[OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] Patron merge development

[Borger, Shauna]

Hello everyone,

When migrating patron records from a variety of independent libraries, many of the records migrated into the unified database end up being duplicates due to patrons purchasing or otherwise acquiring service at multiple libraries prior to the migration.

To combat this, we currently have a cumbersome system for requesting a patron merge.  This process requires all libraries on a duplicate patron's record to submit a "Patron Merge Request Form" to the Evergreen Indiana helpdesk.  We've found that this is not an efficient method for handling duplicate patron records and are hoping to streamline the process through additional development on the "Patron Merge" feature in Evergreen.


The proposed development will involve adding a new "Merge Queue" to the existing patron merge interface. Any organizational unit will be able to propose a merge on any patron with the home library matching their working location and any potential duplicates.  The requestor will be requested to select the record which will become the "lead" record should the merger be approved.

When a merge is requested, staff at the home libraries of each of the selected subordinate users will be notified.  We've proposed a "pending merge" interface which displays merges affecting users at the current organizational unit and prompts a user with the proper permissions to approve or deny the merge.

Additionally, we've proposed an  interface to allow staff to check the status of pending merge requests they may have made.  Ideally, once each organizational unit has "approved" the merger, the patron will be merged from 2 or more records into a single "lead" record via the existing patron merge framework.

Evergreen Indiana plans to target this feature for inclusion in the next major or feature release of Evergreen.

If you would like to invest in this development with Evergreen Indiana, please contact Shauna Borger, Evergreen Indiana Coordinator.

Thanks,

___________
Shauna Borger
Evergreen Indiana Coordinator

Indiana State Library
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Direct: 317-234-6536
Toll free: 1-800-451-6028
Fax: 317-232-0002
sborger at library.in.gov<mailto:sborger at library.in.gov>
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