what about adding a feature to bulkchange a given virtual shelf ? That
would be an already existing place to remember a batch.
We could also port some feature that exist on OPAC to deal with
basket/lists to staff interface.
Then, have a bulkstatuschange applied on a virtual shelf.

Only if you are talking about changing biblio records.  Unlike their analog analogues, Virtual Shelves don't contain items.  (And shouldn't.)