The SHARE Circulation & Resource Sharing Committee recently reviewed a request to add Cards for Kids and Cards for Veterans patron type, in order to make annual reporting easier. The state library now requires data on these two categories of non-resident patron types.
Right now, we do have those two card categories in a statistical class that are available in the data dashboards, but data has to be entered in the patron registration screen, in the statistical class field.
Adding a patron type or item type in Polaris is extremely complicated, requiring a significant amount of staff time, with 1,182,384 different fields in the Polaris database that would have to be updated. With this change, there may also be a development fee from Polaris.
There are pros and cons to adding these as new patron types. Please comment by Dec. 5 on whether you would like for the SHARE Circulation & Resource Sharing Committee to consider adding these two patron codes.
Comments
Cards for Kids
I do not think there are enough patrons of this class to make it its own patron code, especially if there is a cost involved. Statistical class works just fine.
The amount of time needed to
The amount of time needed to set up a new patron code is not worth it. The statistical class is already set up and works well. I suggest not setting up a new patron code for Cards for Kids.
Cards for Kids and Cards for Veterans
This can be handling with the statistical class. And, additional training for front line staff to ensure that the proper stat class field is marked. The SHARE membership must remember that we want a clean database for ease of use. The background work that needs to be accomplished for this would be time consuming, as it is not just one library agency that would require a change, it would be each agency's fields.