SirsiDynix Symphony Reviews

I like that you can open a patron's record to view a list of the materials they currently have checked out, after which you can update due dates and also see their circulation history. You can also update any personal information, such as office number or phone number.

Several times a patron reported that they received an overdue notice for an item they returned. I checked their online record, which said they still had the item checked out. We checked the shelves and found that the item, based on the barcode, was indeed returned. So sometimes an item's barcode is scanned but the system doesn't register it as returned.

There are many different functions and uses, so take time to be familiar with each.

Reserving materials for patrons who have an urgent need to do research. A notice is then sent to the patron who currently has the item checked out, so that it can be returned for the next patron to check out.

The main menu is very intuitive and clear, which is great. I like the option to change the colour scheme and fonts as it is quite windows 95 looking otherwise. The option to change between tabs on a user's account is very useful, as their personal data does not come first, which is good for GDPR. History of Checkouts is useful because we can confirm exactly the time when someone claimes they returned a book. Same goes for the current Checkouts; sometimes users think they did not borrow a book which is on their account, and we can check if they borrowed any other books at the same time. Being able to override pretty much anything is extremely helpful, however it does require some policies in place. The automatic emails we can send to users, such as checkout receipts, return receipts, notifications of reservations available, even fines are very useful. I would advise revising wording for teams and testing out the layout first, as we have had several instances when monthy summaries cause confusion.

This could be specific for our institution, but I wish the menu names could be changed. So, for example, it would be called reservations in workflows for staff, as well as in the student-facing part instead of holds. The Receipt printer and font/theme settings are a little hidden, as well.

We have switched to this Library Management system for a different one, as we were adding a lot of new services, such as automatic renewals, reservations, etc. With the help of automatic emails, we have been able to almost completely stop using paper receipts. This helps our sustainability goals and it makes for our users easier to keep a record in their emails.

I like the ease of toggling back and forth through the check out and check in process. I love the cataloging widget. It is easy to use! This program makes my library automation easier.

When our network goes down and I haver to manually input it is more difficult. I don't like that the program does not allow you to toggle between check in and check out. It is supposed to but my computer does not allow it to . Tech department has got it working but it only lasts for one day. I would like to leave both windows open all the time.

I highly recommend this for your library or school. It makes your job easier and allows you more time to get things done and print out reports.

more time to get things done and enjoy patrons. I like to plan book talks and to spend time interacting with students. It is also easy for student helpers to use.

Easy navigation. Simple yet highly functional.

At times it can take time for it to load.

Efficient and automated management of basic library operations.

Customer Service has to be our best feature. We are very happy with the level of service provided anytime we need help.

Lack of notification of features. Features may be available but are not turned "on". You have to ask. If you are paying for product, just give all features available with the subscription.

Do your homework! Rely on your sales manager and ask a lot of questions. Be sure to get EVERYTHING available to you and training is a must.

It automates the library all around. From cataloging to patron records. We have everything in one place.

Everything has it's own folder and there are multiple ways to access them through a drop down menus, the side bar, or the overhead menus. It's perfect for anyone who likes to find things under categories.

It's not very intuitive. It does take time to really learn everything about it, and because there are so many categories, users tend to get confused.

It is compatible with RFID tags, which has been a new addition to our library. You don't need to physically scan in the book, it picks it up for you.

It is very user friendly and straightforward.

The terminology in general (which can be adjusted) and the 90s look and feel of it.

I work at a univeristy library, so all of our items are catalogued using Sirsi.

I like how its easy to to sort through the titles and you can do it by library, title, author and so much more. Each task is divided into its own tab, and for some people that can make it a lot easier to use. It's not intuitive.

It confuses me that there are so many different tabs. I know how to use it but for some people who are learning how to use it, there are so many different ways to actually use it that no single person could have the same way of doing something in it. I also don't like when you need to sort results alphabetically, if there are too many it won't.

Other than the tabs, it can be very user friendly. And the fact that it clearly tells you what library it's at is super helpful.

Easy of use, many functions, a very good fit for the company we work for.

Searching by title is a nightmare. Have to type in exact title to get proper result, if not, only show irrelevant info.

It helps the staff to keep up with the collection easily and reduce customer complaints.

Easy to use. Lots of options for what to use it for.

Almost too many options. Days there is a lot of lag.

lots of places to leave notes for items. mostly easy to use.