Chapter 37. Hard due dates
This feature allows you to specify a specific due date within your circulation policies. This is particularly useful for academic and school libraries, who may wish to make certain items due at the end of a semester or term.
Note
To work with hard due dates, you will need the CREATE_CIRC_DURATION, UPDATE_CIRC_DURATION, and DELETE_CIRC_DURATION permissions at the consortium level.
Setting up hard due dates is a two-step process. You must first create a hard due date, and then populate it with specific values.
To create a hard due date:
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Click Administration → Server Administration → Hard Due Date Changes.
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Click New Hard Due Date.
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In the Name field, enter a name for your hard due date. Note that each hard due date can have multiple values, so it’s best to use a generic name here, such as "End of semester."
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In the Owner field, select the appropriate org unit for your new hard due date.
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In the Current Ceiling Date field, select any value. This field is required, but its value will be overwritten in subsequent steps, so you may enter an arbitrary date here.
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Check the Always Use? checkbox if you want items to only receive the due dates you specify, regardless of when they would ordinarily be due. If you leave this box unchecked, your specified due dates will serve as "ceiling" values that limit, rather than override, other circulation rules. In other words, with this box checked, items may be due only on the specified dates. With the box unchecked, items may be due on or before the specified dates, simply not after.
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Click Save.
To add date values to your hard due date:
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Click the hyperlinked name of the due date you just created.
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Click on New Hard Due Date Value
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In the Ceiling Date field, enter the specific date you would like items to be due.
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In the Active Date field, enter the date you want this specific due date value to take effect.
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Click Save.
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Each Hard Due Date can include multiple values. For example, you can repeat these steps to enter specific due dates for several semesters using this same screen.
After creating a hard due date and assigning it values, you can apply it by adding it to a circulation policy.
