5.4 - Hold Protocols

Introduction:

Members of Libraries Victoria agree to abide by the following general principal regarding the permission and priority of holds.

With the exception of non-holdable collections (Topic 5.3 above), any item for loan belonging to a Shared Services Library may be requested by any other Shared Services Library’s patrons, unless the patron’s Library owns a copy which may be borrowed.

Priority for items is always given to the owning Library’s patrons.

5.4.1 - Hold Levels and Ranges

Symphony Holds have two Levels and three Ranges. The Level and Range settings determine which item will be selected to fill a given Hold.

Hold Levels

Title Level Holds will be filled by any “holdable” copy attached to the selected title record.

Copy Level Holds will be filled ONLY by the individual copy selected. Copy Holds also bypass all other Hold priorities and rules. The copy selected will fill the Copy Hold before any other Title Level or Group/System Range Hold that may be also have been placed on the same title.

Copy Holds should only ever be placed on Magazine Volumes for patrons, and never on non-volume records, or if staff need to recall a specific copy for some operational reason. NEVER place a Copy Hold on another Library’s copy unless it is a Magazine Volume and then only if your Library does not hold that Magazine.

Hold Ranges

Library Range Holds will only ever be satisfied by copies belonging to the patron’s individual Library branch. (rarely used)

Group Range Holds will only ever be satisfied by copies belonging to the patron’s Library Group (Library Service). This is the DEFAULT range, and should be used for all Holds where the patron’s Library owns a copy.

System Range Holds can be satisfied by any holdable copy on the system.

Never place a System Hold if your library owns a copy

Staff should never place a System Range hold if the patron’s Library Group has a holdable copy of that title.

Only place System Range holds on titles if there is no holdable Group copy, or if the patron you are placing the hold for belongs to a library other than your own (i.e. a Libraries Victoria One Card member visiting your library from another service).

This not only reduces the number of unnecessary Intra-Library Loan transits, but also ensures equitable access to copies.

5.4.2 - Hold Priority and Protocols

The default hold Priority for all Holds is GROUP, as configured in the Hold Map. This means a Library Group’s copies always fill that Group’s holds first before being considered for another Library’s System Holds.

If a Library has a holdable copy of a title within their own Library Group, they should only ever place a Group Range hold for their patrons. Only place a System Range hold if the patron is from another Consortium library, or the local Library Group does not own a copy.

If a patron places a hold on online and there is a holdable Group copy (copy belonging to the user’s library service), then the hold is automatically given a Group Range.

If there is no Group copy, a hold placed online will be automatically given a System Range.

It is important to remember that if placing System holds the libraries that own copies have priority, no matter the order in which the holds were placed. On some titles, therefore, a System hold may take a very long time to fill if the owning library continues to have holds placed for their own patrons.

Holds with an item In Transit

If a copy is in transit to fill a hold, no other copy will fill that hold until it arrives at its destination or otherwise taken out of transit.

5.4.3 - Holds for Operational Purposes

Libraries from time to time may wish to place holds on a title/item for local operational purposes, such as for Displays, Storytime, or special programs within their library.

Such holds should NEVER be System or Copy holds for other library stock - only local Group copies should be put aside for local operational or program purposes.

Task Card User Profiles such as DISPLAY and LIBUSE are configured in the Hold Map for Library Group permissions only.

See the FAQ on Task Cards for a list of Task Card User Profiles and protocols.

5.4.4 - Picture Books Holds

Generally, holds are NOT able to be placed on picture books. However, it has been agreed that assigned staff with override privileges from participating library services are able to place holds on picture books, requested by their member, but only available outside their library service – under the conditions outlined further below.

NOTE: The following libraries are NOT participating, so their picture books can not be requested, nor can they request picture books.

LIBRARIES NOT PARTICIPATING

Corangamite Moyne
Gannawarra
High Country
Hobsons Bay
Hume
Latrobe
Yarra

Process:

Request is received for a picture book
Library Service assesses it for purchase first (no automatic holds)
Then assessed purpose – educational, special needs/specific subject areas e.g. book on death of grandparent, medical diagnosis etc.
If not suitable for purchase (e.g. Out of print, collection development policy) AND meets the educational/special needs requirement
Assigned staff check the member doesn’t currently have more than 2 holds on picture books outside their library service
The override hold is placed (copy level hold), if the picture book is held by a participating library service
For the owning library, the hold will be processed as usual.