Patron Account Overview and Management
- Ashley Sneesby
- Sean Hanson
This document describes elements, available actions, and navigation of the patron account in Pika.
- 1 Patron Account Basics
- 1.1 Account Summary
- 1.2 Checked Out Titles
- 1.2.1 Renew options
- 1.2.2 Export to Excel
- 1.3 Titles on Hold
- 1.3.1 Holds Ready for Pickup
- 1.3.2 Pending Holds
- 1.4 Scheduled Items
- 1.5 Reading History
- 1.6 Fines and Messages
- 1.7 My Lists
- 1.8 Materials Requests
- 1.9 Titles You Rated
- 1.10 Recommended for You
- 1.11 Account Settings
- 1.11.1 Contact information
- 1.11.2 Update Password
- 1.11.3 OverDrive Options
- 1.11.4 Hoopla Options
- 1.11.5 My Preferences
- 1.11.6 Linked Accounts
- 1.11.7 Staff Settings
- 1.12 Search History
- 1.13 Related Documentation
Patron Account Basics
The patron account in Pika has several different options that allow patrons to manage their checkouts, holds, reading history, fine management, user lists, and account settings.
Because Pika is customizable by the individual library, some libraries may limit the actionable options offered to their patrons, specifically related to the Account Settings as detailed in this documentation.
Account Summary
If a patron has no current checkouts or titles on hold, they are delivered to the Account Summary page upon login.
Checked Out Titles
The Checked Out Titles page is the default account page that patrons will see when they login to their account if they have checkouts or both holds and checkouts.
All checked out titles appear on the Checked Out Titles page, including Overdrive/Libby, Hoopla, and INN-Reach checkouts (if applicable). Any overdue titles will display with a red background to alert patrons to the overdue status.
Patrons can change the display order of their checked out titles with the Sort by option.
Renew options
Patrons have options to renew ILS materials in the Checked Out Titles page. Patrons can renew single titles using the Renew button associated with a single title. Patrons can use the toggle check boxes next to a given title and the Renew Selected Items option to renew selected ILS items. Patrons can renew all checked out ILS items with the Renew All button.
Renewal limitations are based on loan rules from the ILS – if an error is generated upon attempted renewal, that error is derived from the ILS and not Pika.
Export to Excel
Patrons can export a list of their current checkouts with the Export to Excel button. The Export to Excel option will download a .csv Excel spreadsheet to the patron’s browser downloads.
Titles on Hold
The Titles on Hold page is the default account page that patrons will see when they log in to their account if they have holds but no checkouts.
All holds on titles appear on the Titles on Hold page, including Overdrive/Libby and INN-Reach holds (if applicable).
Holds Ready for Pickup
If a hold is ready to pickup, it will display in the Holds Ready for Pickup section. Physical items, Overdrive items, and INN-Reach (if applicable) items will all display in the Holds ready for Pickup section of the Titles on Hold Page.
Patrons cannot change the pickup location for physical holds that are ready for pickup.
Pending Holds
Any pending holds will display in the Pending Holds section of the Titles on Hold page. Holds for physical items will display the chosen pickup location. Electronic holds for Overdrive/Libby titles will display the queue position.
Patrons can cancel single titles using the Cancel Hold button associated with a single title. Patrons can use the toggle check boxes next to a given title and Cancel Selected option to cancel selected titles.
Some libraries allow their patrons to suspend or “freeze” unfulfilled holds. For more information about the freezing holds process please review the Freezing Holds instructions.
If the library allows patrons to freeze/suspend their ILS holds, patrons can freeze single titles using the Freeze Hold button associated with a single title. Patrons can use the toggle check boxes next to a given title and the Freeze Selected Items option to freeze selected titles.
Patrons can freeze holds on Overdrive/Libby titles, regardless of the availability of the freeze hold option set by their library for ILS items.
Scheduled Items
Some libraries enable the Materials Booking functionality, which allows patrons to schedule ILS items.
If a patron has scheduled/booked a title, they will see their current bookings in the Scheduled Items section of the patron account.
Patrons can cancel single titles using the Cancel Item button associated with a single title. Patrons can use the toggle check boxes next to a given title and Cancel Selected option to cancel selected titles. Patrons can use the Cancel All button to cancel all active bookings.
Reading History
Patrons can view their reading history (once enabled) in their account on from the Reading History section of the account. If the patron does not have their Reading History enabled, they need to opt in in order to use this option.
Please refer to the Reading History Guide for more detailed information about the options in the Reading History account option.
