What to do with Agent Interlibrary Loans

Yesterday we had a follow up OPAL session for the new libraries and the issue of Agent ILL’s came up briefly.

Some options:

  • You can create individual ILL Patron accounts for libraries you send materials to through Agent.  If you create an ILL account, please include the terms ‘ILL’ and Your library name in the Surname field to help differentiate your “Anytown Public Library” ILL account from other libraries.
    • Example: ILL accounts
  • You can give these ILL Patron accounts a patron category of Interlibrary Loan or one of your regular Adult patron categories.  The benefit of using the Interlibrary Loan patron category is that we can set up unique default circulation and fine rules for those patrons, for example 35 day loan periods with no fines.  Just let the NExpress team know that you want new rules established for this patron category.
  • Another option is to create a single “Agent ILL” or “My Public Library ILL” account and check out ALL of your ILL’s to this account.  Centralia uses this solution and Tonganoxie has recently switched to this solution.
  • For items on loan from outside libraries, some libraries use a Fast Add Framework to create a ‘quick and dirty’ Bib/item record for the item on loan. Ottawa also has a procedure established where they put a hold on the item at the time of check out to ensure that the ILL librarian gets the book when it is returned by the patron, so they can send it back and delete the Fast Add record.
    ottawaill

Are there other options out there worth sharing with the new NExpress libraries?  Please use the comments to add to this discussion.

-Sharon

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