FE Technologies has the largest array of returns products that allows a library to build a returns solution that encompasses quarantining.

COVID has created another important staff safety concern – the quarantining of items upon return.  It’s known that the Coronavirus can survive on certain surfaces for short periods of time. To ensure the safety of staff when handling return items, the items should be quarantined, but also immediately removed from the patron’s account.  FE Technologies has a range of returns products that can assist with this process and we can work with your ILS to check in returned items immediately, but also to place them in a virtual location “quarantine” set up as branch in your ILS for a designated amount of time.

The image shows how the quarantining process would work – items are returned by the patron via an external chute.  A smart Bin then Automatically checks in the item, removing them instantly from the patron’s account.  The item is returned to a virtual branch called “quarantine branch”. Items are then stored in the quarantine zone for the quarantine period. The library can determine the number of days for that.

The Sort Assistant is then used to sort the items according to their status and they are then checked into the “local branch” from the  “virtual quarantine branch”.

FE Technologies recommend each library determine the quaratine time based on their country.