Fines and Messages
If the patron has fines associated with their account or a linked account they manage, there will be an alert next to the Fines and Messages section and an additional alert in the My Account menu. The alert link and the Fines and Messages link deliver the patron to the same page.
Patrons will see a list of their active fines and, if linked to another account, the fines for the managed account. If the Pay Fines Link is enabled, patrons can redirect to their library’s online fine payment system with the Click to Pay Fines Online button.
For more detailed information about the configuration options for the Pay Fines section, please review the Fines and eCommerce configuration documentation.
My Lists
Patrons can access their public and private user lists from the My Lists section of the account.
For more detailed information about the functionality of user lists in Pika, please review the User Lists Guide documentation.
Materials Requests
If the library systems has enabled the Materials Request option, patrons will see the Materials Requests option in the My Account menu.
Patrons can view and manage their open materials requests and view any closed or completed materials requests. Patrons can also create a new materials request from the My Materials Request page in the My Account options.
Titles You Rated
If the library system has the Enable User Ratings option toggled on, then patrons have the ability to rate titles in the catalog. Once a user rates at least one title, they will see the Titles You Rated option in their account options.
Patrons can update or delete ratings and search for specific titles they rated in the Titles You Rated page.
Recommended for You
If a user has rated at least four titles, Pika will generate a unique Recommend for You user list, which can be accessed from the Recommended for You menu option in the My Account menu.
Patrons can use the Not Interested button to remove an indivdiual title from their Recommended for You list. Titles in the Recommended for You list also have similar options to titles in search results, including options to place holds, share titles, and add titles to user lists.
Account Settings
Patrons can see more detailed information about their library account in the Account Settings page. Typically, this will include information already captured in their patron record, such as address, phone number, home library, etc. Patrons may have access to update their password and alternate preferred libraries. Other options and preferences for eContent are also available on the Account Settings page.
Many of the options that display in patrons' Account Settings pages are unique to the individual library’s configuration options. Please review the options in the Profile Update Options section of the Pika configuration documentation for ILS/Account Integration - User Profile for more detailed information about the available options.
Contact information
The Contact Information section populates from information populated in the patron record in the underlying ILS. Some libraries allow their patrons to update their address and other contact information such as phone number, email address, or notification preference. If account updates are enabled in Pika, any updates made by the patron in Pika will be reflected in the patron record in the ILS.
Below are a few examples of how Contact Information is displayed in the Account Settings page, including libraries the allow various levels of account updates.
Email/Phone Number Updates enabled
Address Updates enabled
No updates enabled
Some libraries allow their patrons to update their notification preferences in the Contact Information section. If this option is enabled, patrons can choose which notification preference they prefer.
Update Password
For library systems using a barcode/username and password login scheme, patrons can update their password via Pika in the Account Settings if the Allow Password/PIN Update option is enabled. The Update Password section will update the user’s password/PIN in the underlying ILS.
OverDrive Options
If your library utilizes the Overdrive APIS to connect Pika to OverDrive/Libby, patrons have the ability to set their OverDrive Options in the Account Settings page.
Patrons will find information about checkout and holds limits set by your library, can set their Overdrive Notification email address and update their default lending periods for available material types. Changes made in Pika will be reflected in the patron’s Overdrive account on the Overdrive website or in their Libby application, respectively.
Hoopla Options
If your library subscribes to Hoopla and is using the API patron integration for Hoopla in Pika, patrons will see the Hoopla Options section in the Account Settings page.
Patrons can toggle the setting to ask for confirmation when checking out Hoopla titles via Pika.
My Preferences
If your library allows patrons to Update their Alternate Library, the My Preferences option will display in the Accounts Settings page. Patrons can update their alternate libraries, which will bring their preferred alternate library branches to the top of the pickup locations when placing a hold, regardless of alphabetical order.
If your library has enabled user reviews and ratings, patrons can toggle an option to not prompt them for reviews when rating titles.
Linked Accounts
If your library allows linked accounts in Pika, the Linked Accounts section will display in their Account Settings page. There are several options in the Linked Accounts section that are outlined in the Linked Accounts in the Catalog documentation.
Staff Settings
If the patron account is a known staff p-type or has assigned admin roles, the Staff Settings section will display in the Account Settings page.
Search History
Any searches conducted while a user is logged in for a session will be captured in the Search History page. Patrons can save recent searches directly from the Search History page or using the Save Search search tool at the bottom of a search results page, if enabled.
Saved searches will appear in the table at the top of the Search History page. Recent searches that occurred during the patron’s logged in session will appear in the Recent Searches section. Patrons can purge unsaved searches while logged in. Any unsaved searches will be automatically purged once the patron logs out of their current session.
Related Documentation
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