Evergreen allows for hold slips to be customized to include any field from the patron record and/or item record, in any position and orientation on the slip. Font, font size, and font weight are customizable. In addition, the hold slip may include a branch symbol (gif or jpg format)
Evergreen supports behind the desk indicator printing on holds slip for patrons who have this flag in their patron record. (This would be for libraries with public hold shelves.)
In Evergreen, between the time that a hold is checked in and a hold is placed on the hold shelf, there is a configurable delay before the status is changed to On Hold Shelf.
Evergreen has the ability to ensure that manually edited copies (either deleting or changing to a non-holdable status) will have their holds retargeted.
In Evergreen, between the time that a hold is checked in and a hold is placed on the hold shelf, there is a configurable delay before the status is changed to On Hold Shelf.
The system supports a Clear Hold Shelf process. First, it removes holds from items that have expired on the hold shelf, and generates a report (aka clear hold shelf report) listing items to be cleared from hold shelf. Then staff can print the list, go out and physically pull the items off of the hold shelf. Next, staff scan the items in EG to either reset the items to the correct shelving location, capture the next hold or put the items in transit to the correct owning location.
Staff can extend pickup deadlines for holds.
In the patron view in the SC (staff client), you can select multiple holds in actions for selected holds and choose to change the pickup location. Evergreen has the ability to change the pickup location for all of a patron's holds in a single process. Additionally, Evergreen has the ability to modify all holds attached to a bibliographic record, including the ability to change the hold expiration date. This functionality is covered with current bib holds list interface.
Evergreen allows patrons with specific permissions to place holds on items they have already checked out. All other patrons cannot. This works by warning the user that the item is already checked out to them and, if they have the permission, the system gives them the ability to override.
The system supports the ability to place holds on titles with status on-order. For additional information, see the Acquisitions notes later in this document.
Evergreen has the ability to designate specific org units that will not trigger a hold upon check-in.
Evergreen added logic to hold targeting to skip branches that are closed at the time of hold placement and 'x' time ('x' time being a set interval). This is to prevent the hold being targeted at branches that will be closed Saturday and Sunday (for example), making it impossible for patrons to receive their hold. This presumes there is another copy available at another branch.
There are more options now for hold settings. One option is library weighting as well as looping. If looping is set, the holds targeter will skip any libraries that it targeted in a previous loop and will continue doing so until it has tried all libraries at which point it will start the process over again. If max loops are being used in hold management, at the end of the last determined loop, if there are no copies that could potentially fill a hold, the hold may be canceled. If there are checked-out copies, the hold stays in queue; otherwise, the hold is canceled and a cancellation notice is sent to the patron.
The system offers the ability to secondarily sort the Holds Pull List by physical shelving location within the library.
The system offers the ability to distinguish between staff-placed holds and patron-placed holds through a column in the holds interface.
Hold cancellation can be displayed, along with information regarding the cancellation (e.g., cause, cancellation type, date, item, patron, etc.)
There is support now in the system to allow configuration to disallow holds for items that are on the shelf at the location from which the patron is searching.
The system supports patron specific hold notes that can display in the OPAC and print in the hold notice, but do not necessarily print on hold slips.
The system supports ability for staff to move someone to the top of the holds queue. This was developed due to cases where a patron picked up a hold but the item was damaged. Since the patron had picked up the hold, it was considered filled.
The patron can change the pickup location before the hold is ready for pickup. Then, the item is put in transit & a new holds slip is printed with a special symbol to indicate that the pickup location has been changed. If the location is changed while the item is in transit, than at next checkin the item is put in transit to the new location. A new holds slip is printed.
The system supports a separate hold note field for staff use that can print on hold slip.
Ability for patrons to view recently canceled holds and easily re-place holds.