Unicorn Holds Meeting, February 27, 2006 - Minutes

(As recorded and distributed by Paul Gahn, Unicorn Policy Creation Team Chair)

Unicorn Holds Meeting Minutes
February 27, 2006, 2:30-4pm
Central 2nd Floor Conference Room

Present:
Caroline Barnett, Cordova Manager
Ann Delphin, Circulation Services Manager
Steve Foster, Assistant Director, Support Services
Paul Gahn, Automated Library System Coordinator
Rebecca Graham, Central Circulation
Sallie Johnson, Deputy Director
Janet Majilton, Collection Development Officer
Debby McElroy-Clark, Support Services Manager
Gina Milburn, Humanities Senior Manager
Alan Stewart, Electronic Services Coordinator

1. Preface –SIRSI Unicorn Workflows will not allow items to be placed on hold or send to other branches (what we use Route Out for) without placing and trapping a hold for an account in the patron database.
a. This will add time for the customer and the staff member.
b. To not be able to offer additional services, asking for a library account to request material will be seen as technology for technology's sake by customers and staff.

2. Should we allow on shelf holds to be placed by customers in the online catalog?
a. YES
b. Locations and materials to exclude from holds?
i. Reference locations and items
ii. Popular Library fiction and non-fiction books
iii. New (less than a year old) 3-day entertainment DVDs
1. Probably require a new material code/item type
iv. Popular Library books and new 3-day DVDs would continue to be held until closing only
1. They will be checked out to a special library use account.
a. It could display in EPS (Enterprise Portal Solution) as “On hold for customer”
c. 2 times a day pull report (approximately 8:00 am and 2:00 pm) will become part of daily
operations.
i. Exact run time will be determined later based on other daily maintenance reports.
d. Rationale:
i. Adds a service for customers that they have long asked for, while at the same time prevents long queue lists for hot bestsellers.

3. What is the total number of holds per customer at one time?
a. 25 regardless of user profile (including Educator)
b. Rationale:
i. Students may have required number of sources
ii. No limit currently

4. Will there be a fee for holds?
a. NO
b. Rationale:
i. Unicorn cannot distinguish between holds placed online and those by staff at customer request via phone. To charge would require us to charge customers that are accustomed to receiving a free service.

5. To be determined:

a. Notification method for Available holds?
i. Can we just use email and automated phone (SVA) notices for hold notices?
1. Printing and postage cost would be a new cost and one that would not be recovered since we won’t be charging for holds.
2. Printing daily hold notices would be a major challenge for Automated Services with current staffing.
3. If not hold notices must be printed, hold shelf time would need to be lengthened from 3 days to 5-7 days.

b. How to allow material to be transferred to a pickup location if:
i. Fines or lost items prevent holds?
Staff override? (trying to confirm with SIRSI and other libraries)
ii. Customer A does not yet have an account and wants items sent from Central to Cordova?
1. Hypothesis (trying to confirm with SIRSI and other libraries):
a. Place and trap hold for a special library use account for the pickup location Cordova?
This creates a hold that must be satisfied (checked-out) for the Cordova card or the Central item will be sent back to Cordova after circulation.
1. After being received at Cordova, the item would need to be charged to Cordova but not discharged
Reason: Another hold could have been placed by Customer B while in transit and if the pickup location is also Cordova, the item automatically become an available hold for Customer B
2. Customer A arrives:
1. Item is charged using an override