Cleaning the chip on cards can eliminate errors.
We used to keep a small bottle of rubbing alcohol to wipe the chip clean, but we now have some packaged "wipes" that I got from Mike at the TCard Office.
I keep a supply of these in the Infodesk printer cabinet. (lower shelf on the left)
They are about 1" square in size.
They are to be used by staff at either of our public service desks, so please help yourself when needed. And let me know if you think we need more.
If there are no wipes available, the old trick of using some cotton fabric to clean the chip is also useful.
Messages and news about public equipment at Gerstein Science Information Centre.
Showing posts with label department on account card. Show all posts
Showing posts with label department on account card. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Monday, March 22, 2010
Procedures - Visitor Cards, Courtesy Cards, Vouchers and TCard Claims
SEPTEMBER 29, 2010: dedicated card dispensing machine arrives, no longer buy back visitors card bought by mistake
JUNE 10, 2013 UPDATE: change machine removed, the library no longer provides change
Visitor Printing/Copying Cards
Blank visitor cards can be purchased for $5.00 from the Cash to Card machines. Funds for printing/photocopying are then loaded on the card using the same machine.
Costs
Printing = 15 ¢ per page
Photocopying =10 ¢ using a card;
15 ¢ using coin-operated machine
Card Flagged Error Message
If a users’ card is showing the error message ‘Card Flagged’ when they try to print or photocopy, they should be instructed to go to the last machine where the card worked, and reinsert the card into that machine. This should remove the flag.
If they cannot remember which machine to go to, or if this does not remove the ‘flag’ they should be instructed to go to the T Card office (2nd Floor Robarts) to have the card unflagged.
Courtesy Cards
Courtesy cards, vouchers and the Gerstein Staff Print card are all stored in the locked black printer cabinet behind the Information desk.
‘Courtesy cards’ are visitor cards which are held at the desk for the use of one-time visitors to the library when they have only a few pages to print. If the user is photocopying, they can be directed to the coin-operated machine and the change machine if they do not have coins.
If someone comes to the desk and asks for one of these ‘Courtesy cards’ they are likely not a one-time user and should be instructed to purchase a visitor card. Desk staff should use their discretion as to when the card can be borrowed by a patron.
When the courtesy cards are loaned out, the staff member must request a piece of identification from the person borrowing the card, which will be returned when the card is brought back to the desk. Staff should lock the ID into the black printer cabinet to keep it secure for the patron. If your desk shift is ending, let the next person who comes out know that the ID is being held in the cabinet for a visitor.
When lending these cards, the staff member should tell the patron that any funds left on the card will not be refunded, and to only load the card with the amount needed to cover the cost of printing.
Vouchers aka “Gerstein Public Printer Voucher for Missing/Defective Print Jobs”
Vouchers are issued when a patron uses their TCard or a Visitor card to print, and payment is subtracted from the chip on their card but the machine does not print/photocopy, or does so but the print/photocopy is damaged or illegible.
Vouchers are filled out at the Information Desk by desk staff, indicating the number of pages lost. Having a voucher allows a patron to approach the Information Desk at a later date and ask that a print/photocopy job be printed at a public printer by a staff member using the staff print card in the printer cabinet. When issuing a voucher, please inform the patron that are only to be claimed at Gerstein (i.e. patrons cannot take these to the Info Commons or Robarts to get print jobs). This is purely an internal Gerstein procedure.
Gerstein Staff Print Card
The staff print card is located in the printer cabinet behind the information desk. It is preloaded with money by the library. This card is never given to patrons; staff must accompany the patron and use the card to print their materials for them. Remember to return the card to the printer cabinet when finished with it. If the balance is low, please report to Jeff Heeney.
TCard Claim Forms
TCard Claim Forms are issued from the Loan Services Desk when a Visitor Card is not dispensed by theCash to Card machine or when a patron has deposited funds that are not added to card.
Staff must record the 8-digit ITC number from the back of the claimant's TCard on all claim forms forwarded to the TCard Office. They cannot process a claim without this number. Then the patron fills in the form and leaves it with staff at the Loan Services desk. The Library's Business Office at Robarts Library follows up on the claim.
