Steps to Discharging Items

1. Visually inspect the items being returned for damage BEFORE scanning the item.  If you find significant damage (torn, wet, chewed up, etc.) find a supervisor and DO NOT discharge the item.  Once an item is discharged, the patron information is lost due to patron privacy.  Staff will need to look at this information first to know who to contact about damage.

2. Within Sirsi, click on the "Discharging" button on the top left menu.

3. Click in the "Item ID" field and then scan the item's barcode.

4. The discharged item will then appear in the list below.  You can continue to scan barcodes until you are finished.

5.  Remove all stuffies from the items and place in the drawer.  Anything in the book that could identify the patron needs to go to the shred bin.  Anything else can be recycled or thrown away.

Associated Materials

When checking out multiple piece items this pop up will appear. When discharging equipment, AV materials, certain books, etc. this pop up will appear and you must check that all items are correct and accounted for.

Fines

A pop-up will appear when you discharge overdue items that have fines.  This is to let you know to stop the patron if they are present so you can inform them of their fines.  Select discharge from the selection below.  If a person is returning multiple items overdue, DISCHARGE ALL items before allowing the patron to pay their fines.

2. Routing Information

Before closing the discharge screen, look at the list of discharged items and see what is listed in the "Route/Transit to" field.  Items that are on hold for another patron, marked for display, etc. will all have something other than the item's permanent location listed in the Route field.  This means they will need to be taken to a different location than usual.

Different routing locations

Holds: When an item is on hold, a hold receipt will print upon discharge.  It is important to look at the screen to verify because the printer occasionally times out and you might have to make it come back online to print.  You will need to add a hold sticker and place it on the hold shelf behind circulation.  The patron will automatically be notified via email that it has been returned.

Display: This item was currently on display before it was checked out.  Please leave a note with the book indicating it is a returned display book and leave it on a supervisor's desk.

Reserve: This item is on reserve.  This means it is kept in the circulation area and not shelved in a public area. Return the item to its designated area in circulation. (For example: course reserves, markers, power cords, etc.)

If you do not know what needs to be done with the item, ask a supervisor.

Stacks: These are books that go to the general stacks.  Place these items on the purple cart next to the shredder.

AV, Curriculum Collection, Resource Room, Limited:  These items all get routed to the basement.  Place these items on the black cart next to timeclock.   

Bookdrop Discharging

If you open in the morning, you will be responsible for discharging any books that have been placed in the overnight drop box.  This is a bit different than discharging an item when it comes in.

Instead of going to "Discharging" you will select "Discharging Bookdrop" under the "Special" tab in Sirsi.

After that, you will click on the diamond under "Enter Date of Discharge" and select the last day that the library was open.

Helpful Hints

If you accidentally discharge an item before noticing damage or if something else happens that you need to know who had the item checked out, you do have a small window of being able to see who the item was checked out to.  If the item was the last thing that you scanned, go to "Display User" under the "Users" tab.  The person who had the item will be listed inside the field marked "Current".   This ONLY works if it was the last item scanned.

Helpful Hints Cont.

When checking out AV items (audiobooks / DVDs), check to ensure the correct disk is in the case.