Patrons, borrowers, users are all nouns used interchangeably in the library world to describe the people who use your library. Since there are several kinds of libraries in the Shared System, we’ll stick with the term patron.
We use two ways to describe the different patrons we serve: codes and statistical classes. The first determines how and where patrons can borrow material. The second is used to help keep track of how often and where patrons borrow materials. It’s important that both be entered correctly when you create and modify library card accounts.
Polaris Patron Codes
Adult Regular Patron
Adult Special Patron
Bunny Bag Card (used for checking out bags of books; available only at IndyPL)
Day Care Collection (day care centers have an organizational card used by the Bookmobile)
Earn and Learn (these students have committed to “reading down” their debt. Shared System library staff works in conjunction with branch circulation supervisors to waive portions of student debt as number of minutes milestones are reached.
Electronic Registration (if someone’s phone is registered in their name at a Marion County address, then they may be able to apply for a library card number online to use for IndyPL eresources. If they want to check out books from a branch or Shared System location, you will issue them a “regular” library card, and change their patron code to the correct one.
Juvenile Exception (these patrons are an exception to our policy that an adult will sign the library card application for minors thereby accepting responsibility to pay for lost materials)
Juvenile Patron (these patrons have an adult’s permission to check out all DVDs)
Juvenile Restriction (these patrons can check out DVDs from only the children’s collection)
Juvenile Special Patron (this code would be used only by a branch for students who live out of the county and are not in a Shared System school)
Library Express Patron (used by Outreach and Volunteer Services for our delivery service for people who are homebound)
My First Library Card (for kids 0 to 6; used only by library branches. If you have a student with this patron code, you may give them a new card and change their code to whatever their adult requests when they turn 6.)
Non-Resident/PLAC (people who live out of the county can pay for a Public Library Access card)
Recall Request Card (used by IndyPL staff)
Second Chance (used by IndyPL staff – do not change Patron Code!)
Shared System Community Member (these cards are issued by only the Holy Cross Lutheran library and the Maurer Jewish Community Library for their patrons who live out of the county and want to check out materials owned by their respective library. This card does not give them permission to check out any other materials so don’t use it by accident!)
Shared System Museum Curator (used by Shared System museums)
Shared System Museum Staff (used by Shared System museums)
Shared System Educator Card (for classroom teachers; to be used only for instructional materials and only at school; allows for a nine-week loan period) See special instructions for educator cards.
Staff (Shared System staff are designated as such by the statistical class SS Staff; this patron code is used only for IndyPL staff. Shared System staff should use the Adult Regular Patron code. )
Staff Bibliocommons (for all IndyPL and Shared System staff who will create lists for your organization in Bibliocommons)
Statistical classes
The statistical class makes a lot of sense behind the scenes in Polaris. You might not need to use it, but you do need to choose the right code for your patrons!
SS Primary: All primary students (grade six and below)
SS Secondary: All secondary students (grade seven and up)
SS Staff: All Shared System staff, no matter what patron code they have.
Pretty simple! All other statistical classes are for use by IndyPL staff.