Slides - PALS

Keeping Your Circulation Tables
Up-To-Date
Tab 16, Tab 17, Tab 31, Tab 32, Tab_plif
Rosie Mock
Minnesota State Univ., Mankato
rmock@mnsu.edu
April 15, 2011

Beware of Changing Calendar Dates!
• Each Institution’s Academic year will be different
but as days/years goes by the changing calendar
dates affect Aleph dates in various ways and
should be adjusted.
• Circulation Due Dates (tab 16)
• PLIF Loader Dates (tab_plif)
• Patron Expire Dates (tab 31)
• Circulation Overdue Notices and Bills (tab 32)
• Calendar Hours (tab 17)

Extended Due Dates in Tab 16
To get an extended due date for a particular patron status
and item status, enter a static due date in Tab 16.

Settings for the PLIF Loader in Tab_Plif
• The date in the tab_plif is when patron records
expire when loaded by the PLIF process
• Enter each ending Semester or Quarter Date
• Date in tab_plif and tab 31 usually match

Borrower Statuses in Tab 31
• Defines default privileges for the patron based on the
patron status.
• When new patron is created manually online, the system
will use these defaults for creating patron privileges.
• Same date for patron status can be used as in tab_plif

Overdue Notices in Tab 32
• Column 5 “Number of days since” could be
shortened near the end of semester to send
overdue/bills sooner before patrons leave.
• Column 5 & 6 usually are the same number.

Library Hours in Tab 17
• Tab 17 defines the open days and hours of the
Library/Sublibrary. It can set the due date to the
next open date and skips “closed” days when
computing fines according to tab 16 column 14
(fine method) setup.
• It is read from the top down, exceptions should
appear first, followed by schedule of a typical
week.
• Hours open after midnight can complicate due
date calculations.

Entering Variations into Tab 17 for
Open and Closed Days/Hours
Enter preset Holidays at the top
for dates that never change
List Holiday dates that change (i.e.
Labor Day, Thanksgiving, etc.)

Entering Consecutive Days, Default
Days of Month or Year
Enter in consecutive days for the
month when days vary from
regular or default hours.
Enter the open/closed days of the
month for each day of the week
to indicate the times for the
majority of days in that month.
Enter in the default hours for the
library that will include the
majority of days for the year.
These need to be at the bottom
after all the variable hours for the
sublibrary.

Aleph Configuration Guide states:
• Valid values for ‘Day of Week’ column (col.3) are
either numbers to specify the exact day, or spaces
that stand for any day.

Additional Information on Hours
• Specific days on which the library is closed should
appear before the general definition of the library's
opening hours
• Variable hours are entered before default hours
• Hours for each Sublibrary needs to be entered
separately for the entire year
Enter hours when Saturday and
Sunday are always closed
Enter hours using pound sign to
indicate a group of calendar days
in a month are closed

Current and Upcoming Academic
Calendar Years for MSU, Mankato
• 2010-2011 Started Aug 23 ended Dec 11, started
Jan 10 ends May 7 (1 week break), starts May 16
ends July 22
• 2011-2012 Starts Aug 22 ends Dec 10, starts Jan
9 ends May 5 (2 week break), starts May 21 ends
July 27
• 2012-2013 Starts Aug 27 ends Dec 15, starts Jan
14 ends May 11 (1 week break), starts May 20
ends July 26.

One Day Override of Active Due Dates

Open Hours Interface in Circulation

More Help
• See Support Center Answer #3014 - Patron
expiration date influence on due date
• See other tables at: www.mnpals.org>Current
Customers>Aleph Client/tables or
• Direct Link:
http://tables.prod20.mnpals.net/u20_1/
• Questions ?