Notice Examples

Automated Message Origins

MFRL uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) to transmit automated phone and text messages. Phone and TXT messages originate from (773) 906-4212. Caller ID may label this number as Des Moines, IL, Chicago, IL, Amazon, or AWS depending on service provider.

Email notifications are sent from noreply@mfrl.org. While notice email subjects historically have had a subject of Library Notice, most notices now have more descriptive subjects.

Predue Notice Examples

Predue notices are sent 3 days before and 1 day before an item is due. These notices are sometimes referred to as "reminders". PreDue notices are optional for the patron.

TEXT

• MFRL: Reminder you have 1 items due tomorrow. my.mfrl.org Titles=Our castle by the sea
• MFRL: Reminder you have 4 items due 3 days from now. my.mfrl.org Titles=Robocop,Supernatural,
  Supernatural,Little house on the prairie

Titles will be displayed dependent upon number of characters available in the text, with a maximum of 150 total characters.

PHONE

• Hello, this is the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library calling for Peggy. This is your courtesy reminder that you have items due tomorrow and 3 days from now. You can check your account and renew items online at my.mfrl.org
• Hello, this is the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library calling for Chris. This is your courtesy reminder that you have items due 3 days from now. You can check your account and renew items online at my.mfrl.org

Audio Example:

The above message is followed by "...message repeats..." and one repeat of the message. The repeat exists in case an answering machine or service starts recording after the message begins to play. This example demonstrates what a message may sound like if an answering machine's greeting is lengthy; the recording begins well into the predue message.

We don't list titles on Phone notifications due to privacy concerns. As shown above, different types of PreDue notices (three day, one day, etc.) are combined.

EMAIL

• Three Day Pre-Due Notice
• One Day Pre-Due Notice

Emailed PreDues look very similar to eMailed OverDue notices. All titles and full descriptions are listed. Different types of PreDue notices are not combined. That is, if a patron has items that are due in three days, and items due in one day, they will receive two separate emails.

The Subjects of these emails are MFRL: 3 Days Pre-Due, and MFRL: 1 Day Pre-Due.

OverDue Notice Examples

Electronic overdue notices are sent on daily at 7 days and 14 days overdue. Patrons can not opt out of receiving Overdue Notices.

TEXT

• MFRL: You have 3 (1-WEEK) overdue items, the oldest was due on Dec 26. my.mfrl.org Titles=Pokemon adventures,Pokemon adventures,Pokemon ...
• MFRL: You have 5 (2-WEEK) overdue items, the oldest was due on Dec 15. my.mfrl.org Titles=Officer buckle and gloria,Piggies in the p...
• MFRL: You have 24 (1WEEK & 2WEEK) overdue items, the oldest was due on Nov 17. my.mfrl.org Titles=Baby loves gravity,Little book abo...

Titles will be displayed dependent upon number of characters available in the text, with a maximum of 150 total characters. If applicable, the two-week and four-week notices are combined.

PHONE

• Hello, this is the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library calling for Dennis. This is your 1 week overdue notice. You have 2 overdue items, the oldest was due on Thursday, December 26. You can check what is overdue by logging into your account online at my.mfrl.org.

• Hello, this is the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library calling for Brandi. This is your 1 week and 2 week overdue notice. You have 3 overdue items, the oldest was due on Sunday, October 6. You can check what is overdue by logging into your account online at my.mfrl.org.

Audio Example:

The above message is followed by "...message repeats..." and one repeat of the message. The repeat exists in case an answering machine or service starts recording after the message begins to play.

We don't list titles on Phone notifications due to privacy concerns. If applicable, the two-week and four-week notices are combined.

EMAIL

• First Overdue Notice email
• Second Overdue Notice email
• First and Second Overdue Notice email

All titles and full descriptions are listed. If applicable, First and Second overdue emails are combined as shown above. The subject of these emails are MFRL: Overdue Notice.

Bill Notice Examples

These are sometimes called "Third Overdues", "Lost Assumed Notices", and/or "Long Overdue Notices". These are sent daily at 21 days overdue. When this report runs, the checkout is converted to an "Inactive Checkout" and a Bill is created on the patron account for the cost of the item.

TEXT

• MFRL: You have been billed for items that are now considered lost. Return the items or pay the replacement fee. Check your account my.mfrl.org

PHONE

• Hello, this is the Montgomery Floyd Regional Library calling for Bob. You have item(s) that are long overdue and are now considered lost. Your account has been billed for these items. You can return the items or pay the replacement fees. You can view your account online at my.mfrl.org

EMAIL

• Bill Notice email

Hold Notice Examples

Hold notices include library closing comments, if applicable.

TEXT

• MFRL-Christiansburg: You have new holds, pick up by Tue, Jan 21. Closed 1/20. my.mfrl.org =Pride and prejudice
• MFRL-Floyd: You have new holds, pick up by Sun, Jan 19. my.mfrl.org =Test book
• MFRL-Blacksburg: You have new holds, pick up by Thu, Jul 25. Closed Sundays all summer. my.mfrl.org =Kindle

Titles will be displayed dependent upon number of remaining characters available in the text; texts are limited to 150 characters.

