[Koha-devel] RFC 3.2 - hold request targeting

[Galen Charlton]

Hi,

For 3.2, LibLime proposes to add a feature to target specific items to
fill hold requests.  This targeting, which would be done in
conjunction with use of the holds queue batch job
(build_holds_queue.pl) and its report, would allocate items that are
sitting on the shelf to fill specific hold requests.

The idea is that the library would run the holds queue report
periodically, then use the report to pull items off the shelf in order
to fill hold requests.  When the report is generated, the batch job
would also populate a new table (to be called hold_fill_targets) that
recommends that specific items be used to fill specific hold requests.
 As items from the picklist are checked in, if the item is targeted to
a specific hold, it would be used to fill that hold first instead of
filling the request that happens to be at the top of the priority
queue.

Why do that?  Suppose that a bib has two items, itemA and itemB, and
suppose patron1 has a title-level request on the bib, and patron2 has
an item-level request on itemB.  Further, suppose that both items are
available, meaning that both requests could be filled.

At present, whether both requests are actually filled depends on the
order in which the items are checked in.  If itemA is checked in
first, then patron1 gets it, and when itemB is checked in, patron2
gets it.  Everybody is happy.  However, if itemB is checked in first,
patron1's request is filled, but patron2 is left waiting for the item.

With the new targeting feature, the batch job will allocate items to
fill particular requests, thus allowing all of the available items to
be used to fill as many holds as possible, in priority order.  The
mechanism does assume that the library's workflow is to run the batch
job, then *quickly* pull the items to put on the hold shelf or
transfer to other branches.

This mechanism will also be used to minimize the number of transfers
by allocating items located at a branch to fill requests for that same
branch.

Regards,

Galen
-- 
Galen Charlton
VP, Research & Development, LibLime
galen.charlton at liblime.com
p: 1-888-564-2457 x709
skype: gmcharlt