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

    Managing Rapido Lending Requests

    Managing Rapido Lending Requests

    This section describes how to manage resource sharing borrowing requests on the Resource Sharing Lending Requests page.
    Refer to Rapido Article Digital Request and Rapido Physical Request for an example of a complete end-to-end process.
    Use Rapido Sets to manage outstanding lending requests (Rapido Sets > Lending Requests > select a borrowing set). Selecting All active lending requests or a specific set enables you to manage your workflow actions.
    Resource sharing lending management.
    Lending Resource Sharing Requests
    To manage resource sharing lending requests, you must have a fulfillment service operator or manager in the scope of the resource sharing library to manage lending requests.
    In order to manage lending requests, your role is required to be scoped to the resource sharing library.

    Due Dates

    The lending due date calculation includes the delivery shipping time to the borrower, the loan period, and the return shipping time to the lender.

    For example, if the shipping time is five days and the loan period is 14 days, and the current date is May 1, 2021, then the Lending Due Date = May 25, 2021 (May 1st + 5 (shipping to the borrower) + 14 (loan period) + 5 (shipping to the lender)).

    Once the resource is shipped and the shipping message is sent to the borrower, the borrowing due date will also be May 25, 2021.​

    The loan period is the Borrowing Due Date minus the return shipping period. In our example, May 25th - five shipping days = May 20, 2021.

    Workflow Actions

    Each item includes the request details and the request status. Filter the requests using the facets or search bar.
    Select an item to add labels to the request or save the request as a new set. You also have the option to append a note to the request.
    Adding a note from the right pane adds the note as dismissed, and therefore, the note is not included in the Active Notes facet.
    Select edit to update any of the request details. Select Edit.png to apply the relevant action to the request as per the Actions table. The request status updates according to the action selected.

    The available actions depend on the request status.

    Lending_Workflow.png
    Resource Sharing Lending Requests Task List Page

    You can also multi-select requests to apply bulk actions to the request.

    Multiple_Lending_Requests.png
    Lending Requests
    Resource Sharing Lending Request Actions
    Actions Description
    Assign to
    Use this action to assign the request to a user.
    Bad Citation
    Indicates that metadata information is missing which prevents the request from being processed.
     Change Due Date
    Rapido gives lenders the option to extend a due date for non-expired loans when there is no option to renew the loan. When the lender changes the due date, the borrowing request status updates to Renewed by Partner, and a letter is sent to the patron informing them that the due date is extended.
    Checked In
    Send an ISO checked-in message to the borrowing library indicating that the item was returned to the lending library. The request closes automatically.
    A checked-in ISO message is only sent if the active partner's workflow profile includes Checked In Message as a valid option (see Configuring Workflow Profiles).
    Using the Checked In action does not change the status of the item and the librarian should scan the item after using this action to ensure the item is marked as back in place or routed back to its place.
    Conditional
    A pop-up window is displayed with a mandatory Reason, a Date for reply, which is the last day the lender will wait to receive an answer from the borrower, and a Note field. When the message is submitted, the request status changes to Conditional. An ISO message is sent to the borrower. When a response is received from the borrower, if the response value is No, the request is rejected. If the value is Yes, the Date for Reply field is cleared, and the request status returns to Created lending request.

    Create Digitization Request is available for active requests with physical holdings that are not yet shipped (item_sent_date is empty) and are not cancelled.

    Selecting the action displays a window with the following options:

    • Optional holdings that can fulfill the request, the number of items, and how many holdings are available for the resource sharing process and the summary holding. 
    • Managing Department - for shipping a digital resource, the Managing Department drop-down list is displayed, enabling the user to select which digitization department receives the digitization request. If only one department is available to manage the request, the Managing Department automatically populates with that department. If more than one value exists, the default value is taken from the rs_default_digitization_department CP if exists.

    This field is mandatory.

    • Option to add a note.

    When selecting Create, a digitization request is created for the item. The selected digitization department processes the digitization request.

    For requested resources that are multi-volume or serial resources (i.e., they include issue/volume/description, etc.), the request form contains the following:

    • New ‘Request Specific Item’ checkbox (unchecked by default).
    • When the checkbox is unchecked, the Manual Description field is visible.

