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ERTI Lender List Smart-build
The Enhanced Request This Item (ERTI) feature in SHAREit increases the efficiency of request creation for patrons & staff by automatically building the Lender List from all activated search resources/targets.
What is ERTI?
ERTI is a matching algorithm used by the Illume (SHAREit) software to automatically build the lender lists in each request. It builds the best and most complete lender list of library codes for your item based on the holdings available from all activated Search Resources in our consortia (eg. BC Union Catalogue) as well as live Z39.50 targets (eg. Simon Fraser University Z39.50 target).
ERTI is currently activated for 100% of all libraries using Illume (SHAREit). If the ERTI smart-build fails to pull in a desired lender, Staff can try the Rebuild Lenders button to refresh or ILL Review to attach a "better" record (eg. use the Multi-Copy feature to check-out a live lender list) with an improved lender build. But in some cases, Staff may need to manually add desired lenders due to errors. If errors persist for a particular lender, please contact us for assistance!
What are the advantages of ERTI?
- ERTI pulls the holdings of all activated search resources, including Z39.50 targets such as UBC, SFU, UVic & UNBC, even if they weren't selected (checked-off) or displayed in your search results. More information on Search Resources/Targets available in our Guides.
- ERTI should add all holdings from active libraries into the Lender List, rather than just the library holdings from the first primary record. Due to cataloguing differences, many of the same items have multiple primary records and the ERTI smart-build merges holdings from all matching records rather than only using the initial record used during request creation.
Note: Sometimes the ERTI smart-build does not combine all holdings within a request due to algorithm issues. The algorithm has seen improvements in SHAREit V6 and Auto-Graphics is continuing to work on additional improvements. More information in our FAQ: Why doesn't the ERTI Smart-build combine all the records correctly in my search results?
- While current Live Shelf Status availability (eg. Checked-Out) and Lending Policies (material format deflection) should not impact the ERTI smart-build, in 2025 the vendor Auto-Graphics updated the ERTI smart-build to use available Z39.50 targets to build lender lists. And live Z39.50 holdings may over-ride non-live UDB record holdings. For example, if the Z39.50 server catalogue at a live shelf status library (eg. Vancouver Public Library) is temporarily down -- SHAREit may drop their lender code from the ERTI smart-build as the software cannot confirm live that they own the item. If errors persist for a particular lender, please manually add their code for now and contact us to report the issue to the lender library!
Current live shelf status and lending policies should otherwise only take effect when a request arrives at a lending library not during the ERTI lender list code smart-builds.
What is the workflow with ERTI activated?
After a request is created using the "Request this Item" button - ERTI initially moves the request to "Awaiting Lenders" where the algorithm searches all active Search Resources/Targets for library holdings and organises the generated lender list based first on your "Preferred Lender" list and secondly using the "System Wide" Lender List. Codes that you have blocked using the Blocked Lender list are automatically removed from ther ERTI lender list build.
Please do not edit requests while in Awaiting Lenders as this can impact the automatic lender list build. Note: Please contact us if your requests appear stuck in Awaiting Lenders for longer than approximately 5 minutes. The ERTI workflow also depends on the permissions assigned to the account creating the request:
- If the account creating the request does not have "Automatic Approval" activated (recommended): Requests created with "Request this Item" will move to "Awaiting Approval" to be meditated.
Staff can edit the request and manually update the Lender List build if desired before it is approved or use ILL Review to assign a new record and rebuild the lender list.
- If the Staff account creating the request has "Automatic Approval" activated: Requests created with "Request this Item" will automatically skip "Awaiting Approval" and be sent to the first library code found in the Lender List created by the automatic ERTI smart-build.
How do I create Multi-Copy requests?
While logged into the Illume (SHAREit) software as Staff, search for the item you wish to request and click the "Multi Copy" link available when logged in as Staff. Check-out our Multi-Copy ILL Requesting training guide for additional information including screenshots.
With Multi-copy requests the ERTI smart-build creates the Lender List during request creation rather than after request submission. You can manually edit the Lender List build before you submit your multi-copy request; once all available search resources have been checked for holding or by clicking the "Stop" button to end the algorithm build. You can also continue to update individual requests created from the multi-copy feature within your Awaiting Approval.
Changelog Notes:
May 27th 2020 & December 1st 2022: Auto-Graphics has made adjustments to the ERTI Lender List Smart-build to hopefully improve the quantity and quality of Lender codes pulled into your automatic Lender List builds. The lender list validation process will no longer require a match on title and author if there is a match on a standard numeric identifier (ISBN, ISSN, LCCN, OCLC & UP). This change should allow records with minor differences (e.g., Title: Dawn’s Light / Dawns Light) to be included in the lender list builds!
Please Note: If a Z-target doesn’t support a search, such as LCCN, the process will continue to look for a match on title, author, publisher and date information. LDR and format validation will still occur. Please let us know if you continue to encounter issues with the ERTI smart-build.
A-G has also made improvements to the lender list build validation against the 007/00 value of the source record for all formats,so non-matching formats such as eBook holdings should not be pulled into lender list builds for print materials. Please Note: If the source record does not contain an 007, that field cannot be validated. Specialty formats like Large Print will continue to be validated in additional ways beyond the 007. As of June 2nd 2021, ERTI smart-build lender list build process will now include 008/23 (MARC 008, position 23) for better matching on certain formats. This will allow SHAREit to distinguish books from eBooks and avoid the problem of requests including both formats.
2025: In 2025, Auto-Graphics made significant changes to the ERTI smart-build to prioritize using live Z39.50 holdings (if available) for the lender list build. This means that, for libraries with Live Shelf Status checks activated, their live holdings will be used to verify if their lender code should be pulled into the lender list build NOT their non-live BC Union Catalogue holdings. Lender codes may be removed from a lender list build if the library no longer owns the item OR if their Z39.50 server is temporarily down.
Have questions or concerns or encounter any issues with the ERTI smart-build? Please contact us for assistance!