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2.3. Patron Self-Registration
Last Updated 08/27/2025
Patron Self-Registration
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Patron Self-Registration allows patrons to initiate registration for a library account through the OPAC. Patrons can fill out a web-based form with basic information that will be stored as a “pending patron” in Evergreen. Library staff can review pending patrons in the staff client and use the pre-loaded account information to create a full patron account. Pending patron accounts that are not approved within 7 days will be automatically deleted.
Words to Know
Permission Group: The patron profile that sets permissions about what resources a patron may access and the circulation and hold policies that will apply to them.
Internet Profile: The permission group that limits patrons to only access a library's e-resources. Patrons in this group cannot check out physical materials.
Registration Form
- In the OPAC, click on the link to Request Library Card at the bottom of the page.
- Fill out the self-registration form to request a library card, and click Submit Registration.
- Patrons will see a confirmation message that is configurable.
Confirming Pending Patrons
- From the Circulation menu, select Pending Patrons.
- Select the patron you would like to review and click the Load Patron button to bring up the pending patron information in the Patron Registration form.
- Review the patron information to determine whether the patron qualifies for an account based on the policies of your library system.
- If the patron qualifies for an account, fill in the necessary information, such as the patron barcode and permission group.
- Click Save to create a permanent library account.
Note: If you review and determine that the pending patron does not qualify for an account, do not save the account on the Patron Registration form. Instead, in the Pending Patrons interface, select the patron(s) that do not qualify and click the Delete Pending Patron(s) button to permanently delete those pending patron accounts.
Creating an Account for Online Resources
- Locate the patron in the Pending Patron grid.
- Open the registration form and fill in the barcode as usual.
- Assign Internet as the Profile Permission group.
- Save and send the patron their barcode and information about their PIN.
Internet-only patrons may be converted to regular patrons by changing the permission group after the patron has satisfied any requirements to receive a local card (such as coming into the library and presenting proof of address).
Note: Patrons do not need a separate Internet account if they already have an existing account at your system. All patron permission groups have access to online resources unless specifically blocked by the library system or if an individual's account is expired or blocked for specific reasons (such as for fines that exceed the threshold established by your library system).
Admin Options
Form Customizability
There are a number of ways that the self registration form can be customized for a library system. Available customizations include:
- The look and feel of the form.
- Additional logic to filter out or modify pending patrons before they reach the database.
- Confirmation message patrons receive after submitting the form.
View the Knowledge Book Page Self Registration Page Customizations for more details.
Email Notification
There's an action trigger in place that can deliver an email or SMS containing all of the patrons that have registered that day.
View the Knowledge Books page Pending Patron Emails for more details