Lesha,

Thank you for alerting us to this change.  We cannot upgrade to Silver
at this time (a long story) but I certainly have not been aware of this
unexpected change despite beta testing Silver Circulation earlier in the
year.

If a patron who had booked an item checked it out and the checkout period
overlapped the booking period, the system used to give the option to use
the end of the booking period as the due date/time and cancelled the
booking.  This arrangement suited us fine.

Maintaining "information" about a booking while the item is checked out to
the patron who placed the booking is one thing, keeping the booking itself
is another matter.  Also it looks as if what the system does is more than
just to keep the booking "while the item is checked out".

It is unfortunate this change has not been made optional especially since
there is anothr new option to retain an archive of booking information so
that past booking data is available by patron and item for those libraries
which need it.

This change is not good news for those of us who use materials booking
primarily for reserve books in heavy demand and actually check booked
items out to patrons.

I very much hope that Innovative will reconsider their decision and make
the new feature optional.  I am copying this to Betsy Graham, VP for
Product Management, and Barbara Vance, Product Manager for Circulation,
at Innovative.

Mieko

On Wed, 18 Aug 2004, Lesha Fossey wrote:

> We have noticed that when a booked item is checked out by the person who
> placed the booking, and then checked back in, the booking stays on their
> record until the end of the period for which they originally booked it,
> even though they have brought it back and therefore finished with it.
>
> I have been advised that this is a planned change, and referred to
> manual #106096. This states that "the system maintains information about
> a booking while the item is checked out to the patron who placed the
> booking". That sounds fair enough, but in fact the system is maintaining
> the information even when the item has been checked back in, which is
> NOT as advertised or documented.
>
> The implications of this undocumented change to the basic workings of
> materials bookings are very serious for us. Most of our patrons place
> their own bookings via the webopac. They accept the default loan period
> of 5 hours. Then they come and collect the item at the start of the
> booking time. They often keep the item for an hour or less, just
> photocopying the section they need. Then they bring it back to be
> checked in. But now even though they have used the item and brought it
> back, the booking stays on the item for them, therefore blocking
> everyone else from borrowing the item for the remainder of the 5 hour
> period. This will seriously hamper the students' access to their most
> heavily used book collection.
>
> If you have concerns about this change, I'd avise you to contact III
> asap, as they are apparently "reviewing" the change in the light of
> comments from myself (and apparently others too)
>
> Lesha

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Mieko Yamaguchi                                [log in to unmask]
Technical Services Manager/System Coordinator        +44 (0)1248 382970
Main Library, University of Wales Bangor, UK   +44 (0)1248 382979 (Fax)