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SHAREit Enhancements and Improvements
The Illume Support Centre plays an important advocacy role within the network -- gathering software enhancement and improvement suggestions from libraries, along with broader system feedback, that is shared with the SHAREit software vendor Auto-Graphics. Suggestions are initially reviewed by Auto-Graphics and approved if they fit with the current development cycle. Remaining enhancement suggestions are voted on by all SHAREit customers/consortia for possible inclusion in the software.
In recent years, over 15 of our feature recommendations have been approved with several of our suggestions voted the top enhancements or improvements desired by all SHAREit customers! Please contact us if your library would like to submit an enhancement or improvement suggestion for Illume (SHAREit).
More information on approved Enhancements and Improvements below:
| Approval Year | Enhancement or Improvement Submission | Status |
| 2024 | Lending Policy with both Loan and Copy request type options for each Format: Lender libraries will once again be able to deflect Loan requests for formats such as eBooks while still accepting Copy requests for eBook Chapters. Originally suggested by multiple post-secondary libraries including Langara College. This was the top-voted Customer enhancement suggestion for 2024. | In Development |
| 2024 | Prioritize deflection reason: Currently the SHAREit software does not prioritize the deflection reason (eg. Lender on Holiday or Item Unavailable) displayed to ILL Staff when a request is automatically rejected via the Holiday/Temporary Closure feature or Live Shelf Status availability checks. This can result in ILL Staff seeing a temporary deflection reason (eg. library on holiday until following week) when there is actually also a terminal reason (eg. reference item not available for ILLs) that the request will never be filled by that lender. Auto-Graphics is working on updating the deflection reasons displayed to staff to help improve their workflow when re-trying Lenders. Originally suggested by Prince Rupert Public Library. | In Development |
| 2024 | Additional Patron Notices and Fields: Auto-Graphics is adding additional Patron Notices and Wildcard fields available within notices. More information on the new notices and fields will be posted when it becomes available. Originally suggested by Illume Support. | In Development |
| 2024 | Additional Staff Notice for “Shipped with Attachments”: In order to improve Desktop Delivery for both SHAREit and ISO-Target libraries, the addition of a Staff Notice to notify Staff that a request has been supplied with an Article attachment (including a link to download the article) has been approved. This can also be used by SHAREit libraries to automatically deliver Non-returnable (copy) articles to ISO-Target libraries (eg. UVic) without having to email it separately outside of SHAREit. Originally suggested by Illume Support on behalf of Post-secondary libraries. | In Development |
| 2023 | Invoice Sent and Paid Statuses: The SHAREit software does not currently have a request workflow available for follow-up on Lost or Damaged materials. Auto-Graphics is working on adding an "Invoice Sent" and "Invoice Paid" status/workflow to SHAREit, to allow libraries to track lost or damaged fee collection directly within the software. Please note that this workflow is not ISO compatible and will not work with ISO-target libraries (eg. UBC). Originally suggested by Vancouver Public Library. This was the top-voted Customer enhancement suggestion for 2023. | In Development |
| 2023 | Internal Staff library-only notes: Information entered into the Borrower/Lender Notes fields and Local Library fields are visible to Staff at the other attached library. Some libraries instead require internal-only library notes that can be viewed only by local library staff. Originally suggested by Greater Victoria Public Library. | Released: June 2023 |
| 2023 | Ability to import Z-target mapping: The Z-target mapping feature to apply live availability checking based on Location (eg. Reference) and Status (eg. Checked Out) currently needs to be manually added and updated by Illume Support. Auto-Graphics is working on a feature to allow support to easily and quickly set-up or revise live shelf checks instead by importing a spreadsheet. Originally suggested by Illume Support. | In Development |
| 2023 | Preferred Lender List options: Currently the Preferred Lender lists used in the ERTI smart-build are the same for Returnable (Loan) and Non-Returnable (Copy) requesting. For libraries supplying both request types, separate Copy & Loan lender list builds would improve load leveling by request type. For example, requests for such as separate load leveling for Copy & Loan requests. Originally suggested by Illume Support on behalf of Post-secondary libraries. | In Development |
