Library users may be asked to pay fees for services such as photocopying, computer time, or material rental. Libraries can charge fees for library privileges, checking out materials, or placing hold requests. Users can be asked to pay fines when they violate certain library rules or when they lose or damage library material.
A bill record contains a fixed amount that the patron owes the library. The amount, reason, associated title, date billed, item due date, item recall date, item renewal date, item return date, and other pertinent information is recorded in a bill record and linked to the user’s record. A transaction date records the date the bill was created, which is particularly useful when discharges are back-dated for bookdrop items.
If the Deletion of Items with Bills feature is enabled and an item associated with a bill has been deleted from the catalog, the item ID field for that item will be blank.
Before a bill record is created, SirsiDynix Symphony may keep an estimate of accruing fines. The bill calculation also takes into account time changes such as daylight-saving time, if applicable.
For example, as an item becomes overdue, the estimated fine accrues in the charge record for that item. The estimated overdue fine can be displayed by looking at the charge information. The estimated fine information disappears only when the overdue item is returned and a bill is created.
SirsiDynix Symphony can create bills automatically based on the instructions in library policies, or the Bill a User wizard can be used to create a bill. Once a bill is created, it can be seen by displaying the user’s record; or if the bill is associated with a catalog item, by displaying that item’s record.
Display Options in the Bills tab (user or item record) allow you to view unpaid bills, paid bills (history), or both. The length of time in which bill history is maintained online is decided by your library.
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