FAQs: Searching User Records

Keyword Search – The keyword search option allows you to search for a user by various fields in the user record such as name, email, street, SSN, and so on. The keyword search also allows you to perform a search for a user using multiple search options with the Boolean operators OR and AND.

When performing a keyword search for user, the search uses BRS indexing. When a keyword search for user is performed, the BRS index uses the SAME operator between words in the search string. The SAME operator means that the search strings must occur in the same BRS sentence. For example, a keyword search for the user’s name Jones, James will return results that contain both Jones and James in a single name. This search would return users with a last name of Jones, last name of James, first name of Jones, the first name of James, or any combination of these.

If you have a large patron database, you may find searching for user records using a keyword search for the user’s name may produce a list of matches that is too large to be displayed. In this case, a message appears and asks you to refine your search term before searching again.

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Browse Search – The browse search option allows you to search for the user’s name with an implied truncation. For example, with the browse option you can search for a user by name using only the last name and first initial (such as Jones, J), and retrieve a list of users whose last name matches exactly and whose first name begins with the initial. Examples of matching records include the following:

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Jones, James

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Jones, Jennifer

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Jones, Jerry

The user browse search allows you to scroll through the search hit list using arrow keys. The arrow keys will allow you to move forward and backward through the list.

If you have a large patron database, searching user records with the browse search may produce more focused results than by using the keyword search.

What controls which search options are available when searching for user records?

When performing a keyword search, various search options may be available to identify a user record. Search options may include name, phone, email, street, user ID, and so on. The settings of the User Search Fields policy in the Global Configuration wizard determine which search options are available.

Browse search is only available for user’s names. If you select the Browse option, Name will appear shaded in the Index list.

What controls how the user name is sorted in the user browse search hitlist?

A configuration option is available for you to choose the order of the name fields in the user name key when you create a user. The following options are available in this configuration:

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Last, suffix, first, middle (this is the default option)

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Last, first, middle, suffix

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Last, first, middle

The name key is used for browse searching. This option also affects how names are sorted (or the order in which they will appear) in the user browse search results and on reports. For example, if the name key is SMITH JR ROB, then the name will be sorted in the following order in search results and on reports:

SMITH, JOHN
SMITH JR, ROB
SMITH, JULIE
SMITH, RICHARD
SMITH, ROB

However, if the name key is set to SMITH ROB JR, then the name will be sorted in this order:

SMITH, JOHN
SMITH, JULIE
SMITH, RICHARD
SMITH, ROB
SMITH JR, ROB

In order to change the name key configuration, please contact SirsiDynix Support to request the option of your choice.

Once you have made a name key configuration change, you will need to run the Rebuild User Name Keys (Rebldusernmkey) report (for details, see Rebuild User Name Keys Report).

Do policies control which user records I can access?

Yes. The User Display Libraries policy controls which libraries’ user records you can search and display. The User Maintenance Libraries policy controls which libraries’ user records you can create and modify. This applies to both keyword and browse searching.

How do I search for a user record using a partial search term?

When performing a keyword search, you can search for a user record using a partial search term, such as a partial name or partial user ID. You must use the truncation symbol ($) when using a partial search term for a user record search.

For example, to search for a user with the last name of Jameson, select Name in the Index list, and then type Jam$ in the Search For box. The truncated search term can produce a list of matching user records, such as Jamal, Jaman, James, Jameson, Jammer, and Jamnesson.

SirsiDynix recommends including as many characters as possible before the truncation symbol so the resulting list of matching records is meaningful and concise. For example, searching for smith, jo$ produces a more concise hit list than searching for smith$ or smith, j$.

Why are the results of a truncated name keyword search different than what I expected?

The user name search using the Keyword search option will search the first, middle, and last names in a user record for any combination of the entered search text. A user record will be listed as a match for your search text if the first name (preferred name), last name, or middle name contains any part of your search text. In this respect, the user name search works exactly like a bibliographic search.

Because the results in a large library system or consortia could result in so many matching records that the search list cannot display completely, SirsiDynix encourages users to truncate the search text as little as possible.

For example, a staff member searches with the truncated search text James H$ to locate the user record of Harold James. Since the user search will look for any combination of James and H, the search results list will include matches such as the following names.

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Henderson, James John

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Horner, William James

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Hurley, James

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James, Harold

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James, Hubert

What does the message “The truncation limit has been met” mean?