    The field is mandatory and is populated with the patron requested information as shown in the Note field of the request.

    When the checkbox is checked, dropdown lists display for the Year, Volume, and Description. The Description is mandatory because it is required to fulfill the request (based on the currently selected holding). The Year and Volume help narrow down the description field values. 

    Available for requests with physical holdings that are not yet shipped (item_sent_date is empty) and are not cancelled. 

    Selecting this action displays a window with the following information and options:

    • Library – with the name of the library that holds the holding
    • Availability – this field contains two date options:
      • If the record does not have a summary holding, the number of items and how many of them are available for the resource sharing process displays 
      • If the record has a summary holding, the availability field displays the summary holding 
    • Summary holding value - the summary holding value can be very long. If the value is too long, the column will contain part of the value and three dots at the end that represent the full summary holding. Hover over the field to see the full value in a tool-tip.
    • Option to add a note.

    When selecting Create Request, a move request is created for the item. The item is always delivered to the resource sharing library that created the move request.

    For requested resources that are multi-volume or serial resources (i.e., they include issue/volume/description, etc.), the request form contains the following:

    • New ‘Request Specific Item’ checkbox (unchecked by default).
    • When the checkbox is unchecked, the Manual Description field is visible. This field should only be used when the request is for a title that does not have any items since it creates a general move request and not a request that is placed for a specific item.  See Multi-Volume Resource Sharing Workflow.

    The field is mandatory and is populated with the patron requested information as shown in the Note field of the request.

    When the checkbox is checked, dropdown lists display for the Year, Volume, and Description. The Description is mandatory because it is required to fulfill the request (based on the currently selected holding). The Year and Volume help narrow down the description field values.

    Detach from MMS

    Detach a lending request from its inventory.

    Download Electronic Resource
    Used for retrieving electronic resources. When selecting this action, you are directed to the resource owned by the library in order to fulfill the lending request. 
    Duplicate
    Create a new request based on the existing one. The Resource Sharing Request page opens, and you can modify the request parameters in the Request Attribute section as needed.
    When duplicating a Resource Sharing Borrowing request, the values in the following fields are copied to the new request:
    • Request Status
    • External identifier
    • Format
    General message
    Send a general message with a lending request to the borrower (see Sending a General Message with a Resource Sharing Request).
    You can also use the General message action to recall an item since there is no dedicated Recall action in Rapido.
    Locate resource

    Displayed for requests that do not have an inventory attached in order to find a resource and attached to the request for further processing.

    Sends the borrower details about the fee for the lost item.
    Print slip

    Print a call slip for the item containing both the external ID and barcode of the item.

    For requests that have not yet been shipped, this option prints an incoming request slip, Full Incoming Slip Letter. For requests that have already shipped, this option prints a shipping slip, Resource Sharing Shipping Slip Letter, containing additional information specific to the item being shipped.

    For information on these slips, see Configuring Alma Letters.

    Reactivate
    This action is available when:
    1. The Operator has the Reactivate privilege in the scope of the owner of the request.
    2. Appears only when Reactivated is enabled in the Lending Workflow Profile. See Adding Workflow Profiles.
    3. The Status is one of the following: REQUEST_COMPLETED, EXPIRED, REJECTED, CANCELLED.
    Selecting this option reactivates a completed peer-to-peer resource sharing request. The shipped item's process status changes to In resource sharing and the item is relinked. The request status changes to Request Reactivated. The request's original external ID is maintained.
     
    Reject
    This action is used by lenders to reject an incoming request. Reject is only visible if the workflow option Reject is enabled. The lender's rejection updates the borrower request automatically if the borrower/lender communication is using one of the protocols such as ISO 10160 or ISO 18626. When rejecting a lending request you must enter a reason. The reasons are transferred to the borrowing library so a common set of reasons is used. The list can be found here.
    Release assign
    Enables you to unassign an assigned request from a user.
    Ship item Physically

    Ship the item associated with the request.

    Once the files ship, the request updates to either Shipped Physically or Request Completed depending on whether the Complete the request checkbox is selected on the Shipping Physically page. 

    Ship the item associated with the request.

