How do I configure a Reading Room?
Answer
A Reading Room allows you to check out items to users in a supervised setting where those users will not be taking items from the library. Items can be checked in and out repeatedly to a user without being reshelved.
Important Note: A circulation desk configured as a reading room can only function as a reading room. Regular circulation functions cannot be performed at a reading room circulation desk.
To configure a reading room, you will need to do the following:
- create a location for items being used in the reading room
- create a reading room circulation desk and attach that desk to locations
- create TOUs and Fulfillment Unit rules for the locations attached to your reading room circulation desk
- make sure the Fulfillment Unit housing the locations attached to the reading room circulation desk allows on shelf requests
- make sure staff have roles needed to use the reading room
Create a Location for Items Being Used in the Reading Room
1. Go to Configuration and select the library where you'd like to create the reading room circulation desk from the Configuring dropdown.
2. Click the Physical Locations link under Locations.
3. Click the Add Location link. Enter a code and name for the location into the Code and Name fields, elect Open from the Type dropdown, select the fulfillment unit you;d like this location to be part of from the Fulfillment Unit dropdown, and then click the Add Location button.
Creating a Reading Room Circulation Desk
1. Make sure you're configuring the library where you'd like to create the reading room circulation desk, and then click the Circulation Desk link under Library management.
2. Click the Add Circulation Desk link.
3. Enter a code and name for the reading room into the Code and Name fields, check the Reading Room Desk box, leave the Picks From Shelf box checked, select a printer from the Default Printer dropdown, check the Has Hold Shelf box, select an option from the Hold Shelf Sorting dropdown, enter a value into the maximum Time on Hold Shelf box, and then click Next.
4. Click the Attach Location link, select the location you created for the reading room from the Physical Location/Name Dropdown, and then click the Attach Location button. Repeat this step for each location you would like the reading room to serve. Be sure to attach the reading room location you just created. Once all locations have been attached, click the Next button.
5. Click the Next button to skip the Work Order Types and Operators pages, and then click the Save button to finish creating the circulation desk.
6. Click the ellipsis next to the reading room circulation desk and then click the Edit link.
7. Select the reading room location you created previously from the Location To Move items To dropdown, check the Restore from Reading Room at Checkin box, and then click the Save button.
Create Terms Of Use and Fulfillment Unit Rules
1. Create a Loan TOU where the Is Loanable policy is set to "In Reading Room Only" (you'll need to select a Due Date policy, but you can leave the other policies at their default settings).
2. Create a Request TOU where the Requestable policy is "Requestable" and the Pickup Locations policy is "Pickup only in reading room" (you can leave the other policies at their default settings).
3. Create Fulfillment Unit Loan and Request rules that apply the reading room TOUs to the locations you selected when you created the reading room circulation desk.
For more information on configuring TOUs and Fulfillment Unit rules, please see:
Fulfillment Unit On Shelf Request Policy
1. Check the Fulfillment Unit containing the locations attached to your reading room circulation desk and make sure the On Shelf Request Policy setting is set to "Request from pickup anywhere regardless of availability." Note that the pickup locations will be limited by the Request TOU you created for your reading room.
Roles Needed to Use Reading Room
Staff will need the following roles to use a reading room.
- Circulation Desk Operator - scoped to library and reading room circulation desk
- Requests Operator - scoped to library and reading room circulation desk