Circulation - Choosing Circulation Rules
About
This article covers the variety of circulation rules MSC libraries have to choose from.
What Makes Up a Circulation Rule?
A circulation rule is comprised of multiple parts: fining protocol, checkout length, number of renewals allowed, and the maximum number of a particular item type a user can have checked out at any given time. When deciding on a circulation rule for a part of your collection, consider:
- Whether you want to fine for overdue items - the most common rules are organized below in charts according to non-fining, 10 cents per day, 25 cents, $1, and $10.
- How long the items should check out for by default - checkout lengths are displayed in the first column of each chart, with additional unique checkout lengths listed in the "Other" Circulation Rule Charts section.
- Whether you want patrons to be able to renew the items (assuming there isn't a hold).
- How many of these items a patron can have checked out at a time - unlimited (no max), 2 max, or 5 max.
- Whether you want patrons to be able to place holds on the items - no hold, regular hold (sharing group wide), local hold (owning library only), branch hold (for branch libraries that are in a sharing group).
Requesting Circulation Rules
To request a circulation rule(s) for your collection,
open a ticket and include the following information:
- The code(s) for your preferred circ rule(s), e.g. if your library is non-fining and you want an item to check out for 28 days with 2 renewals and no max, you'll want the code 28DAY-NFC.
- Your preferred hold functionality - no hold, regular hold, local hold, or branch hold.
- Your preferred item type - see the list of item types in Cataloging - Functional Descriptive Categories (preferred) and/or Cataloging - Policy Lists (which includes the Functional Descriptive Categories).
Circulation Rule Charts
Non-Fining Libraries
Checkout
Length | No Fine
0 Renewals
No Max | No Fine
0 Renewals
2 Max | No Fine
2 Renewals
No Max | No Fine
2 Renewals
5 Max |
1 Day
| 1DAY-NFA
| 1DAY-NFB
| 1DAY-NFC
| 1DAY-NFD
|
7 Days
| 7DAY-NFA
| 7DAY-NFB
| 7DAY-NFC
| 7DAY-NFD
|
14 Days
| 14DAY-NFA
| 14DAY-NFB
| 14DAY-NFC
| 14DAY-NFD
|
28 Days
| 28DAY-NFA
| 28DAY-NFB
| 28DAY-NFC
| 28DAY-NFD
|
42 Days
| 42DAY-NFA
| 42DAY-NFB
| 42DAY-NFC
| 42DAY-NFD
|
10 Cents Per Day (Up to $10.00 Total)
Checkout
Length | $0.10/Day to $10
0 Renewals
No Max | $0.10/Day to $10
0 Renewals
2 Max | $0.10/Day to $10
2 Renewals
No Max | $0.10/Day to $10
2 Renewals
5 Max |
1 Day
| 1DAY-10A
| 1DAY-10B
| 1DAY-10C
| 1DAY-10D
|
7 Days
| 7DAY-10A
| 7DAY-10B
| 7DAY-10C
| 7DAY-10D
|
14 Days
| 14DAY-10A
| 14DAY-10B
| 14DAY-10C
| 14DAY-10D
|
28 Days
| 28DAY-10A
| 28DAY-10B
| 28DAY-10C
| 28DAY-10D
|
42 Days
| 42DAY-10A
| 42DAY-10B
| 42DAY-10C
| 42DAY-10D
|
25 Cents Per Day (Up to $10.00 Total)
| Checkout Length
| $0.25/Day to $10
0 Renewals
No Max | $0.25/Day to $10
0 Renewals
2 Max | $0.25/Day to $10
2 Renewals
No Max | $0.25/Day to $10
2 Renewals
5 Max |
1 Day
| 1DAY-25A
| 1DAY-25B
| 1DAY-25C
| 1DAY-25D
|
7 Days
| 7DAY-25A
| 7DAY-25B
| 7DAY-25C
| 7DAY-25D
|
14 Days
| 14DAY-25A
| 14DAY-25B
| 14DAY-25C
| 14DAY-25D
|
28 Days
| 28DAY-25A
| 28DAY-25B
| 28DAY-25C
| 28DAY-25D
|
42 Days
| 42DAY-25A
| 42DAY-25B
| 42DAY-25C
| 42DAY-25D
|
One Dollar Per Day (Up to $10.00 Total)
| Checkout Length
| $1/Day to $10
0 Renewals
No Max | $1/Day to $10
0 Renewals
2 Max | $1/Day to $10
2 Renewals
No Max | $1/Day to $10
2 Renewals
5 Max |
1 Day
| 1DAY-100A
| 1DAY-100B
| 1DAY-100C
| 1DAY-100D
|
7 Days
| 7DAY-100A
| 7DAY-100B
| 7DAY-100C
| 7DAY-100D
|
14 Days
| 14DAY-100A
| 14DAY-100B
| 14DAY-100C
| 14DAY-100D
|
28 Days
| 28DAY-100A
| 28DAY-100B
| 28DAY-100C
| 28DAY-100D
|
42 Days
| 42DAY-100A
| 42DAY-100B
| 42DAY-100C
| 42DAY-100D
|
Ten Dollars Per Day (Up to $100.00 Total)
Checkout
Length
| $10/day up to $100
0 Renewals
1 Max |
1 Day
| 1D-1000E
|
7 Days
| 7D-1000E
|
14 Days
| 14D-1000E
|
28 Days
| 28D-1000E
|
42 Days
| 42D-1000E
|
"Other" Circulation Rule Charts
Hourly
Checkout
Length | No Fine
0 Renewals
1 Max |
| 1 Hour | 1HR-NFE |
| 2 Hours | 2HR-NFE |
| 3 Hours | 3HR-NFE |
Noncirculating
| Checkout Length | No Fine
0 Renewals
No Max | $0.10/Day to $10
0 Renewals
No Max |
| 1 Day | NC-1DNFA | NC-1D10A |
| 7 Days | NC-7DNFA | NC-7D10A |
| 14 Days | NC-14DNFA | NC-14D10A |
Academic/School Year
| No Fine
2 Renewals
No Max |
9 Months | 9MO-NFC |
1 Year | 1YR-NFC |
Related Articles
Circulation - Sharing Group Rules
About This article lists the approved circulation rules for sharing groups in the Montana Shared Catalog. Items Circulating Throughout Sharing Group All circulation rules in this section (exempting non-circulating) are 2 renewals and fining / ...
Cataloging - Item Type Policies
About This article covers Item Type policies available for use in the Montana Shared Catalog. Item Type Functionality Item Types describe a segment of your library’s collection that all need to circulate in the same way. work with the Circulation ...
Cataloging - Home Location Policies
About This article covers Home Location policies available for use in the Montana Shared Catalog. Home Location Functionality Home Location designates the general shelf location of material. Home Location Configuration Controls: holdability - whether ...
Circulation - Registering Users
About This article covers how to register users, whether they've applied for a card via the online catalog (Enterprise) or in person. Consistent, accurate data entry promotes a clean catalog and makes for easier batch changes when necessary. Just ...
MobileStaff - Circulation Tasks
About This article covers using the MobileStaff app (or the web browser option) to perform basic circulation tasks like checking in and out, renewing items, recording in-house usage, and checking an item's status. App-Only Functionality The following ...