Description

The issue of "requestable items" --including in the display only ​items requestable or indicating to users which items are requestable -- has been raised in CampusM/Aleph functionality, but the same applies to any x-server calls to Aleph.  

Analysis

The ./xml_service/xml_hold_req program calls the check_hold_request routine, which checks the XML-CIRC lines in the ./xxx50/tab/tab_hold_request file. These lines may include, for instance, 
XML-CIRC check_hold_request_a (which says that tab15 should be checked) and a 
XML-CIRC check_hold_request_b (which says that tab37 should be checked). 

The OPAC Web OPAC programs have a PRE call which checks to see if an item is requestable, that is, whether the "REQUEST" button should be displayed as an option. And the dlf_service programs used by Primo have an HL-GRP-PRE call which does the same. In contrast, the ./xml_service programs have only a XML-CIRC call. They do not have any "PRE" call. It would seem that, given the current xml_service functionality, the only way to determine an item's availability is to attempt to request it. 

Thus, it doesn't seem that there is currently anyway with the xml_service programs to indicate to the patron whether an item is requestable -- or to display only items which are requestable. It would seem that this would require adding "PRE" check functionality to the xml_item_data or xml_circ_status programs. 

Resolution

The approach which CampusM is using:

1. Allow users to filter results by item material (-- avoiding material types, such as e-book and others, which are not requestable according to local policies).

2. Allow users to search either against the entire base or the local base. This provides more accurate results and helps direct the reservation process.
 

• Article last edited: 31-Mar-2016