Fines and E-Commerce

Owned by Ashley Sneesby, created
Last updated: Jan 18, 2024
5 min read

Configuration options for the ‘Fines and eCommerce’ section of the Library System.

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Fines and eCommerce Configuration

Go to Pika Configuration and Library Systems from the left sidebar.  

Click the Library Id number or the Edit link to gain access to the Library Systems page.

Click on the Fines/e-commerce tab.

Show E-Commerce

The Show E-Commerce Link is enabled if you have information on your website on how to pay fines.  This will lead you to the link to either pay fines online, or to information about paying fines within the library. This will need to be checked if you also use the Show Refresh Account Button.

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The Pay Fines Link can be the URL that leads to a page of information on your library’s website on how to pay the fines or a URL to the site where your library accepts fines payment.  If you use default, Pika brings up a popup box letting patrons know that they need to come into the library to pay the fine.  For Sierra systems, the e-commerce module needs to be set up, configured, and working with a payment processor to actually collect fines online.  

 

 

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Pay Fines Link Text

The Pay Fines Link Text can be changed depending on how your patrons will be paying fines.  If they pay online, you could have the text, “Click to Pay Fines Online.”  If you have the URL that leads to a page about how to pay fines within the library, you could have the text, “How Do I Pay Fines?”  

 

 

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Minimum Fine Amount

The Minimum Fine Amount is the minimum amount a patron can pay online. With the transaction fees that are incurred with online processing fees, libraries may not let people pay online until their fines go above a certain threshold. Otherwise, libraries may end up losing money collecting online fines.  

The value required to trigger the Minimum Fine Amount has to be at least 1 cent more than the value entered. For example, if you want your patrons to see the link to pay fines at $2.00 or more, then the Minimum Fine Amount must be set at $1.99 to trigger the link to display.

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Fine Alert Amount

The Fine Alert Amount can be set higher or lower than the Minimum Fine Amount. This fine displays as a fine header alert on the patron’s account under the My Account tab. 

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Minimum Fine and Fine Alert Amount Display Examples

Here is an example of a library that has its Minimum Fine Amount set to $2.00 and the Fine Alert Amount set to $5.00. This library allows its patrons to pay the fine online.

Here is an example of that same library where a patron has a fine below the fine alert amount. There will be no header alert and the Fines and Messages shows the amount with a badged gray.

The patron will see the fine header alert is red. The Fines and Messages is badged red. The Pay Fines Online link will be active.

Since the Fine Alert Amount is populated with a $5.00 amount, we will see a Pay Fines Online button.

Here is an example of a library that has the Minimum Fine Amount set to $2.00 but the Fine Alert Amount set to $5.00. This library does not allow its patrons to pay the fines online.

The patron will see the fines header alert at the top in red. They will also see the Fines and Messages amount is badged red. You will also notice the ‘Pay Online’ link is not displaying under the ‘My Account’ heading.

Here is an example of that same library where a patron has a fine below the fine alert amount. There will be no header alert and the Fines and Messages shows the amount with a badged gray.

However, when they go to pay online, the pay online button will not be showing.

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Show Refresh Account Button

The Show Refresh Account Button is used when allowing patrons to Pay Fines Online.  If you send patrons to a page on your website rather than using the classic OPAC (Sierra libraries), you would uncheck this box. For example, if using a third-party payment system that does not update account information in the ILS immediately.

Once the patron has paid their fines, the Pay Fines box will appear.  This has instructions to click the Refresh My Fines Information to update their account information.

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