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Holds

In EPL a hold can be placed for items on shelf and available as well as items already checked out. Holds can also be placed against On Order titles.

Holds may be placed by staff using Workflows, and by customers using Bibliocommons.

There is a limit on the number of holds per user card, currently 25.

Hold records contain the following information about the item:

  • User who placed the hold
  • Library where the hold was placed
  • Pickup library
  • Date and time the hold was placed
  • Hold level and range

When more than one user places a hold on an item, Unicorn creates a hold list (queue). Any number of users can wait in the hold queue.

NOTE: Workflows will not prevent you from placing a hold that can never be filled. For example, Workflows allows you to place a hold on an item with a status of LOST, even though this hold may never be filled.

Hold is placed:

·         By customer on website

·         Or by staff in Workflows

·         Hold displays as "unavailable."

If all copies are out, hold will be filled by first available copy.

If copies are available when hold is placed:

·         Pullonshelf hold report is run daily. See Search Lists: https://manuals.epl.ca/lists/pull-on-shelf-clean-holds

·         Staff are asked to search for available copy.

·         Copy is found, processed, and sent intransit to pickup service point where it is received intransit and hold is popped for customer.

·         Or copy is searched and found at pickup service point, processed and hold is popped immediately for customer, labelled and placed on hold shelves (hold displays as "available").

Customer is notified that hold is waiting, and that they have up to 7 days to pick it up.

·         By email if email address is present in customer record – customer is notified the same day the hold becomes available, notices sent at 2pm and 9pm daily.

·         By phone (DIVA) if there is no email – notified the day after the hold becomes available (3 tries, will leave message).

·         By mail if there is no phone or DIVA is unable to contact – notified on the third day after the hold becomes available.

Customer checks out the hold by the pickup by date. Expired holds appear on the Cleanhold report.     

·         The Cleanhold report is run daily.

·         The Cleanhold report: See Search Lists: https://manuals.epl.ca/lists/pull-on-shelf-clean-holds

·         Is alphabetical by customer name, and includes all holds not picked up by the pickup by date, as well as any current holds cancelled by the customer.

·         Must be cleared daily, as you will not be asked a second time to retrieve an item

·         Will direct staff to send items intransit to another service point for a hold, or to process for a hold in your own service point, or to shelve in your service point