Access Services Updates - December 28, 2021

Automatic Renewals Update

We have been planning to transition to automatic renewals for customers for several months. We have set February 1^st as the date that automatic renewals will turn on for customers. In the meantime, we need your help to start sharing with customers that this is coming and how it works. Our full -talking points guide to use with customers is attached, with key points from a staff perspective listed below.

How do autorenewals work?

Beginning on February 1^st, a script will run looking for items that will be due in 3 days’ time and will attempt to renew each item. Items that are renewed will have no further action. Items that cannot be renewed on that date will then have a “Coming Due” notice sent by email or text to the customer. No further attempts to automatically renew the item will occur. No print notices will go out informing customers that their items are now due.

Previously, items that are checked out but had a hold on the title would not renew even if a copy was on shelf. With our recent upgrade, as long as one copy per hold is on shelf, checked out items will renew.

What materials renew automatically?

Nearly all physical items will renew automatically. Autorenewals do not apply to digital materials, interlibrary loans (ILLs), Experience Passes, or technology (e.g., Chromebooks or hotspots).

How will customers know if their item(s) renewed successfully?

If customers already receive email and/or text messages, they will be notified if their item could not be renewed. If they currently receive only paper notices, their materials will still go through the autorenewal process, but customers will have to check the catalog or with staff to confirm their due date.

Can customers still manually renew their items?

Autorenewals make this unnecessary. However, the renew button will still be available to customers in the catalog, and the renew function in CARL.X will remain available. If there are extenuating circumstances, you are welcome to renew items for a customer. Please understand staff are to avoid granting multiple renewals up front to ensure equitable opportunities for others to reserve and check out the material.  However, customers will still have the ability to do this themselves.