| 2022 | Automatic Retry options: Auto-Graphics has added an automatic retry option to borrower requests that update to the "Retry" status. Originally suggested by Greater Victoria Public Library. This was the top-voted Customer enhancement suggestion for 2022. Illume Support has received feedback/concerns regarding the effectiveness of this new feature that has been submitted to Auto-Graphics. Please contact us if you'd like to submit feedback/concerns on this feature or any others! | Released: July 2022 |
| 2022 | Refresh lenders feature: Auto-Graphics has added the Rebuild Lender Lists feature to quickly and easily allow Staff to refresh the ERTI smart-build on a live request rather than sending it through ILL Review. Originally suggested by multiple Public libraries including Fraser Valley Regional Library. | Released: December 2022 |
| 2022 | OpenILL Feature: The new OpenILL feature is now available after many years of collaboration with the vendor Auto-Graphics and 3rd party vendors (eg. EBSCO). Patrons can now submit pre-populated ILL requests directly from external third-party vendors (eg. EBSCO) or library web forms. This new feature can help students quickly and easily submit Non-returnable (Copy) requests from discovery layers such as EDS and database resources. Originally suggested by Illume Support on behalf of Post-secondary libraries. | Released: March 2024 |
| 2021 | Ability to “undo” more statuses: Previously only the "Undo Shipped" status was available to Administrators until the end of day the request was marked as shipped. Additional "Undo" status options have also now been added and their time to undo extended where possible. Originally suggested by multiple libraries. This was the top-voted Customer enhancement suggestion for 2021. | Released: 2021 (Ongoing where applicable) |
| 2020 | Increase Lending Policy formats: Similar to the Borrowing Policy feature below, libraries requested the option to expand the Lending Policy to include all available possible Formats. Originally suggested by multiple libraries. Enhancement request to add separate request types (Loan or Copy) for each lender format also approved for 2024. | Released: January 2021 |
| 2019 | Request button options based on format: Libraries with patron-initiated requesting activated submitted a request to hide the "Request this Item" button for Patrons based on Format (eg. DVD). This would allow Staff to save time spent cancelling requests for formats they do not allow patrons to borrow! The Borrowing Policy feature was added for libraries to customize the display of the request button based on format for every patron type of guests, patrons or staff. Originally suggested by Richmond Public Library. This was the top-voted Customer enhancement suggestion for 2019. | Released: November 2019 |
| 2019 | Download Z-target mapping: The Z-target mapping feature to apply live availability checking based on Location (eg. Reference) and Status (eg. Checked Out) previously could only be copied manually added and updated by Illume Support. Auto-Graphics added the option to allow support to easily and quickly download current library Z-target mapping. This assists libraries with revising live shelf checks via a spreadsheet instead of screenshots. Originally suggested by Illume Support. | Released: June 2019 |
| 2017 | Blocked Lenders list feature: Libraries previously could not block lenders from the ERTI smart-build unless their search target was completely removed for both patrons & staff. The addition of the Blocked Lenders feature allows libraries to still search and display records for all libraries while blocking requests from automatically being sent to fee-based libraries. Originally suggested by Illume Support. | Released: March 2017 |
| 2017 | Configure Request Form interface: The ILL Admin > Configuration > Configure Request Forms feature was previously number-based and difficult to re-arrange fields for both patron and staff requests. Auto-Graphics has now added an easy to use drag & drop forms configuration feature. Check-out our configuration video available from the Patron-initiated requesting guide or contact us for assistance updating your forms. Originally suggested by Illume Support. | Released: July 2019 |
| 2017 | Desktop Delivery Feature: The Desktop Delivery feature was added to allow libraries to easily attach and deliver Non-returnable (Copy) articles directly via SHAREit. The feature has been updated over the years to also include the option for Patrons to download attached articles directly from their Guest ILL Tracking or Patron Notices. Download limitations by date or number (eg. 5 only) have also been added to assist lender libraries with copyright restrictions. Statistics reports and other improvements such as Staff Notices have also been requested. Originally suggested by Illume Support on behalf of post-secondary libraries. | Released: May 2018 |