What is the best way to place holds for patrons?
In the recent TRACpac+ FAQ it was recommended that libraries move towards placing holds through TRACpac+ as a best practice:
What is the best way to place holds for patrons?
Using the new platform, not Leap or Polaris! With the introduction of rollups, TRAC cataloguing staff will no longer be merging records for paperbacks and hardcovers. By placing a hold on an item in TRACpac+, your patron will get the first available copy of a book. If you use Leap or Polaris, you will have to make a choice between formats, which means they may have to wait longer. If a patron would like a specific format, select the Item Information drop down on TRACpac+ to see what editions/formats are available and place a hold on a specific one. More information on how to do this is available in the Advanced How-To video.
Does this mean that staff will no longer be able to place holds via LEAP?
Can you please offer some clarity on WHY using TRACpac+ is considered the Best Practice?
Answer
TLDR
(The Short Version)
- Staff will still be able to place holds in Leap/ Polaris.
- Placing holds via TRACpac+ is considered the Best Practice because, thanks to the new rollups, patrons will get their requested item from the whole pool of similar formats (hardcover, trade paperback, mass market paperback) which means they will get the first available item. Want to know more? Read the long version!
- Staff are still encouraged to protect patron privacy in all interactions. Not sure what that entails? It might be time to update your ATIA / POPA training!
The Long Version
There are no plans to remove staff's capability to place holds in Leap. Rather, we are encouraging staff to make a practice of working shoulder to shoulder with patrons to search and place holds in TRACpac+, which yields better results, is more user friendly, and helps to empower patrons to use the new catalogue independently when they are away from the library. By working together, physically turning the computer screen toward the patron, having them enter their own info to log in, even letting them drive the mouse, we can better ensure that folks have the support they need to feel confident on the new interface.
As part of this best practice, staff would ask the patron to log in (and out again) themselves and would not unnecessarily request access to passwords. All efforts to provide access and support without unnecessarily infringing on anyone's privacy should be made, nothing has changed on that front.
We understand that the best-case scenario doesn’t apply to the circumstances of every situation, and that is why we recommend it as the best practice, not the only practice.
We hope that this article is able to address the nuance of our recommendation to work shoulder to shoulder with patrons to place holds in TRACpac+ and we recognize that not all libraries are set up to support patrons that way, and not all patrons are willing to be supported that way, and also clarify that we are in not advocating that library staff risk or violate their patron's privacy in any undue manner.
But why is it better to place holds through TRACpac+?
We will attempt to provide some clarity on that.
This is the holds logic for TRACpac+ and how it works:
-
- The work level rollups allow patrons to select from 1 or more rolled-up search results for the same title with combined editions and availability by location. The work level hold button will select the best edition for a patron to fulfill their hold the fastest.
- The details of the logic used to place holds for this are as follows:
- If there is a copy available at the patron’s pickup location, the edition of the work with the most copies available there will be used.
- If there are no copies at the pickup location, the patron’s home location (if different) will be used to determine if there are copies available there.
- If there are no copies available at the pickup OR home location, the edition with the most available copies overall will be put on hold.
- If all copies are unavailable, the copy with the best Holds:Copies ratio will be put on the hold.
- In all cases, if multiple copies meet the criteria, the newest edition will be put on hold.
- Patrons can place holds on specific editions by opening the edition table and using the place hold button displayed for their desired edition.