If you use the User Search helper and enter an explicitly truncated keyword search term (such as Smith$), and the search of the BRS index finds more matches than can be displayed in a complete search results list, the following message appears.

The truncation limit has been met. Please refine your search.

Since a complete list of matching records cannot be displayed, you are returned to the User Search window when you click OK to close the message window. Your original search term appears in the search text box for you to modify it and make it more specific for the next search.

As you truncate less of the search text, a smaller list of matching records displays. For this reason, SirsiDynix recommends truncating the search text as little as possible.

Can you give me some examples of truncated name keyword searches so I can get the results I want?

The following example illustrates how you can refine a user name keyword search with the User Search helper in a large library system to locate the user record for John Whitaker Smith.

In the User Search window, select Name in the Index list, select Keyword as the search type, and enter Smith, J$ in the Search For box. When you click Search, the search results list is so large that you cannot find the correct user record in the list.

Search again, using Smith, Joh$ as the search text. The results list is smaller, and includes the following matching records.

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Johannason, David Smith

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John, Lee Smith

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Johnson, William Smith

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Smith, John

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[another 10 matches are listed for Smith, John]

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Smith, Cameron John

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Smith, John Calhoun

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Smith, John Whitaker

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Smith, John White

Search a third time using Smith, John Whit$ as the search text, and the matching record list includes the following records.

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Smith, John Whitaker

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Smith, John White

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Whitson, John Smith

As you truncate less of the search text, a smaller list of matching records displays. For this reason, SirsiDynix recommends truncating the search text as little as possible.

Why does searching by the User ID search option in the User Search helper produce more matching records than I expected?

Searching by the User ID option actually searches the following three fields in user records to determine if the record is a match.

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User ID

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Previous ID (PREV_ID)

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Previous ID2 (PREV_ID2)

If the user ID in a user record is edited using the Modify User wizard, or if the User Lost Card wizard or helper is used to assign a new card to a user, the original ID in the User ID field is saved to the Previous ID field. If the user ID is edited again (either manually or by the User Lost Card wizard or helper), the original ID is saved to the Previous ID2 field, the most recent user ID is saved in the Previous ID field, and the new user ID is displayed in the User ID field. Each user record can have one current user ID, and up to two previous user IDs.

If the User ID search option is used when searching for user records, any user records with text in the User ID, Previous ID, or Previous ID2 fields that match the entered text will display in the list of matching records.

Only the User Display wizard can be used to show the Previous ID and Previous ID2 fields in the user record. When the user record is displayed in this wizard, click the Extended Info tab to see these fields. These fields do not display in the Extended Info tab of the Modify User wizard, or when the Modify User helper is selected in the User Display wizard.

If your library uses barcode validation, you will see a message if you type or scan a user ID in the search text field that has an invalid barcode format.

Examples

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Joan Webster is a patron of the Eldridge Library, and has a user ID of ELD23619470001. She moves and transfers her membership to the Kilroy Library, which is another library in the same library system. The Kilroy Library staff uses the Modify User wizard to change her user ID to KIL03297723612. The original user ID of ELD23619470001 is automatically saved in the Previous ID field of her user record. If a staff member uses the User Search helper to search by User ID and enters ELD23619470001, Joan Webster’s user record displays.

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Ron Luther’s user ID is RONALDL. He loses his library card, so the staff uses the User Lost Card wizard to scan the new library card and assign the new user ID RONALDL2. The old user ID of RONALDL is saved in the Previous ID field of his user record.

He loses his card again, so the staff uses the User Lost Card wizard to assign the user ID of RONALDL3 to his user record. His original user ID RONALDL is saved in the Previous ID2 of the user record, and the user ID RONALDL2 is saved in the Previous ID field.

If the staff member uses the User Search helper to search by User ID for the RONALDL user ID, the list of three user IDs for Ron Luther display. The asterisks in the User Lost Card column next to user IDs RONALDL and RONALDL2 designate the user IDs from the two lost library cards, and the RONALDL3 user ID is shown as his current user ID.

How do I search for a user record using more than one search option?

The ability to search using more than one search option is only available with keyword search option.

The AND option or the OR option allows you to search for a user record using more than one search option. You can specify up to eight options for each user search. For example:

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A user record is considered a match if both the name Myers and the street name Baker Drive are found in the user record.

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A user record is considered a match if either the name Robertson or the user ID 91285319532765 are found in the user record.

