Dear Daniel: Reserved about Reserves

***********REVISED ***********
"Dear, Daniel,

What is the correct way to handle an item that has a hold on it and another customer tries to check it out? Meaning….the customer found it on the shelf (because we hadn’t pulled it yet for title page). Since the customer got it off the shelf, I override the hold and check it out to them. I might mention to the customer that they might not be able to renew the item because there are holds on it.

It gets tricky when the customer isn’t there in person (say, you pull a book when you’re in TR)…

Does my question make sense?

-Reserved about Reserves"


Reserved,

It makes perfect sense! I remember when I first started here I had the exact same dilemma, so I can completely understand your confusion! In a library with a collection this huge, there is no doubt everyone will encounter this issue at least three times a week and thats if we're lucky. I really wish I could give you a short and sweet answer, but this matter is a little complicated. Lets start out simple: If a customer is physically there in front of you with the book, they have the power to check it out and we cannot take the book from them.

Now hang on a minute, before we all go override happy, there is an exception to the rule: if an item says "Item on Holdshelf" for a customer, we cannot override this. The customer has already been informed the item is ready and waiting. If an item simply says "on hold" or "title level hold", then it is acceptable to override.

Now to clarify another point you've brought up, if you have a call in hold, they must wait through the hold list. We cannot override the priority on these holds. The only way a customer can check out an item that has a previous and unfilled hold is to check it out in person.

I think your practice of informing the customer they will not be able to renew is a great idea, I would also urge them to check regularly on their online account to see if the item has become renewable.

So in short, err on the side of the customer who is standing before you.

Daniel



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