Circulation Manual

Holds

Placing Holds

Search / Holds Method

Choose the Search / Holds function in Sierra and search for the item by t TITLE, b BARCODE, etc. Select the item for which you wish to place a hold. In the Summary tab, be sure h Hold is your current view and click the Hold Selected Item button. A new window will open. 

In the drop-down list, choose b PATRON BARCODE. Type a barcode.

Note: Some local policies allow you to search by patron name or patron record number.

Click Search. A prompt window will open; choose Place Hold. A Place an Item-level Hold window will appear.

Select the correct institution as the pickup location and the desired dates needed by. In the Hold Note field, write a message describing the reason for the hold (ex: Place on Reserve for XXX Class). Click OK. and a hold will now show in the Holds column. Close the window.

Check Out (Circulation Desk) Method

Using the Check Out (Circulation Desk) function, scan the patron's barcode or enter their identification. Select the Holds on the left of the screen, and click the Add Holds button. A new browse window will appear.

From the drop-down menu, select the method by which to search for the item to be held and scan (if barcode) or key in that information. Be sure the item record to be held is highlighted, click on the Hold Selected Item button.

In the prompt box, select Place Hold and confirm the pickup location and dates for the item. Press OK. The hold has been added. Close out of the patron record.

Canceling a Hold

Select the Search / Holds function in Sierra and locate the item you wish to cancel. Click on the Item-Level Holds tab. Initials and password may be required at the local library to cancel a hold. Choose the item, and select the Cancel Holds button.

If the item is missing, select Cancel hold and change status to MISSING. Otherwise, choose Cancel Hold. A screen will appear asking if a cancellation notice should be printed to notify the patron the item hold has been cancelled. Click Yes to print a hold cancel notice.

Create a List of Item or Bib Level Holds

To create a list of items with a hold, take the following steps:

• Go to Create Lists and choose and empty slot in your range
• Click on Search Records
• Name the list so you can identify it
• Ensure that Store Record Type is Item.
• Use the following criteria, using your institutions location codes:

To create a list of bibs with a hold, take the following steps:

• Go to Create Lists and choose and empty slot in your range
• Click on Search Records
• Name the list so you can identify it
• Ensure that Store Record Type is Bibliographic.
• Use the following criteria, using your institutions location codes:

To view a hold, open a record and choose “summary” from the menu bar. From the “summary” view choose the “Item Level Hold” or “Bib Level Hold” tab.

Bib-Level Holds

Each OPAL library should also periodically review outstanding bib-level holds for their patrons.  To this:

• Go into View Holds
• Default to today's date
• Type bib in the Hold Status
• Under Pick up Location > Select Location, type your two letter institution code
• Click View Outstanding Holds

If you see a message that says “bib hold, 1 attached item with 1 of 1 holds”, this indicates there are no other items available in OPAL.  As a best practice, you should check the OhioLINK catalog to see if items are available outside of OPAL.  You can do this by copying the bib utility number (001 field) from the bib record in OPAL and searching the OhioLINK catalog by OCLC number. If items are available, using the patron's barcode from the record, place a hold for the patron. If the message is “bib hold, 2 (or more) attached item with 1 of 1 holds”, this indicates there are OPAL items available and to take the following steps:

• Right click and “view bib”
• Copy the available item's barcode
• Open the patron record
• Choose the Holds tab
• Choose Add Hold
• Search for barcode and select the item
• Cancel the bib-level hold

Holds Management Policy

The procedures for processing requests for materials not on the shelf depends on type of request.

OPAL Requests

Determine if there are other circulating copies in OPAL by looking at all attached items and checking for items with no OPACMSG or ITYPE indicator of non- or local-circ.

• If there are other circulating copies in OPAL, change item status to “missing” and transfer the hold to an available copy. The system should check to see that the item circulates to the patron at point of transfer, so it should warn you if you transfer to a non- or local-circ item (e.g., reserve item).
• If there are no other circulating copies in OPAL, cancel the hold, change item status to “missing” and queue cancellation notice. Cancelling an OPAL hold makes the hold disappear, unlike INN-Reach requests wherein canceled holds are re-requested (i.e., sent to another owning library).

OhioLINK Requests

• If the item is checked out, retain paging slip but do not cancel. The request will remain intact until triggered when the requested copy is returned.
• If the item is not checked out, cancel hold and change item status to “missing”. By canceling, the INN-Reach system will re-request an available copy from another system.