Skip to main content
ExLibris
  • Subscribe by RSS
  • Ex Libris Knowledge Center

    Photocopy Request Handling in Aleph 21

    • Article Type: General
    • Product: Aleph
    • Product Version: 21

    Description:
    The Aleph version 21 includes several new functions related to the handling of photocopy requests.

    First of all, if you are satisfied with the current handling of photocopy requests, there is no need to change your setup. Without any changes, request handling in version 21 will work exactly as it used to do in previous versions.

    Keep filled photocopy requests
    ========================

    Up to version 20 the life cycle of a photocopy request was as follows: A patron submits a photo request which initially has the status "A" (active). In some instances (item currently not available) the status may become "W" (waiting). After the librarian handled the request, the photocopies are provided for pickup, and the request is filled. It is removed from the system, and there is no way to track within Aleph if a photocopy was actually picked up by a patron.

    With the new tab100 variable KEEP-FILLED-PHOTO the life cycle of a photocopy request continues. The default setting is N. If you change it to Y, a filled request is not removed but gets the status "F" (filled). There are two new buttons in the list of photocopy requests that enable supplying or shipping of a photocopy request to a patron.

    • Press the Supply button if the patron comes into the library in order to pick up the photocopies that are provided for him.
    • Press the Shipping button in order to prepare the photocopies to be sent to the customer. In this case a cash transaction is created and an invoice is printed.

    In both cases the requests end up in status "S" (supplied).

    There are two other new statuses: "D" (deleted) and "R" (refused). In the latter case the library decided for any reason to refuse the handling of the photocopy request. A note is sent to the patron, informing him about the reasons why the request was refused. The option to delete a photocopy request was present in former versions as well although the requests did not get a special status but just disappeared from the lists.

    "D", "R" and "S" are final statuses. They cannot be changed to other statuses and they all mark the end of a photocopy request's lifecycle.

    Photocopy request history
    ====================

    Up to version 20 Aleph included a loan history (Z36H) and a hold request history (Z37H) but no photocopy request history. In version 21 you have the option to maintain a photocopy request history (Z38H). In order to activate it you need to define in tab100:

    CREATE-Z38H=Y

    In the photocopy request history tab in the GUI you have the option to view details of previous requests but of course without the possibility to edit them.

    Photocopy requests in the OPAC
    =========================

    In the case that a patron requests the photocopy of an article, the fields "author", "title" and "pages" will be automatically filled from the relevant fields of the BIB record.

    After submitting a request, instead of just seeing one sentence at the top of the page, the patron will see a confirmation page repeating all details of his photocopy request.

    Resolution:


    • Article last edited: 10/8/2013