5.4. Marking Items Damaged

Last Updated 01/08/2026

How to Mark an Item Damaged

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Items with a status of Damaged are not holdable and are not visible in the OPAC. There are four methods for changing an item's status to Damaged: From the Checkin screen, From the Item Status screen, From the Patron Account, and From the Holdigns Editor. Libraries can elect to automatically bill patrons for damaged items.

Items with a status of Damaged are not holdable and are not visible in the OPAC. There are five methods for changing an item's status to Damaged:

From the Checkin screen
From the Item Status screen
From the Patron Account
From the Holdings Editor
From the Holdings tab in the bib record

Note: Do NOT mark resource sharing items damaged. Instead, fill out the damage slip and let the owning library decide whether or not to use this status.

From the Checkin Interface

This option is useful when assessing damage when items are returned.

Check the item in as usual.
Select the item by checking the box on the line.
Choose "Mark Item Damaged" from the Actions menu.
Click Submit in the pop-up box to confirm the status change.

From the Item Status Screen

This option is useful when marking multiple items damaged at once, such as from a shelf-pull, after an adverse weather event, or from a shipment that was severely damaged in transit.

Scan the barcodes for the items you want to mark Damaged OR upload a .CSV file of barcodes for damaged items.
Select individual lines, or use the check box above the grid to select all items.
Choose "Item As Damaged" from the Mark section of the Actions menu.
Click Submit in the pop-up box to confirm the status change.

From the Patron Account

This option should be used if the patron has returned the item directly to the desk and would like to pay for any damage immediately.

Navigate to the patron's account.
Go to the "Items Out" tab.
Check the box to select the item to be marked Damaged.
Select "Mark Damaged" from the Actions menu.
Click Submit in the pop-up. This will confirm the status change and simultaneously check the item in.

If your library automatically bills for damage, the bill should appear on their account immediately. You can take payment for it following your library's policies.

From the Holdings Editor

This option only works on items with a current status that can be changed. If an item is checked out to a patron, in transit, on the holds shelf, or otherwise in a non-editable status, it cannot be marked damaged in the holdings editor.

Navigate to the Item Attributes or combined Holdings tab in the Holdings Editor.
Locate the "Item Status" attribute at the top of the Identification column.
Set the Item Status to "Damaged."
Click Apply All & Save at the botton of the Editor.

From the Holdings View Tab

This option is useful if you are already in the bib record and would like to mark the item Damaged without leaving the record, or if you need to mark multiple copies of the same title damaged at the same time.

In the bibliographic record, click on the Holdings View tab.
Scope to your library.
Click the carrot next to the call number to see all associated copies.
Check the boxes of the copies to mark damaged.
Select Mark Item Damaged from the Actions Menu.
The status should update automatically without needing to submit within a pop-up.

Billing for Damaged Items

A library can choose whether to bill a patron when an item is marked damaged. This policy will be reflected in Library Settings, and is applied uniformly across the system. This means it cannot be applied differently for different patron types or item types.

If your library has opted to bill patrons for damaged materials, a second pop-up will appear after an item that was checked out to a patron has been marked damaged.

Fee: The amount in the Fee box is based on the Price listed in the item's attributes. Some libraries may also opt to add a standard processing fee that will automatically be added to the item price when calculating the fee. The option to add a processing fee is selected in Library Settings. If you would like to change the fee amount (for example, to reduce it for damage that is easily repaired and doesn't require purchasing a replacement copy), this field is editable.

Type: A type needs to be selected from this drop-down in order to save the bill, but the billing type listed on the transaction will be "Damaged" regardless of what you select. (This is a known bug. Feel free to add heat!)

Note: It can be useful for records to note what the damage was. Type this information in the Note field.

No Charge: Switching from Charge Fees to No Charge allows you to mark an item damaged without charging the patron.

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