[Patron-Initiated ILLs] Using Auto-Graphics feature of Patron Categories, it is now possible to set ILL Request Limits on unauthenticated guest patrons.
Request limits can be set by "number active", "number per week", or "number per month". Patron requests are rejected on the basis of their name (Firstname and Lastname) and their Password/PIN entered during the creation of the requests. For more information check-out the guide with screenshots below or the video!
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Watch a video guide on how to add guest request limits to your Patron-Initiated Interlibrary loan requests. Cancelled & expired requests no longer count against the guest request limit as of April 2021! [no sound] | Watch Video [3m50s ; MP4] |
FAQ:
How are requests counted in this feature?
A borrower request is considered active from the time it is submitted by a patron until:
- Returnable (loan) - counted active against a patron's request limits from the moment it's submitted to Awaiting Approval until it's been returned and checked in by the lender library so it's gone to Complete.
- Non-returnable (copy) - counted active against a patron's request limits from the moment it's submitted to Awaiting Approval until it's received by the borrower library so it's gone to Complete.
- Cancelled/Expired requests - no longer count against a patron's request limit! Requests that staff have manually updated to status "Cancel" or that the system has automatically updated to "Expired" (after the Need by date has passed) no longer count against Guest Patron Request limits as of April 2021.
How do I set this up?
If you would like to add a Guest Request Limit for your patrons, for example so they can only submit 5 active ILL request limit at one time:
- Contact us to request Auto-Graphics adds this feature to your site!
- Once the feature is available - login with your Administrator account.
- First create a "guest" category within Staff Dashboard > User Admin > Patron Categories > click "Add a Category". The category must be named exactly "guest" in order for it to apply to the generic guest patron system user account. Please check-out the screenshot below for an example. Don't forget to click "Submit" to save your changes!
- Once you've added your patron category, you can add some ILL request limits under Staff Dashboard > ILL Admin > ILL Request Limits. Uncheck "No limit" and enter your desired active limit, eg. 5, in the "ILL Limit (do not enter commas)" column. You can also choose a weekly or monthly number limit instead from the drop-down.
- Click Submit to save your changes!
- Your guest patrons should now encounter a pop-up when they try to submit additional requests, including Blank Requests, past the active limit. Each time they try to click the submit button, they will again see the pop-up alert. They must contact library staff instead in order to request additional items.
Notes:
- Logged in Staff accounts can over-ride this limit and create additional requests for a patron. But patrons can't track Staff-created request under "Guest ILL Tracking".
- A patron may already have active requests submitted prior to your library activating ILL request limits. These previously submitted requests should continue as normal, but please let us know if you encounter any issues. When the patron receives the pop-up notification it may tell them they are already past the maximum (for example 6 out of a maximum of 5) if they already had more than the maximum active requests.
- The pop-up message cannot currently be changed.
I don't see the "Patron Categories" or "ILL Request Limits" options so how do I activate this feature? Please contact us for assistance! Auto-Graphics has to activate this feature on your library account. Please be aware it can take a few weeks for them to configure this feature for your site.