Home → Circulation in Evergreen → Patron Record → Registering New Patrons

4.3. Registering New Patrons

Before issuing a new library card to someone, staff  at every NC Cardinal library MUST search the consortium database in Evergreen for patrons with the matching name and other identifiers. The scope of the patron search MUST be set to NC CARDINAL. Please refer to the Searching for Patrons page and follow the recommended workflow in the Multi-Card Policy. 

It is also a good idea to ask a new patron if they have completed an online self-registration form, as those are not automatically added to the patron database. If so, you can follow the Managing Pending Patrons instructions on the Patron Self-Registration page (after searching for the patron, as instructed above).

Patron Registration Form

To register a new patron, select Circulation → Register Patron from the menu bar. The Patron Registration form will display.

Required Fields

Fields that are mandatory for Evergreen to properly save the record are displayed in yellow. The Show: Required Fields and Show: Suggested Fields links may be used to limit the options on this page, based on your library system's policy. However, first and last name, as well as date of birth are required by NC Cardinal. Your library system may have additional requirements. Some requested fields may be configured in the Library Settings Editor (Administration → Local Administration → Library Settings Editor).

 

If your patron uses a nickname, rather than their legal first name, you may utilize the Name Keywords field to apply a nickname to a patron account. Libraries who use a public holds shelf may want to allow patrons to use a holds alias.

A valid email address must be entered and the Email checkout receipts by default box checked if patrons wish to receive hold notifications via email by default. Library systems may also wish to collect an email address for overdue notifications (to minimize the cost of printing and mailing those notices instead).

A Home Library and Main (Profile) Permission Group must be selected from the dropdown menus. Secondary Groups should never be applied to patron accounts (reserved for staff login access accounts only).

You must select a Main (Profile) Permission Group before the Update Expire Date button will work, since the permission group determines the default expiration date.

User Settings and Address

It is recommended that staff request default hold notification and pickup information from patrons for User Settings. The Address section defaults to Mailing address. If more address fields are needed, click on the New Address button. Once staff enter the Postal Code, the appropriate City, County, and State information should fill automatically based on information provided by libraries to NC Cardinal staff. 

Statistical categories may be created for information tracked by your library that is not part of the standard patron record (such as whether the patron is a library trustee or volunteer, etc.). Statistical categories are for data tracking purposes (with no impact on circulation and hold policies) and may be configured in the Statistical Categories Editor (Administration → Local Administration → Statistical Categories Editor). These are statistical categories that display by default for all libraries in NC Cardinal.

When finished entering the necessary information, select Save to save the new patron record or Save & Clone to register another patron with the same address. Selecting Save & Clone groups these two (or more) cloned patron account and address information is copied into the resulting patron registration screen. For more information, see Patron Groups.