PHONE

• Hello, this is the Christiansburg Library calling for Isaac. You have 1 hold available at the self service hold shelf. Please pick it up by Tuesday, January 21. Closed Monday, January 20th. You can check what is available by logging into your account online at my.mfrl.org.
• Hello, this is the Floyd Library calling for Eva. You have 2 new holds and 2 holds total available at the self service hold shelf. Please pick them up by Thursday, January 30. You can check what is available by logging into your account online at my.mfrl.org.
• Hello, this is the Christiansburg Library calling for Saundra. You have 1 new hold, and 4 holds total available at the self service hold shelf. Please pick it up by Friday, December 20. You can check what is available by logging into your account online at my.mfrl.org.

Audio Example:

The above message is followed by "...message repeats..." and one repeat of the message. The repeat exists in case an answering machine or service starts recording after the message begins to play.

If the patron has holds that they've already been notified about, there is a comment regarding "new holds" and "total available". We don't list titles on Phone notifications due to privacy concerns.

EMAIL

• Hold Notice

The subject of these notices is MFRL: Hold Available. Emailed PreDues look very similar to eMailed OverDue notices. All titles and full descriptions are listed. While the notice won't specifically mention closed days, it does state that the hold will be available for the "next five days that the Library is open". It also states the actual date of the last day of availability. Only new holds are mentioned in this notice.

Technical Scripts (Predue, Overdue, Holds)

Using variables, this is how notice messages are formed. This info is primarily for IT staff, though anyone might find it interesting.

PreDue Text:

MFRL: Reminder you have %K item%P due %W. my.mfrl.org Titles=%T
Key: %K=# of items, %P=plural, %W=tomorrow|3 days from now, %T=as much of titles as will fit.

PreDue Phone:

Hello, this is the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library calling for %N. This is your courtesy reminder that you have items due %O. You can check your account and renew items online at my.mfrl.org
Key: %N=First Name, %O=tomorrow {and} 3 days from now (as many as are relevant)

OverDue Text:

MFRL: You have %K (%O) overdue item%P was due on %D. my.mfrl.org Titles=%T
Key: %K=# of overdues, %O=1-WEEK|2-WEEK|1WEEK & 2WEEK, %P=plural=' which'|'s, the oldest', %D=oldest due date, %T=as much of titles as will fit.

OverDue Phone:

Hello, this is the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library calling for %N. This is your %O overdue notice. You have %K overdue item%P was due on %D. You can check your account and renew items online at my.mfrl.org
Key: %N=First Name, %O=1 week|2 week|1 week and 2 week, %K=# of overdues, %P=plural=' which'|'s, the oldest', %D=oldest due date

Billed Text:

MFRL: You have been billed for items that are now considered lost. Return the items or pay the replacement fee. Check your account my.mfrl.org
Key: This message is static.

Billed Phone:

Hello %N, this is the Montgomery Floyd Regional Library calling for %N. You have item(s) that are long overdue and are now considered lost. Your account has been billed for these items. You can return the items or pay the replacement fees. You can view your account online at my.mfrl.org
Key: %N=First Name

Hold Text:

MFRL-%B: You have new holds, pick up by %D. %C. my.mfrl.org Titles=%T
Key: %B=Branch, %D=deadline, %C=Closing info{Holidays,Summer Sundays}, %T=as much of titles as will fit.

Hold Phone:

Hello, this is the %B Library calling for %N. You have %H hold%P %I available at the self service hold shelf. Please pick %J up by %D. %C. You can check what is available by logging into your account online at my.mfrl.org.
Key: %B=Branch, %N=First Name, %H=# of new holds, %I= %P=plural, %J=it|them, %D=date, %C=Closed exception phrase

USPS Mailed Notice Examples

While MFRL discourages USPS as a delivery method for notices, some still exist.

• 1st Overdue Notice - still exists, but used infrequently.
• 2nd Overdue Notice - still exists, but used infrequently.
• 3rd Overdue / Bill for Items Not Returned

Card Expiring Notice Examples

All MFRL library cards for all patron types for which we have an eMail address are sent notices that their library card privilege will expire soon.

Standard Library Cards

Notices are sent on Monday mornings, and are sent to patrons with cards expiring in approximately one month (28 to 34 days in the future). Email is the only method of delivery.

Generally, expired cards remain in the system for a minimum of one year after expiring. Expired cards are usually purged from the system during the July that follows the card's one year anniversary of being expired.

• Library Card Expiring Notice - example.

ONLINE and NEIGHBOR Library Cards

Online and Neighbor Card Privilege Expiring Soon notices are sent on Wednesday mornings. These notices are sent to ONLINE and NEIGHBOR cards that expire during the week that is two weeks away (or, in 11 to 17 days).

Expired ONLINE and NEIGHBOR profile cards are purged from the system on the Wednesday of the week after the card expires. Cards are not purged if there is an unpaid fine, or a checkout or active hold for a physical item on the account.

• Online Card Expiring Notice - example.
• Neighbor Card Expiring Notice - example.

See also

• Notice Schedule - Master Timeline for Notices (excluding Hold notifications)
• Hold Notice Schedule - Q: When do Hold Notices go out? A: Multiple times per day.