[Publib] Question: Elimination of Print Overdue Notices

[Emilie Smart]

We are slowly moving over to email notification.  We're getting a new ILS this year
and the migration to email notices will move forward much more quickly as our
current system is pretty antiquated and can't really handle email well.  We already
ask for their email addresses and we usually get one.  So far, they're not any less
reliable than a street address.

We also encourage our patrons to sign up for Library Elf to get notifications about
impending overdues.  The folks who have started using it are very happy.  Not a
significant enough number to influence statistics, though.


-- 
Emilie Smart
Head of Reference Services
East Baton Rouge Parish Library
7711 Goodwood Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA  70806

Phone:  225-231-3735
Fax:    225-231-3736

> Has anyone out there eliminated (or greatly reduced) the mailing of
> hard-copy "paper" overdue notices?
>
> If you have eliminated paper notices, are you noticing a much higher rate of
> non-returned items and overdue items?  Perhaps blocked cards?
>
> How have you been able to obtain the email addresses of your patrons?  Do
> you make phone calls to warn of overdue items?
>
> If we could gather functional, working, legibly printed email addresses for
> our patrons, we could send electronic-only notices, as well as reach them
> via email with our electronic newsletter.
>
> Previously, I offered patrons providing email addresses the chance to win a
> gift card to a local restaurant, but we've had to cut that out due to budget
> constraints.
>
> Thanks so much for your insights!
>
> Maggie Bollar
> readingisimportant at gmail.com
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