Bill Changer Claim Form
The bill changer provides loonies and toonies in return for $5, $10, and $20 bills. If a patron has lost money using this machine, a Bill Changer Claim form is issued. These forms are kept at the Loan Services desk as well.
WHAT TO DO WHEN:
A patron puts money in the Cash to Card machine and no card comes outTake the patron to the Loan Services Desk and ask for a TCard claim form. Advise them to fill it out and leave it with Loan Services staff.
Patron prints from the internet but printer runs out of ink halfway through (patron paid for 12 pages, but can only read 6).
Use the Staff print card to reprint the 6 illegible pages, or issue a voucher for 6 pages if the patron is in a hurry and must leave.
Patron brings a book to the Info desk and asks a staff member to photocopy a chapter for him, because he is a visitor from out of town and doesn’t have a T card.
Direct the patron to the coin-operated photocopiers and the change machine.
Patron would like to print out an online article, but she is visiting from another University.
Give patron one of the courtesy cards in exchange for a piece of identification. Advise the patron to load the card only with the amount of money equivalent to the number of pages she wishes to photocopy as there are no refunds for money left on the card.
Student comes in with a voucher from September 2008 for 4 pages and asks to use it to print a 10 page article.
Tell the student to send pages 1-4 and 5-10 to the printer separately. Take staff card from printer cabinet and accompany student to the printer. Print pages 1-4 using the staff card, and instruct the student to use their T card to print the remaining pages. Put the staff card back in the printer cabinet when done. There is no expiry date on a voucher.
A patron tries to change a 5 dollar bill and only a toonie is dispensed.
Take the patron to the Loan Services Desk and ask for a Bill Changer claim form. Advise them to fill it out and leave it with Loan Services staff.
A patron buys a visitor card by mistake when attempting to add money to a T-Card. (they cannot refund or exchange it, it is their permanent card....JH edit)
We will refund this money to them. Here is the process.
1. The user hands over the visitor card to the staff member.
2. The staff member fills out a TCard claim form. Where the form says ‘Reason for Refund’ in the Notes field on the right, say "card purchased in error."
HAVE THE USER SIGN THE FORM. It doesn't matter where.
3. Attach the visitor card to the TCard claim form and give it to Peter or Renata
4. Give the user $5 from the float of $5 bills
5. Peter or Renata will leave a note on the $5 float, alerting staff that the float will not be $100. Peter or Renata will send the TCard claim form and the card to Julian and who will return the funds to Peter or Renata.
WE DO NOT REFUND MONEY IF TOO MUCH VALUE WAS ADDED TO A VISITOR OR TCARD
Last updated: March 2010, AB
Last updated: June 2013, JH
SEPTEMBER 29, 2010: dedicated card dispensing machine arrives, no longer buy back visitors card bought by mistake
JUNE 10, 2013 UPDATE: change machine removed, the library no longer provides change
Visitor Printing/Copying Cards
Costs
Printing = 15 ¢ per page
Photocopying =10 ¢ using a card;
15 ¢ using coin-operated machine
Card Flagged Error Message
If a users’ card is showing the error message ‘Card Flagged’ when they try to print or photocopy, they should be instructed to go to the last machine where the card worked, and reinsert the card into that machine. This should remove the flag.
If they cannot remember which machine to go to, or if this does not remove the ‘flag’ they should be instructed to go to the T Card office (2nd Floor Robarts) to have the card unflagged.
Courtesy Cards
Courtesy cards, vouchers and the Gerstein Staff Print card are all stored in the locked black printer cabinet behind the Information desk.
‘Courtesy cards’ are visitor cards which are held at the desk for the use of one-time visitors to the library when they have only a few pages to print. If the user is photocopying, they can be directed to the coin-operated machine and the change machine if they do not have coins.
If someone comes to the desk and asks for one of these ‘Courtesy cards’ they are likely not a one-time user and should be instructed to purchase a visitor card. Desk staff should use their discretion as to when the card can be borrowed by a patron.
When the courtesy cards are loaned out, the staff member must request a piece of identification from the person borrowing the card, which will be returned when the card is brought back to the desk. Staff should lock the ID into the black printer cabinet to keep it secure for the patron. If your desk shift is ending, let the next person who comes out know that the ID is being held in the cabinet for a visitor.
