[ILL-L] Inexpensive ways to keep patrons informed

[Troy Christenson]

Hi Paul,

While we now have ILLiad, prior to that patrons had to contact the office
for status checks.

If you have OCLC FirstSearch, Patrons can set up a personal account (Top of
screen My Account ) and track requests sent via OCLC themselves.

According to OCLC at
http://www.oclc.org/resourcesharing/features/default.htm

 

User registration: The customer's control center

FirstSearch-based account creation lets users (including your staff) create
unique logons, through which they can store preferences, save searches,
renew a borrowed item, and review the fulfillment status of pending requests
or cancel them. Pick-up location is displayed if an item is ready.

 

Elms has a nice info Pamphlet
http://www.elms.edu/Departments/library/prmaterials/OCLC_MyAccountPamphlet.h
tm

 

 

From: ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of Paul Jackson
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 2:35 PM
To: 'Interlibrary Loan Listserv'
Subject: [ILL-L] Inexpensive ways to keep patrons informed

 

Hi,

 

My library director wants to know if others try to keep patrons informed
about the status of their ILL requests between when they are placed and when
they arrive.

 

I know that some of the software like ILLiad and other such solutions allow
you to do that. But, as a middle-sized community college, we don't have
thousands to spend on such software. 

 

What do others do, if anything? Is there cheaper software out there. Do you
email people whenever there is a change in status (from pending, to sent, to
arrived, etc.). Or, are you like us and, after you receive the ILL request,
you then wait until the arrival of the item to let them know it is available
for them to pick up?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Paul Jackson

Aims Community College

Greeley, CO 80634

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