It is easy to see how an item could be scanned at Check In twice at a library — you have a stack of books, you’re not sure if they’ve been checked in, so you scan them. Only to realize that they’ve already been scanned and are In Transit to another library to fill a hold. Unfortunately, that second scan into the Check In box can cause a few problems:
- It may remove the transfer completely! If this happens, you can use Circulation > Transfers to re-set the transfer.
Video: http://screencast.com/t/jMh5LtgBKgY
- It may change the Current Location from the receiving library (the library where the Hold is) back to your branch…so it looks like the book is on it’s way to a library while still being at your library. Confusing.
- It may also break/remove/mess up the Transfer. Instead of saying “In transit from Library A, to Library B, since Date. On Hold for Patron A…” it just says “In transit from Library A, to , since date” – those important Library Branch names are GONE.
- If this happens, rely on the SLIP or the “delivery at Library B” information in the Status note to get the item where it needs to go.
Video: http://screencast.com/t/hXFbymsFvqF
So, how can you “safely” see the status of a stack of books?
- Scan the barcode in the “Search the Catalog” box rather than “Check in” – then you can see the Status clearly on the Holdings table.
We will share this information with ByWater, in hopes that we can get this fixed or develop a “Check Status” option that does NOTHING to the transfers, holds, or overall status of an item.
Until then, if you wonder about the status of an item in hand, scan it at the Search the Catalog box, not Check In.