Aspen provides many tools to assist patrons, including Masquerade Mode, which allows staff to assist patrons with holds, questions about their accounts, and more. The SWAN patron site also has helpful tips for staff and patrons using the catalog.
Masquerade as a Patron
Use Masquerade mode to view a patron's account in Aspen and assist them with holds and account issues.
Linked Accounts
Patrons can link their accounts in Aspen to see checkouts, holds, and fines for multiple accounts. Linking accounts in Aspen will not link accounts in Symphony.
Checkout History
Patrons can opt to turn on checkout history in Aspen. For steps on how to assist patrons with turning on their history, visit our patron site. Library staff will not be able to see patrons' history.
Holds Management in Aspen
Staff can place holds for patrons through masquerade mode in Aspen. When you are assisting a patron with their holds, it can be helpful to understand how holds are assigned to records based on format and editions within grouped records. Also be aware that hold pickup options may be different if you are assisting patrons from other libraries.
Grouped Records in Aspen
Aspen automatically groups MARC records for different editions of the same work. You can also group and ungroup records manually. This documentation explains how records are grouped and the methods for maintaining them.
Item Statuses in Aspen
Item statuses in Aspen are grouped in the search results display to make it easier to see what is available. In the detailed record view, you can see the full item status information.
Recommendations in Aspen
Aspen provides recommendations for similar titles in several areas of the catalog. These recommendations come from several sources, and they can appear when your patrons view titles in the catalog, place holds, and use their account.
Purchase Suggestions
Your library can choose to use the Aspen purchase suggestion system, link to your own webform, or opt out of any purchase suggestions in your catalog.