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A user record is considered a match if either the name Mary or John and the email address smith@computer.net are found in the user record.

To search for a user record using more than one search option

Click the User Search helper to open the User Search window.

Under Type, select the type of search you want to perform.

In the Search For box, type the text you want to use for your search.

Note: Partial search terms are permitted as long as the truncation symbol ($) is used.

In the Library list, select a library or library group to limit the search to the user records of that particular library or group.

If the Library field contains the value Full access to all libraries, the user records of all libraries are searched.

Do one of the following.

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Click AND to search using the AND operator.

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Click OR to search using the OR operator.

The previously specified search option and search text are added to the search string under Search For.

Repeat steps 2 through 5 for each additional search option.

Up to eight search options can be specified for a single user search.

Click Search.

If a list of users displays, select a user record, and then continue the process.

What does the message “User not found” mean?

If you do a keyword search using the User Search helper, or an implied truncation search using the User Search helper, and no user records match the truncated or untruncated search text, the following message appears.

User not found

When you click OK to close the message window, you are returned to the User Search helper window to enter a new search term.

How can I find a user record by previous user ID when an ID is scanned or typed into the user ID field?

SirsiDynix Symphony will check for a user’s previous ID if you enable the Configure Checking Previous User ID When User ID is not Found policy in the Global Configuration wizard. When you change this policy, you will enable the system to search the previous user ID index when the user ID is not found.

To modify the Configure Checking Previous User ID When User ID is not Found policy to find user records by a previous user ID

Select the Configuration toolbar, and click the Global Configuration wizard.

Click the User Information tab.

Select the Configure Checking Previous User ID When User ID is not Found policy, and click Modify.

Select Check Previous User ID When User ID Is Not Found.

Click Save.

After this policy is configured, when the user scans a User ID in a Circulation wizard, and the ID is not found, the wizard will perform the additional step of searching the index that contains the previous User ID (previous user ID 1 and previous user ID 2). The wizard will search up to two previous user IDs for that user. If the wizard finds the user record by a previous user ID search, the following message displays:

User record found by previous ID

The user record will be displayed.

For more information about this policy, see the Configure Checking Previous User ID When User ID Is Not Found Policy.

How can I find a user record using an active, inactive, or previous ID?

You can configure SirsiDynix Symphony to search active, inactive, or previous user IDs by changing the Configure Checking Previous ID When User ID Is Not Found policy.

To modify the Configure Checking Previous ID When User ID Is Not Found policy to search active, inactive, or previous user IDs

Select the Configuration toolbar, and click the Global Configuration wizard.

Select the User Information tab.

Select the Configure Checking Previous User ID When User ID is not Found policy, and click Modify.

Select Check Active, Inactive & Previous ID when user ID is not found.

Click Save.

After this policy is enabled, when the user scans a User ID in a Circulation wizard, and the ID is not found, the wizard will perform the additional step of searching the index that contains the active, inactive, or previous User IDs.

For more information about this policy, see the Check Active, Inactive & previous id when user ID is not found (Configure Checking Previous User ID When User ID Is Not Found Policy).

How do I search for a user record using the user’s birth date?

SirsiDynix Symphony will search the user record’s birth date if the Birth Date search index is chosen in the User Search helper.

The following search strings are valid when searching by birth date:

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MM/DD/YYYY (full date)

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M/D/YYYY (full date

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MM/YYYY

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M/YYYY

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YYYY

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MM/YY (YY is assumed to be last two digits of the most current century -- a search on 01/10 would include all January 2010 dates but not January 1910 dates)

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YY (same as MM/YY)

A search with truncation may be done if entered without slashes. The assumed order is Year (YYYY) Month (MM) Day (DD):

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YYYYMM$

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YYY$

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YY$

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A search like "4/19$" will return the message Invalid search term

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If NEVER or 0 is entered, no result will be returned. There must be a value in the birth date field in order to return a result.

Combined searches may be done by using any of the search strings above against the Birth Date index, the AND or OR option, and a search against another index. For example:

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birth date AND name

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birth date OR name

To set the property to allow the display of the birth date field in a user hitlist

In a wizard containing the User Search helper (for example, the CheckOut wizard), select the User Search helper button on the Helpers tab of the Checkout wizard properties.

On the Behavior tab of the User Search helper properties, select the check box for Display Birth Date.

Click OK.