Returned email

The Circulation Desk email receives bounced emails for two reasons.

1. The recipient’s email is simply incorrect.

2. More commonly, one of our system notices bounced because the Emory faculty, staff, student, or graduate student is no longer at Emory.

This is basically a three step process:

1. In the patron’s account, BLOCKING the account and NOTATING the account about what happened and what we need from the patron.

2. Filling out the Returned Mail template.

3. Notifying the patron.

· When the bounced email notification comes into the mail box, double click on the message. CLICK “Send Again” and PRINT 2 copies of the notice that appears. Do not actually send the email notice.

· Open the patron’s account in Alma.

o In the “Notes” tab, add a note that explains what you’re doing. It should contain the name of the notice, the fact that the notice bounced, and include the email from which it bounced. Then sign off on the notice. Example: “Courtesy letter bounced from <david.smith@emory.edu”. Sending paper notice to home address. (univ/JP 2/1/18)”. Confirm adding the note and the type of note, usually either “Address” or “Circulation”.

o To Block the account, go to the “Block” tab. Add a block. Choose our library. Then add a blocking note. The purpose of this note is to state what we want and what happened, briefly. Example: “To UNBLOCK, confirm current status and contact info. Courtesy noticed bounced from Emory email address. (univ/JP 2/1/18) Click ok to confirm.

o If you feel well versed in editing accounts, edit the patron’s home mailing address. Their usual default is their Emory work/school address. Edit this so that their Preferred address is their home address.

· Fill out the Returned Mail template. You might need to keep the patron’s account open on their contact information for this. You will need their name and address, today’s date, and their email that bounced. PRINT 2 copies.

· Prepare one copy of the Returned Mail form and one copy of the notice to get sent to the patron. You will need an envelope with a window, and it will need to be folded so that the patron’s address shows clearly in the window. Place this copy in the Outgoing Mail slot in the

· Prepare the other copy of the Returned Mail form and notice for Jessica. Staple the two, with the Returned Mail form in front, and place on her desk area. This way she can follow up further and keep track of the paper mail if it gets returned.

· When finished, move the notice into the “Undeliverable: Library answered” file.

Notes about Blocking:

Blocking happens automatically and manually.

· Automatic blocking happens when a patron reaches an amount in fines, or reaches a number of overdue books. Alma will tell you either of these. See the chart to determine which type of patron can have which limits

· Manual blocking is done by one of us. This is done when a notice bounces, or when a patron will not respond about a problem with their account. Blocking prevents a patron from being able to use their account until they contact us.

· Blocking is vital to prevent a patron from being able to check out books, especially if their email is bouncing. Faculty and staff do not have an expiration date in their accounts. So this is especially important for them.