home>>support>>librarian's corner

Finding a patron using the L and LF commands

Summary: Have you ever wanted to bring up a patron, but didn’t have their barcode handy? The L command will locate a patron by their last name. Recently, the ability to search by a patron’s first name also became available in Alexandria. This is done using the LF command. This week’s tip will discuss how to search for a patron from the Circulation window using both the L and LF commands.

Some of you may have used this command and gotten a message indicating that Alexandria didn’t recognize the barcode. There is a preference that you may have checked labeled Commands Require Spaces. For some, this preference is set by default when enabling User Login. For others this may have been checked because some of your barcodes contain alpha characters that could conflict with Alexandria command codes. In either case, it is important to enter a space after the command code before typing the last or first name.

To find a patron by their last name:
• In the Command field of the Circulation window, type L.
• Press the Space Bar.
• Type the last name of the patron.

• Press Enter to open the Patron Lookup window.

• If the correct name is highlighted, click on the Select button.
• If the name is not correct, locate the correct name by scrolling, if needed, and double click on the name to select it.
• The selected patron will show as the Current Patron on the Circulation window.

To find a patron by their first name:
• In the Command field of the Circulation window, type LF.
• Press the Space Bar.
• Type the first name of the patron.

• Press Enter to open the Patron Lookup window.
• If the correct name is highlighted, click on the Select button.

• If the name is not correct, locate the correct name by scrolling, if needed, and double click on the name to select it.
• The selected patron will show as the Current Patron on the Circulation window.

By using the L or LF commands, you can easily find a patron without using a barcode. When using these commands, be sure and put a space between the command and the name. This will ensure that the program recognizes the information as a command and not a barcode.

Thank you,
The Alexandria Staff Librarians

---

Contact us for a free consultation. Find out how you can benefit from Alexandria!
Phone: 1-800-347-6439 (U.S. & Canada) | General Phone: +1-801-943-7277 (Worldwide)

Copyright©2006 COMPanion Corporation. All rights reserved.
Site Map | Privacy Statement