[Publib] Hold embargos on new releases?

[Connie Jo Ozinga]

I noticed this question came from a branch staff person.  Whether your new items are limited to loans at the owning branch, or used to fill system wide holds, is a policy decision.  I suspect this decision is controlled by central administration.

My library is committed to system wide holds.  Despite having five locations we are one library with one collection.

We used to send new items directly to the owning location, where they were dispatched in, and often went straight to the truck for a hold to be picked up at some other location.  We now dispatch them all at Main so they can go straight from there to the patron's designated pick-up location.

I have this big issue with what I call "time on truck".  I think it was the 4th Harry Potter book that Caught my attention.  Something like 30 copies went out to the owning branches, got dispatched in, and got put back in a truck bin for delivery to the next patron with a hold that requested pickup at some other location.  All of those copies spent one or more additional days in a truck bin before it got to the requesting patron.  Changing the process as noted in para just above has helped reduce truck time for popular items.

Connie

Connie

Connie Jo Ozinga, Director  cjo at elkhart.lib.in.us<blocked::mailto:cjo at elkhart.lib.in.us>
(574)522-3333  www.myepl.org
Elkhart Public Library Elkhart, IN  46516

The Elkhart Public Library provides access to resources which inform, educate, enlighten and entertain our diverse community.....Books are just the beginning.


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