Student Worker Manual : How to Circulate Items

Introduction:

Here, H&I Assistants will learn how to use Alma, our fulfillment software, to circulate items. You will be able to utilize Alma effectively in order to loan, return, renew items and manage patron accounts.

Desk Set Up and Requirements:

In order to begin, you will need to have an appropriate desk set up. At the circulation desk, make sure you are set up with the following items:

Microsoft Surface, Bluetooth Mouse, Bluetooth Keyboard.

Handheld Barcode Scanner and Stand 

Desensitizer, whether nearby the large one or a smaller desk desensitizer.

The passwords for the Surfaces & Alma accounts can be found here at the bottom of the page.

Using Alma:

Alma is the software library staff uses to check in and out books. Alma contains records of all our items in Snell Library and has accounts for every Northeastern community member. This element will review some of the important functions of Alma.

Your Alma log in information is located here at the bottom of the page. The link for Alma is bookmarked on all Surfaces default browsers. You will first need to sign in to access Alma. The "Using Alma" element explains the three main tools of Alma, Manage Patron Services, Return Items, and Scan In Items. You can find these items at the top of your Alma homepage.

Manage Patron Services:

The Manage Patron Services page is the first step to accessing patrons accounts, renewing items and checking in/out items. To begin, click the "Manage Patron Services" link in the homepage. This will bring you to the Patron Identification page.

You will use the Patron Identification page to search for patrons. Make sure you have clicked the Look-up or select text box. The preferable way to search for a patron's account is to scan their barcode. You can do this by hovering a patrons NUID card underneath the scanner. 

An alternative way to search for a patron's account is to type their ID number, or search their name. These steps should be taken only if a patron does not have their NUID. Remember the Confidentiality Agreement when using Alma.

Once you select the patron's name, click the Go button to the right. This will bring you to the patron's account.

This is what a patron's account looks like. You can see that on the Loan Display, it is set to "Loans of this session". Click the drop-down menu and select "All loans" to see all of the books checked out to this patron's account. 

When selecting "All loans", you can see the title, due date, loan status, and barcode of each item. Note the "..." box on the right side. The "..." box contains other actions, like renewing books.

Loaning:

To check out or "loan" out an item, you will repeat the steps listed in the Manage Patron Services section.

Click the "Manage Patron Services" link in the homepage. This will bring you to the Patron Identification page. Scan the patron's NUID barcode. Then look for "Scan Item barcode" located under the Loan tab.

Next, find the item barcode and put the barcode under the scanner while making sure the red light is on the barcode. You will hear a "beep."

Once the barcode is read, the item will be loaned out to the patrons account with a due date listed.

Tell the patron the due date and desensitize the book.

Using the large desensitizer on the files, put the spine of the book in the corner of desensitizer. When you place the book in the desensitizer, you will hear a "bloop".

The item can then be handed over to the patron.

Returning:

To returns items, locate the barcode on the item you are returning. In addition, make sure you have clicked the "look-up or select" text box to ensure the barcode will be scanned there.

Put the barcode under the scanner and make sure the red light is on the barcode. You will hear a "beep". 

The returns page should automatically read the scanned in barcode and return the item. You will be brought to the returned items page.

Next Steps:

You will notice that the item returned page, there is a Next Step category. This column shows where to put the item you have returned. Before you put any item in its next step location, you need to re-sensitize the item.

Using the large desensitizer on the files, put the spine of the book in the corner of desensitizer. Make sure the button on the right side is flipped to "Sensitize". When you place the book in the desensitizer, you will hear a "bloop".

After you hear the "bloop", put the book on the correct cart.

Next Step:

After scanning a return, you will see that it has a "Next Step". Each book has a correct cart it belongs on.

If the next step is:

Return to Remote Storage- Put on the "Library Annex/Remote Storage" Cart.

Reshelve to Stacks, Favat, or Circulation Desk Collection (Media)- Put on the "Stacks, Favat, Media" Cart.

These two carts are at the H&I desk, each have a sign on it indicating what books go where.

Illiad/non-NEU returns carts are in the back room by the door with a sign indicating where each book goes (as seen below).

Reserve Returns

All reserve items are in the work room.

Course Reserve

Reshelved by course code then call number.

Restricted Use Reserve (Permanent Reserve)

Reshelved by call number.

Course Reserve: Personal Copy

Reshelved in the Course Reserve section by course code, “PC,” then call number.

Renewing:

To renew a book, go to the patrons account through Manage Patron Services. From there, select "All Loans" in the drop down menu to see all items checked out to the patron.

Next to the book they would like renewed, click the "..." button. From there, you can select "renew". The item will then have a new due date.

When you have successfully renewed the book, you will get an approval pop up.

If you get the error that the item has exceeded the amount of renewals, contact a supervisor.

Do not renew ITS items (hotspots, laptops)