction from the first contact with the patron until the patron leaves with her materials.

“May I check out these books and this video?”

“Certainly! Do you have a Wegner Center library card?”

“No, I don’t.” “If you would fill out a library card request form, we can give you a Wegner Center library card.”

This is the Wegner Center library card request form our patron is filling out. Next to your computer you will find her completed request form.

While the patron is filling out the library card request form, obtain a Wegner Center library card from the drawer next to the circulation desk. Next to your computer you will find a Wegner Center library card.

Activate PALS by double clicking on the PALSTAC shortcut on the circulation desk computer desktop.

This is the opening PALS screen. CATALOG-WEG-> is the default PALS prompt.

At the PALS prompt enter “lpr” for “load patron record”. This will open the load patron record screen.

Enter your system password. You will not see your password on the screen only a ? for each letter.

Enter record type. Pressing F2 will open a menu box for you to select the record type. Determine from information on Wegner Center library card request form or by asking the patron.

Scan the barcode from back of the patron’s Wegner Center library card.

Enter the patron’s registration ID. Registration ID is the last nine numbers of the patron’s library card barcode.

Enter the patron’s social security number. Ask patron if they want to use their social security number. If they wish not to, enter the library generated ID – date (mm/dd/yy) + last three digits of library card barcode.

Enter the patron’s last name.

Enter the patron’s first name.

Enter the patron’s middle initial.

Enter the patron’s circ class. Circ classes are listed on the Wegner Center library card request form and posted on the circulation desk monitor.

Enter the expiration date. The expiration date is two years from the date the Wegner Center library card is issued.

Enter the address to use. Always enter 1 for home address.

Enter distance patron status. Enter a N for Sioux Falls residents, Y for all others.

Enter the patron’s street address. Two lines are provided for the street address, if needed.

Enter the patron’s city of residency.

Enter the patron’s state of residency.

Enter the patron’s zip code.

Enter the patron’s telephone number.

Enter the patron’s business address. If there is no business address on the Wegner Center library card request form, enter “none”.

Enter the patron’s address. If the patron does not have an address, leave blank.

Enter at the proceed prompt.

PALS will display the patron information if the record has been successfully loaded.

“Sabina, here is your Wegner Center library card. Would you like to check out any materials at this time?” “Yes, I have some books and a video to check out.”

Activate PALS by clicking on the PALSTAC shortcut on the circulation desk computer desktop if PALS is not already activated. Checking Out Materials

PALS is still active. There is no need to close PALS and reopen it between patron transactions.

Ask the patron for their Wegner Center library card. Scan the barcode from the back of the Wegner Center library card into PALS.

PALS will display the “charge item” screen after you have scanned the patron’s barcode.

Scan the barcode from the first item to be checked out to the patron.

Scan the barcode from the second item to be checked out to the patron.

Scan the barcode from the third item to be checked out to the patron.

Press the end key which will take you to the proceed command and allow you to finish the patron transaction.

PALS will display the patron information and the number of materials checked currently checked out to the patron.

Desensitize the Wegner Center materials with the appropriate desensitizer.

Write due date on Wegner Center return slip and place in Wegner Center materials.

“Sabina, here are your books, video, and library card. The materials are due back on August 22 nd. If you would like to renew them you can call us or drop by.”

Take a Break! Let’s take a 10 minute break. When you return from break you’ll: Load a patron record from a Wegner Center library card request form, Participate in three “live action” scenarios where you’ll: Check out materials, Load a patron record, and Load a patron record and check out materials to a Wegner Center patron.