Sierra Year in Review

Speaker: Mike Dicus

A walkthrough of features delivered in the Sierra 6.4 (June 2025) and 6.5 (November 2025) releases, with a focus on customer-driven enhancements sourced from MEEP, Idea Exchange, and direct user feedback. More than half of Sierra libraries worldwide are now running either 6.4 or 6.5.

See also: Sierra Roadmap (Monday) for the May and November 2026 release plans.

• Added the return date as a new field in patron reading history (field group 38).
• When a patron borrows and returns an item, the return date is now recorded — patrons can see they had an item last month, last year, or several years ago.

The headline feature of 6.5 — originated from MEEP / Idea Exchange requests to extend the category A–D values beyond four options.

• What it does: Configures checkout limits by patron type combined with a second variable:
  • Patron type + item type
  • Patron type + item location
  • Patron type + library location / location served
• Configuration: Found in Circulation → Administration → Patron Checkout Limits, with three tabs: item type blocks, item location blocks, and location served settings.
• Import/export: Limits can be imported and exported via CSV — critical for libraries needing hundreds or thousands of limit combinations.
• Staff override: When a patron hits a limit, staff see a pop-up identifying the specific limit exceeded (e.g., “item type: Picture Book, limit: 3, current: 3”). Staff can override, and overrides are logged in the circulation override logs.

Loan Rule Precedence Order

1. Patron blocks (expired card, etc.)
2. Item location and library location blocks
3. Item type blocks
4. All other block types (including patron checkout limits)

• New option in the Sierra client to print the locations served table directly.
• Previously required contacting support. Now available self-service.

• From any item record (Acquisitions, Cataloging, or Circulation), staff can open the patron record for the current or last patron.
• Three navigation methods:
  • Double-click on the current/last patron field
  • Edit menu → View actions → Navigate to patron (view or edit mode)
  • Right-click context menu
• Opens the patron record in the checkout screen, ready for action.

• Extended the penalty points / demerits system to support unclaimed holds.
• Libraries can assess penalty points when a patron fails to pick up a held item.
• Point values are library-defined; accumulated points can block further transactions for a configurable period.

• Continued the navigation enhancement started in 6.3 (Create Lists → Global Update, Rapid Update).
• New in 6.5: Jump from Create Lists directly to Delete Records with the review file name pre-populated.
• More navigation targets planned for future releases based on Idea Exchange requests.

• Uses the standard check-in screen with a configurable switch in the SDA.
• Configuration options per branch / location served:
  • Start date only (perpetual inventory — never turns off)
  • Start and end dates (time-limited inventory period)
• Updates the inventory date field in the item record with each scan.
• Status bar shows “Inventory check-in is enabled” and a running count of items scanned.
• Popular use case: Perpetual inventory — leave it on permanently so every scan updates the last-seen date.
• Some libraries have relabeled the field to “Last Scanned.”
• Note: If you don’t have an inventory date field in your item records, open a support ticket to have it enabled.

Check Missing Items: Displays items previously marked missing whose status has since changed. Staff can right-click to view records, sort by column, and clear items individually or in bulk.

Batch Check-in: Select a review file of items to check in. Bypasses normal check-in logic (transits, holds) — a quick process to clear items from checkout status.

Scope Menu Maintenance: Update scope names and numbers directly in the client, eliminating the need for support tickets or Admin Corner.

• New permission allows staff to use Create Lists without access to patron data.
• Operates at the lowest permission level — if a staff member also has a higher Create Lists permission, the higher one takes precedence.
• Staff with only this permission cannot view or create review files containing patron data.

For libraries using automated materials handling:

• Exhibition/display routing: New settings identify display or exhibition locations. Items are evaluated at check-in for routing to active exhibitions based on subject criteria and available space.
• Chaotic hold shelf assignment: Supports random shelf assignment for holds (no slips in items). Pickup shelf location is displayed in staff screens and patron notifications.

• Public Roadmap — vote on features from “not important” to “critically important” and add comments
• Idea Exchange — submit and vote on ideas
  • 120+ users/day average
  • ~1,200 total users
  • 900 new ideas in the past 12 months
  • ~14,000 votes
  • 1,500+ comments
• MEEP session — Tuesday at 3:00 PM with Katie LeBlanc and Alex Vancina

Links

• Webinars
• Knowledge Portal
• Public Roadmap
• Idea Exchange (login required only to post a new idea)

All four channels are publicly available without a login.