When lending these cards, the staff member should tell the patron that any funds left on the card will not be refunded, and to only load the card with the amount needed to cover the cost of printing.

Vouchers aka “Gerstein Public Printer Voucher for Missing/Defective Print Jobs”
Vouchers are issued when a patron uses their TCard or a Visitor card to print, and payment is subtracted from the chip on their card but the machine does not print/photocopy, or does so but the print/photocopy is damaged or illegible.
Vouchers are filled out at the Information Desk by desk staff, indicating the number of pages lost. Having a voucher allows a patron to approach the Information Desk at a later date and ask that a print/photocopy job be printed at a public printer by a staff member using the staff print card in the printer cabinet. When issuing a voucher, please inform the patron that are only to be claimed at Gerstein (i.e. patrons cannot take these to the Info Commons or Robarts to get print jobs). This is purely an internal Gerstein procedure.

Gerstein Staff Print Card
The staff print card is located in the printer cabinet behind the information desk. It is preloaded with money by the library. This card is never given to patrons; staff must accompany the patron and use the card to print their materials for them. Remember to return the card to the printer cabinet when finished with it. If the balance is low, please report to Jeff Heeney.

TCard Claim Forms
TCard Claim Forms are issued from the Loan Services Desk when a Visitor Card is not dispensed by the
Staff must record the 8-digit ITC number from the back of the claimant's TCard on all claim forms forwarded to the TCard Office. They cannot process a claim without this number. Then the patron fills in the form and leaves it with staff at the Loan Services desk. The Library's Business Office at Robarts Library follows up on the claim.
The bill changer provides loonies and toonies in return for $5, $10, and $20 bills. If a patron has lost money using this machine, a Bill Changer Claim form is issued. These forms are kept at the Loan Services desk as well.
WHAT TO DO WHEN:
A patron puts money in the Cash to Card machine and no card comes outTake the patron to the Loan Services Desk and ask for a TCard claim form. Advise them to fill it out and leave it with Loan Services staff.
Patron prints from the internet but printer runs out of ink halfway through (patron paid for 12 pages, but can only read 6).
Use the Staff print card to reprint the 6 illegible pages, or issue a voucher for 6 pages if the patron is in a hurry and must leave.
Patron brings a book to the Info desk and asks a staff member to photocopy a chapter for him, because he is a visitor from out of town and doesn’t have a T card.
Direct the patron to the coin-operated photocopiers and the change machine.
Patron would like to print out an online article, but she is visiting from another University.
Give patron one of the courtesy cards in exchange for a piece of identification. Advise the patron to load the card only with the amount of money equivalent to the number of pages she wishes to photocopy as there are no refunds for money left on the card.
Student comes in with a voucher from September 2008 for 4 pages and asks to use it to print a 10 page article.
Tell the student to send pages 1-4 and 5-10 to the printer separately. Take staff card from printer cabinet and accompany student to the printer. Print pages 1-4 using the staff card, and instruct the student to use their T card to print the remaining pages. Put the staff card back in the printer cabinet when done. There is no expiry date on a voucher.
Take the patron to the Loan Services Desk and ask for a Bill Changer claim form. Advise them to fill it out and leave it with Loan Services staff.
A patron buys a visitor card by mistake when attempting to add money to a T-Card. (they cannot refund or exchange it, it is their permanent card....JH edit)
1. The user hands over the visitor card to the staff member.
2. The staff member fills out a TCard claim form. Where the form says ‘Reason for Refund’ in the Notes field on the right, say "card purchased in error."
HAVE THE USER SIGN THE FORM. It doesn't matter where.
3. Attach the visitor card to the TCard claim form and give it to Peter or Renata
4. Give the user $5 from the float of $5 bills
5. Peter or Renata will leave a note on the $5 float, alerting staff that the float will not be $100. Peter or Renata will send the TCard claim form and the card to Julian and who will return the funds to Peter or Renata.
WE DO NOT REFUND MONEY IF TOO MUCH VALUE WAS ADDED TO A VISITOR OR TCARD
Last updated: March 2010, AB
Last updated: June 2013, JH
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