RE: Holds Irregularities

["Ericsson, Paul" <PEricsson at onconcord dot com>]

Hello Tyra --

We have been experiencing similar difficulties, on & off, with all three issues that you list, especially #1 and #3.

I am reasonably satisfied that #2 and #3 are operator error, either the staff placing holds wrong via Millenium at the reference desk, or the public doing it on wrong titles via OPAC. I have not yet had any staff bring to me specific examples documenting the problem of the system essentially shifting holds from one bib record to another.

However, #1 has been a nagging problem, and we think that we may have a tiny breakthrough yesterday. At least, it gave me enough information to open a call with the Helpdesk. What our alert staff noticed - is that "Patron B" had found an item on the regular shelves, and brought it to the circ desk for checkout. When the circ staff checked the item out to patron B, the system said that the item was on hold for patron A, do we want to override? They acknowledged their way through the transaction, and gave the item to patron B. When they went back into the bib record to verify that the hold for patron A was still there - there were no holds.  Now, the problem comes in for us, in that I've tried to replicate the sequence of holds etc... and have not been able to replicate it. But the staff was certain that the system had displayed a "hold for another patron" message during checkout - so we are trying to track down when that happens, and from there hopefully determine if the system had then cancelled the hold for patron A while checking the item out to patron B.  Did I explain that, and did it make sense? And does any of it seem like a plausible explanation of what you've been experiencing?

Apart from this new observation, we have been chalking up the "disappearing holds" up to patrons that were informed (we phone them) that the hold was ready for pickup but they did not get the message from other family members, etc...  Like your library - we have increased staff awareness of the problem, trying to eliminate operator error. But I keep getting challenged by credible, frontline staff that our regular and credible patrons are complaining that they had a hold on titles but when we later check - there is no hold.

BTW - the Clear Holdshelf reports have not given any explanation either.

We will look forward to learning if any other libraries 1) have experienced similar problems, and 2) if they have resolved the problem.

I am also worried that when we start to utilize email notification (maybe this next month) that it will get worse. But, then again, if it is simply that phone messages are not getting to the patron, then maybe email notification will reduce that human error.

Thanks, 

Paul
	___________________________________________

	Paul Ericsson
	Adult Services Supervisor / Automation Coordinator
	Concord Public Library    http://www.onconcord.com
	45 Green St.     Concord, NH 03301     603 230-3697
	pericsson at onconcord dot com
	___________________________________________
		

 

-----Original Message-----
From: innopac-bounces at innopacusers dot org
[mailto:innopac-bounces at innopacusers dot org]On Behalf Of Tyra Ealy
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 2:18 PM
To: IUG (E-mail)
Subject: Holds Irregularities


Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

I tried searching the IUG archives for this topic, but found too much
information on holds to wade through.  I am plagued by staff reporting
issues with holds in our system.  Each time I report something to the help
desk, they are unable to find anything wrong and blame human error.  I have
explained and distributed instructions on placing holds and on title paging
until I am exhausted--staff insist they are not making mistakes.

Is anyone else out there experiencing the following?

1.  Holds disappearing from the system.
2.  A hold being placed on a print version and somehow getting filled by an
audio version.
3.  A hold being placed for a title by one author and being filled by a
similar title by a different author.

Does anyone know exactly what to look for and/or report to the help desk in
order to get answers for these types of issues?
We are on Silver/2005 LE.

Thank you.

Tyra L. Ealy 
Computer Systems Manager 
Warren-Trumbull County Public Library 
444 Mahoning Ave. NW 
Warren, OH 44483 
330-399-8807, ext. 140 
http://www.wtcpl.lib.oh.us/
"Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the
freeness of speech." - Benjamin Franklin 


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