Monday 'Minder 2025.06

Salutations!

Today's Topic: Spring Housecleaning! aka Database Maintenance
Today's Tech Tip: Schedule sending an email

Just as one cleans out one's garden at certain times of the year, so I do periodic cleaning of our shared database and it is getting to be about that time. It is frustrating for patrons and staff to wade through search results with copies that say "Withdrawn" or "LongOverdue" or "Missing."

The obvious ones to clean up are all those items you weeded. You check out weeded items to your WD-XX user (ex WD-PO, for PoySippi), and that changes the status (Current Location) to WITHDRAWN2 which patrons can't see in the catalog.  The next step is a report to move all those withdrawn items to a special, system-location of DISCARD.  As I said, those are the obvious ones, but there are a bunch more. For example...

Items set MISSING--You're doing your pull holds list and can't find the item on your shelf.  You set it MISSING--it will probably show up.  Eventually, you run a list of items that are still MISSING and look more closely for them. You still can't find them on your shelves. You've looked.If you can't find them after looking, you withdraw them. However, lots slip through the cracks--some libraries are more diligent than other in running their Missing lists. So, I run a report that moves to DISCARD anything that was set to MISSING more than 18 months ago. 

LOST-ASSUM items--As long as these long overdue items are attached to a patron, they can't be removed from the database. However, we all know they're never coming back--and it is bad service to our patrons to give them false hope by keeping those items hanging around in the catalog. I run a report that discharges the item from the patron; writes the title, library and some other info into the patron notes; adds a UI-ITEM bill onto the patron record, and moves the items to DISCARD. That way, the item is clear to remove, but the patron is still responsible for that bill.   The report only selects items that have been LOST-ASSUM for more than 18 months.

Claims Returned items-- Similar to LOST-ASSUM items, except the patron is NOT billed.  This is why it is up to you to follow these instructions if you want the patron to pay for the item.  The report only selects items that have been Claims Returned for more than 18 months.

Patrons-- there are all the duplicate or deceased patrons whom you change their Profile to REMOVE. When you set a patron to a Profile of REMOVE, you need to try to remove all holds, bills, checkouts from their record, or else they will hang around in the database forever. Then there are all those patrons who just have disappeared and haven't used their card in over 7 years. Those, too, will get removed if there aren't any bills, holds, or checkouts.

Today's Outlook Tip: Want your email to go out on Monday morning instead of 11:47pm Friday night? Or you have time to write up a Win of the Week on Tuesday, but know you'll be swamped on Friday?  You can "Schedule Send" in New Outlook, or "Delay Delivery" in old Outlook.

In New Outlook, it is simple. The dropdown arrow on the Send button gives you the option right there. Once the scheduler opens you can choose the defaults it offers or click "Custom" at the bottom of the list to pick your own date and time. Unlike Old Outlook, it appears that New Outlook can send the message even if one doesn't have Outlook open at the time.

In Old Outlook, it is a bit more complicated, but not too bad....First, you need to Pop-Out your message so that you get all the message menus. 

Outlook Option Menu

Then click on Options, Delay Delivery. In the middle of the properties window there are "Delivery options."  One of them is "Do not deliver before." Fill in the date and time you want the email delivered.  When you click "send", the message will sit in your Outbox until the scheduled time.  However, Outlook must be online and connected for this feature to work in Old Outlook—if you’re logged off and shut down, it will sit in your Outbox until you log in.

Make today a good day!

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