HD "In Transit" Loan Status
March 15, 2004

In order to comply with Widener Circulation policies regarding HD materials, the HCL TS managers have agreed to implement a change to our processing workflow for HD paperbacks.

Effective Monday, March 1, please assign the In Transit loan status to all HD paperbacks at time of cataloging. This status is analogous to our charging cataloged materials to a pseudopatron and is easily assigned: simply DISCHARGE the item (performed on the Returns tab of the Aleph Circulation module). With this discharge, the system detects the HD coding in the item record, loans the item to the HD pseudopatron, and automatically assigns the In Transit status.

The In Transit status displays to patrons in the OPAC. It allows them to place a request on the item, but ensures that their request will be assigned a "waiting" status until the item is shelved at HD.

For more information on the Widener Circulation policy and the "in transit" load status, please see pages 5-6 of the document, "Harvard Depository: Processing and Request Procedures," available on the Aleph documentation website at http://hul.harvard.edu/ois/systems/aleph/docs/HD-workflows.pdf

We realize that this is yet another task to perform while processing HD paperback materials. However, we are committed to improving patron service, and this policy also helps eliminate a burdensome, laborious process for clearing unnecessary requests from HD's NOT on FILE responses (for materials that are requested but have not yet been added to the HD database). If we do not comply with the Widener Circulation guidelines, we are simply creating non-productive, added work for another unit.

To eliminate one unnecessary Aleph pop-up message when performing this task, please consult the document, Coding in the Aleph Circ Module for Assigning the In Transit Loan Status.

If you have questions regarding this policy, please see your supervisor.