Mark a loan as lost or damaged

Mark a loan as lost or damaged when a book isn't returned in usable condition.

Where

Loans → find the loan → click "Mark as ..."

Choose an outcome

• Lost — Patron never returned it
• Damaged — Returned but unusable
• Returned (normal) — Patron returned it fine

When you pick Lost

• The copy is marked inactive (no more circulation)
• The loan is closed
• The book's available count drops by 1
• The next person on the waitlist is notified (if any)
• A note is added to the patron's record

When you pick Damaged

• The copy's condition is set to "Damaged"
• The loan is closed
• The copy stays active by default (you can still circulate it if usable)
• If unusable, also mark the copy inactive

Replacement fees

Shelfwise doesn't bill replacement fees automatically. Track these manually:

• Add a note to the patron's record
• Use your usual billing process (cash, invoice, etc.)

Plans to add automatic fee tracking are on the roadmap.

Patron impact

A lost book hits the patron's score (A-F). The downgrade is automatic. The patron sees their score in the portal if your library exposes it.

Recovering a lost book

If a lost book turns up:

• Catalog → find book → Edit → mark copy as active again
• Or: just check it in at the desk; we'll prompt about reactivation