Item's Home Institution: Marking Items Claimed Return

This workflow explains how to mark an item as  Claimed Returned in Alma when a patron states they have already returned an item, but the system still shows it as on loan. 

 When to Use this Workflow 

 

 

 A patron disputes responsibility for an item 

 

 

 An item is believed to have been returned but is not accounted for 

 

 

 Staff need to pause billing or escalation while investigating 

 

 

 The item cannot be immediately located 

 

 

 When an item is marked as Claimed Returned : 

 

 

 The loan remains attached to the patron 

 

 

 The item status changes to Claimed Returned 

 

 

 Investigation can begin without immediately applying Lost status or replacement fees 

 

 

 Note: This status prevents premature billing and supports fair investigation before determining financial responsibility. 

 Required Roles 

 

 Fulfillment Operator 

 Circulation Desk Manager 

 

 1: Locate the Patron Record  Navigate to Fulfillment > Checkout/Checkin > Manage Patron Services> Search for and open the patron record 

 Note: The Lost status must be applied to the active loan itself. This step ensures fees and notifications are correctly tied to the borrowing patron. 

 2: Open the Loans Tab Select the <Loans> tab 

 

 3: Display All Loans  In the Loan Display dropdown, select <All>; Locate the item that should be marked Lost 

 Note: Some items may not appear under <This Session>. Always verify using the full Loan list. 

 

 4: Apply Claimed Returned Status Open the row action menu (⋯) for the item; Select <Claimed Return> 

 

 

 Optionally, enter a note documenting:

 

 Patron statement 

 Date of claim 

 Any relevant context 

 

 

 Select <Claimed Return> 

 

 

 

 A dialog box will appear from the right-hand side of the menu stating, "Loan was successfully declared as claimed returned" 

 The item status will update to Claimed Returned 

 

 

   

 If the Item Is Currently Marked Lost 

 1: Remove Lost Status First Open the row action menu (⋯); Select <Found Item> 

 Note: Alma does not allow an item to be both Lost and Claimed Returned. The Lost status must be cleared before applying Claimed Returned. 

 

 2: Apply Claimed Returned Status  Open the row action menu (⋯) again; Select <Claimed Return> 

 

   

 What Happens After Applying Claimed Returned 

 

 The item remains on the patron’s account 

 The loan is flagged for investigation 

 Automatic lost billing is typically paused (configuration dependent) 

 Staff are expected to perform a physical search per their library's in-house policies 

 

 Frequently Asked Questions  

 

 What is the difference between Claimed Returned and Lost? 

 

 Claimed Returned = investigation stage 

 Lost = final determination with billing 

 

 

 Does this remove the loan from the patron? 

 

 No. The loan remains active until resolved 

 

 

 What should I include in the note? 

 

 Date of claim, patron explanation, and any relevant staff observations 

 

 

 What if the item is later found? 

 

 Simply discharge it using <Return Items> 

 

 

 What if the item belongs to another consortium library? 

 

 Coordinate with CLS or resource sharing workflows; CLS items can only be marked as Lost within its home IZ  

 

 

 Can I skip Claimed Returned and mark the item Lost? 

 

 Yes, but be sure to review your library's Claimed Return policies