Lesha

On checking back in my records I see that we did have the same problem back
in December and Helpdesk sorted it out for us - they called it an
additional link problem.  As you say, the item record has the correct
single patron link for the checked-out item but the item link is in 2
patron records - one of the confusing parts of this is, that each time the
item is circulated the patron record with the erroneous link reflects the
new check-out and due time.  I've asked Helpdesk to delete the additional
link.

What concerns us about this is - how many of these situations go un-noticed?

Thanks for your help. 

At 12:00 09-03-00 +0000, Lesha Fossey wrote:
>> Item Barcode number 8401627511 is attached to 2 patron records as being
>> checked out to them both. The item is on Course Reserve and the checkout
>> date and time is today (9 Mar)9:38 and due time is today at 1:38 on both
>> patron records. How is this possible? Even more strange is that one of our
>> desk staff says that this happened yesterday with the same item.
>
>
>This happens frequently with us (about twice a week). In fact, the item is
NOT 
>checked out to 2 people at once. 2 people have the same item checked out. 
>There's a subtle difference! When an item is checked out to a patron there's 
>a link to the item in the patron record, and there's a link to the patron in 
>the item record. When the item is checked back in both of these links are 
>ended. If you look at the ITEM record of the item in question you'll see the 
>patron record number of the person who actually HAS the book. There will
not be 
>(and can not be) 2 patron record numbers in this field. However, when the
item 
>was checked in from the other person the link wasn't broken completely. i.e. 
>the link in that patron record to the item has remained, even though the
link 
>in the item record to that patron has cleared. So you can be quite clear
as to 
>who HAS the book; it's the patron recorded as having it in the item
record. In 
>our case we've narrowed down exactly when and why it happens. It's when an
item 
>is checked out then immediately checked in again. It seems that Innopac
doesn't 
>deal with things in exactly the same order as they're keyed, so a part of
the 
>checkin  is processed before the checkout has completed! We send the
details of 
>the patron record number (the one who doesn't have the item) and the item 
>record number to the helpdesk, and ask them to remove that item from that 
>patron's list of checked out items. They usually do it the same or next day.
>
>In our case it's happened a lot recently when people have said they no 
>longer require a book that's being held for them. On Libertas the quickest
way 
>to "cancel" a reservation was to issue then immediatelky return the item, so 
>people have been doing this in Innopac too. But Innopac is much slower in 
>actually processing the transactions - hence the problem. So order to try to 
>prevent it happening so much  I've told my staff they're too quick for the 
>computer, and they should work more slowly! Also they should cancel holds 
>"properly".
>
>Lesha
>
>
>--
>----------------------
>Lesha Fossey        
>Assistant Librarian, Circulation Services
>University of Exeter
>Stocker Road            TEL: 01392 263867
>Exeter EX4 4PT          FAX: 01392 263871
>EX4 4PT         E-MAIL: [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
Sheila Smart
Deputy Head of Systems
Systems Office
Library
Ext: 2316


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