Setting Up Hold and ILL Loan Request Processing

Note:
If your library uses INN-Reach, see Implementing and Using INN-Reach Integration.

Staff and patrons (if your library allows patrons to place holds) can create hold requests for titles that are not available at a particular branch, but are owned by other libraries in the system. The hold requests may be filled during Request-to-Fill processing, or when an item that can fill the hold request is trapped An item is said to be trapped for a hold when an item that fills a request is scanned at circulation and the system links the item to a specific request, either automatically or by displaying a message that prompts you for a decision. at circulation.

You can use Polaris Administration settings to control the following aspects of holds and interlibrary loan (ILL) request processing:

• Holds routing - Each library organization can determine the member libraries in its Requests to Fill (RTF Requests-To-Fill or RTF processing sends hold requests to designated libraries in a specified order. A library chooses to fill or deny the request. The request is routed until it is filled, it expires, or every library denies it.) routing cycle, the routing sequence, and how many days a request remains on a branch’s Request-to-Fill list. An organization can set up primary and secondary routing groups and specify the conditions under which requests are routed to the secondary group. See Holds Routing Overview.
• Hold request statuses descriptions - Your library specifies the descriptions that appear wherever hold statuses are displayed in the staff client and PAC. See Edit hold request status descriptions.
• Hold request not-supplied reasons - Your library system defines the possible reasons why libraries may not fill hold requests, and individual branches can select a default reason. When a staff member denies a hold request, she can select one of the defined reasons. See Add a not-supplied reasons entry.
• Hold requests placed from the PAC applications - Your library can specify whether patrons can place hold requests from the PowerPAC, Mobile PAC, and Children's PAC. See Set Holds options: Enable hold requests by patrons and define restrictions.
• Restrictions on item-specific holds - Your library can allow holds at the title level but either prevent item-specific holds or limit them to first available copies of serial items or multi-part sets. See Set Holds options: Enable hold requests by patrons and define restrictions.

Note:
Staff members with the appropriate permissions can restrict holds for specific items using settings in the Item Record workform.

• Trapping preferences and queue settings - Each branch can set a holds trapping preference and queue settings. At the system level, you can set up optional trapping preference groups to apply trapping preferences to a designated group of branches, such as a consortium where various groups of organizations are far apart or have very different hold request policies. Within a trapping preference group, you can prefer the patron's registered branch or the item's assigned branch. See Set Holds options: Trapping preferences, queue settings.
• Patron hold limits - You can block requests based on combinations of specific patron codes, limits on total requests, and limits on requests for specific material types. You can also create groups of material types and place limits on the group as a whole. See Defining Loan and Request Limit Blocks.
• Renewals for items with hold requests - Your library system can prevent renewals for items with hold requests or allow renewals unless the item is the only one eligible to fill a request. See Allow renewals for items with hold requests.
• Hold pickup branches listed in item records - Use the branch-level Polaris Administration patron services parameter Holds: Item pickup branches to select the branches that appear in the list of pickup branches. See Set up the hold pickup branch list.
• Branches to exclude from the pickup branch list - You can specify which libraries to exclude as possible pickup libraries in the PAC and in the staff client. See Set Holds options: Exclude pickup branches.
• Specify the hold statuses for which patrons can change the hold pickup location - At the system level only, you can select the hold statuses for which patrons can change the hold pickup location. See Set hold options: Enable patrons to change the holds pickup branch from the PAC.
• Hold request notices - When a hold request is ready for pick-up, a notice informs the patron. Libraries define the mail, e-mail, and phone notification settings. See Delivering Notices by Phone (Outbound Telephony).
  

Note:
Polaris Borrow by Mail is a licensed feature available at no additional cost that allows staff members and patrons to request library materials and have the requested materials delivered to the patrons by mail. For information about Borrow by Mail request processing, see Set the Workstation to Print Receipts and Slips.

Note:
Libraries that offer integrated eContent set up request limits and other options with the vendor; many of the features described in this unit do not apply to eContent requests. For details, see Managing Integrated EContent in the PAC.

• Interlibrary loans - See Setting Up ILL Requests.