[Publib] Follow Through on Patron Requests

[Sharon Foster]

Hi Michelle,

I did ILL Borrowing at my last place of work, and I ran into the same
problem of ILL and purchase requests getting morphed into the other or
falling into a black hole. I would also be interested in the
responses.

Patrons don't often know, and don't really care, about the distinction
between ILL and purchasing an item. They just want the item. So maybe
the first step is to eliminate the two paths and two forms, at least
from the patron's point of view. Internally, an ILL may become a
purchase, a purchase may become an ILL, and either one could be
unfilled for a variety of reasons. But a single point of interface to
the patron is needed, one way or another, and for the staff that deals
with the patron requests, whether it's the circ desk, the reference
desk, or someone else.

Sharon

Sharon M. Foster, JD, MLS
Technology Librarian
http://firstgentrekkie.blogspot.com/






On Wed, Sep 2, 2009 at 11:08 AM, Michelle Mears<mmears at enid.org> wrote:
> As many libraries do, we have multiple forms for patrons to request items.  We generally have a purchase request form and an interlibrary loan form that are used.  Many interlibrary loan requests become purchase requests after we review them and some purchase requests are too specific or esoteric and we decide to ILL the item rather than buy it.
>
> The staff here kept an MS Access database of all requests with patron name, title, and a few other pieces of information.  I discontinued this practice because it was literally adding hours to both the acquisitions and ILL process for the sole purpose of being there "in case" someone asked.  BUT we still get 2 or 3 patrons per week who are calling or e-mailing to check on their request, and since their original request may have been altered by our staff, we kind of hit a brick wall on the follow through with patrons.
>
> With ILL, we can search on WorldCat by name and see the status of their request.  But if we took an ILL request and made it into a purchase request, then there is no record there to find.  And, to put the cherry on top, many requests go unfilled or are unavailable for purchase.
>
> What do other libraries do to close the communication loop and let patrons know the status of their requests?  I think I am hoping for an easy way to do something that will always be messy.  But it's also terrible customer service to leave people hanging.  The circ staff bear the brunt of this, even though they have nothing to do with the process after the forms are turned in.
>
> Any advice?
>
> -----
> Michelle R. Mears, MSLIS, PhD
> Library Director
> Public Library of Enid & Garfield County
> 120 W. Maine Ave.
> Enid, OK 73701-5606
> 580.234.6313 Phone
> 580.249.9280 Fax
> 620.506.8576 Mobile
> http://www.enid.org/library/
>
>
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>
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