Home → Offline Transactions → Offline Transaction Management → Using the Offline Circulation Interface
1.1. Using the Offline Circulation Interface
Last Updated 09/26/2024
Offline Circulation
The Offline Circulation interface can be found by navigating to Circulation → Offline Circulation.
Evergreen’s Offline Circulation interface is designed to log transactions during a network or server outage. Transactions can be uploaded and processed once connectivity is restored.
Offline Circulation in the Web Staff Client relies on the use of web service workers to store information for offline use. Prior to using Offline Circulation you must have access to your production server and register your workstation on the computer and in the browser you intend to use. You must also log in from that browser at least once and visit Search → Search for Patrons. Perform a search, select a user from the results, and open the Patron Edit interface. This will allow the Offline interface to collect the information it needs, such as workstation information and the patron registration form.
The web service workers will refresh the cache every 24 hours under normal use. Offline Circulation information is stored via IndexedDB.
The permanent link for the Offline Circulation is https://system.nccardinal.org/eg/staff/offline-interface (where system = your library system short policy code name) and it is recommended that this link be bookmarked on staff workstations. This is the location for both entering transactions while offline as well as processing them later. You will see a slightly different version of this interface depending on whether or not you are logged in.
If you are logged out, you will see the tab default to Checkout and the button on the top-right will read Export Transactions.
If you are logged in, you will see an additional tab on the left for Session Management and this will be the default tab. The top-right button will read Download Block List.
If you are logged in and attempt to click on any tab other than Session Management, you will see a warning alerting you that you are about to enter offline mode.
This warning is not network-aware and it will appear regardless of network connection state. You must be logged out to record offline transactions. If you see this warning and wish to record offline transactions, click Proceed in order to log out.
Checkout
Note: This is the only functionality you should be using while in Offline mode.
To check out items in Offline Circulation:
- Click the Checkout tab.
- If you wish to use Strict Barcode for patron and item barcodes, check the box labelled Strict Barcode.
- Enter a value in the Due Date field or select a date from the Calendar widget. You may also select an option from the Offset Dropdown. The date field entry will honor the format set in the Library Settings Editor.
- Scan the Patron Barcode in the box labelled Patron Barcode.
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Check out items:
- For cataloged items, scan the item barcode in the box labelled Item Barcode. Each item barcode will appear on the right side of the screen, along with its due date and the patron barcode. If you are manually typing barcodes, you need to click the Checkout button or hit the Enter key on your keyboard after each Item Barcode entry in order to record the transaction.
- For non-cataloged items, select a Non-cataloged Type from the dropdown and enter the number of items you wish to check out. Click Checkout. In the list to the right, the item barcode will appear blank since this item is unbarcoded. The due date and patron barcode will appear, however.
- If you make an error in entry, click Clear to reset the Patron Barcode and Item Barcode fields.
- To print a receipt, check the box labelled Print Receipt.
- Click Save Transactions in the upper-right of the screen to complete the checkout.
Note that Save Transactions will save any unsaved transactions across the Offline tabs Checkout, Renew, In-House Use, and Checkin.
A value entered in the Due Date field will take precedence over an existing value in the Offset Dropdown; however, if you change the Offset after setting the Due Date field, the Due Date field will update to reflect the Offset value.
Due Date and Offset values are sticky between the Checkout and Renew tabs, and also sticky between transactions. Strict Barcode and Print Receipt are sticky among the Checkout, Renew, In-House Use, and Checkin tabs and are also sticky between transactions.
Pre-cataloged item checkout is not available in Offline Circulation. Any pre-cataloged item checked out through Offline Circulation will result in an entry in the Exception List and will not successfully check out. Pre-cataloged items which are checked in through offline will also result in an entry in the Exception List, but will successfully check in.
Renew
Note: Libraries migrating into NC Cardinal should not utilize this feature.
No items should be renewed while in Offline mode.
To renew an item, you must know the item’s barcode number. The patron’s barcode is optional.
To renew items in Offline Circulation:
- Click the Renew tab.
- Ensure that the Due Date value is correct.
- (Optional): Enter the patron’s library card barcode in the Patron Barcode field by scanning or typing the barcode.
- For each item to be renewed, scan the item’s barcode in the Item Barcode field. If you are typing the item barcode, click the Renew button or hit the Enter key on your keyboard after each item barcode.
- The item barcode, due date, and patron barcode (if entered) appear on the right side of the screen.
- To print a receipt, check the box labelled Print Receipt.
- Click Save Transactions in the upper-right of the screen to complete the renewal.
In-House Use
Note: Libraries migrating into NC Cardinal should not utilize this feature.
No in-house uses should be recorded while in Offline mode.
To record in-house use transactions in Offline Circulation:
- Click the In-House Use tab.
- Enter the number of uses to record for the item in the Use Count field.
- For each item to be recorded as in-house use, scan the item’s barcode in the Item Barcode field. If you are typing the item barcode, click the Record Use button or hit the Enter key on your keyboard after each item barcode.
- The item barcode and use count will appear on the right side of the screen.
- To print a receipt, check the box labelled Print Receipt.
- Click Save Transactions in the upper-right of the screen to record the in-house use. The date of the in-house use is automatically recorded.
Checkin
Note: Libraries migrating into NC Cardinal should not utilize this feature.
No items should be checked in while in Offline mode.
Items returned by patrons can be evaluated and sorted by staff, as needed, and should be stored out of reach of patrons until the library is back online with Evergreen, all offline transactions have been processed, and exceptions have been addressed. Only then can staff begin to check in these items to ensure that Evergreen checks for holds and transits for the checked in items.
Patron Registration
Note: Libraries migrating into NC Cardinal should not utilize this feature.
No patrons should be registered while in Offline mode.
Patron registration in Evergreen Offline Circulation records patron information for later upload. In the web staff client, the Patron Registration form in Offline is the same as the regular Patron Registration interface.
All fields in the normal Patron Registration interface are available for entry. Required fields are marked in yellow and adhere to Required Fields set in the Library Settings Editor. Patron Registration defaults also adhere to settings in the Library Settings Editor. Stat cats are not recognized by the Offline Interface, even if they are required.
Enter patron information and click the Save button in the top-right of the Patron Registration interface. You may checkout items to this patron right away, even if you are still in offline mode.