    Add the relevant files to the lending request (i.e. have not been created as part of a digitization workflow). Once the files are uploaded, you can preview them to see that you have selected the correct resource. After selecting Send, the request updates to either Shipped Digitally or Request Completed depending on whether the Complete the request checkbox is selected on the Shipping Digitally page.

    For this feature, your browser settings must be configured to allow viewing of PDF files.

    Status Query

    Request a status update from the borrowing institution. This is only applicable to ISO partners.

    The returned lender ISO status is recorded in a note. Each ISO status corresponds to the following Alma request statuses:

    • Not supplied - Rejected the borrower request, Locate failed, Expired
    • Pending - Created lending request, Being processed, Will Supply, Non expiring
    • In Process - Staff renewal, Renewal response
    • Cancel Pending - Cancel reply
    • Canceled - Canceled
    • Shipped - Shipped Physically, Shipped Digitally
    • Received - Received by partner
    • Renew Pending - Renew requested, Patron renewal
    • Overdue - Overdue request
    • Returned - Returned by partner
    • Checked In - Lender check in, Request Completed
    • Recall - Recalled item
    • Lost - Lost
    • Unknown - Damaged, all other
    Will supply
    Update a request that has not yet shipped with a Will Supply status. This is only displayed when the request is not yet shipped and the borrowing partner's workflow includes Will Supply (see Configuring Workflow Profiles).

    Workflows

    Adding a Note

    You can add notes to requests by selecting Add Note from the right pane.

    The option to add a note in the right pane.

    Add Note

    By default, system notes are included in the Active Notes facet, but notes added from the right pane are added as dismissed, and therefore, the note is not included in the Active Notes facet.

    The active notes facet.

    Active Notes facet

    To activate notes added from the right pane, edit the request, and select Update Notes > Activate Notes from the Notes tab.

    The option to activate notes.

    Activate Notes

    A Notes label is then added to the request, and the note is now included in the Active Notes facet.

    The notes label and activate notes filter.

    Notes label and Active Notes filter

    Creating a Move Request

    Use the Create Move Request action to assign physical requests that have not yet shipped to the relevant library.Create_Move_Request.png

    Create Move Request action

    Selecting this action displays a window with the following information and options:

    • Location – the name of the library that holds the holding

    • Availability – this field contains two options:

      • If the record does not have a summary holding, the number of items and how many of them are available for the resource sharing process displays 

      • If the record has a summary holding, the availability field displays the summary holding

    Suppressed.png indicates that a record is suppressed.

    Create_Move_Request_Selection.png

    Create Move Request options

    If you do not select a library, the most sensible library will be chosen for you.

    When selecting Create Request, a move request is created for the item, and the status updates to Being Processed. The item is always delivered to the resource sharing library that created the move request.

    For requested resources that are multi-volume or serial resources (i.e., they include issue/volume/description, etc.), the request form contains the following:

    • New Request Specific Item checkbox (unchecked by default).

    • When the checkbox is unchecked, the Manual Description field is visible.

    The field is mandatory and is populated with the patron requested information as shown in the Note field of the request.

    When the checkbox is checked, dropdown lists display for the Year, Volume, and Description. The Description is mandatory because it is required to fulfill the request (based on the currently selected holding). The Year and Volume help narrow down the description field values.

    Creating a Move Request Configuration

    Rapido automatically creates move requests for journal articles found using Rapid while enabling a manual process for those that were not found in the Rapid Pods.

    Requests are not created automatically for lending requests that were added manually.

    Use this setting when pick from shelf and digitization are processed by a library branch rather than a resource sharing library.   This configuration automatically updates the lending request status to being processed and automatically creates a move or digitization request based on the requested format.

    You have the option to exclude automating requests:

    • For serial items
      • Always
      • For non-RapidILL partners
    • For multi-volume items
    • When items are available in multiple branches

    Branch_Automation.png

    Move to Branch Automation

    Creating a Digitization Request

    Use the Create Digitization Request action to assign digital requests that were not yet delivered to the relevant library.

    Create_Digitization_Request.png

    Create Digitization Request action

    Selecting the action displays the following options:

    • Optional holdings that can fulfill the request, the number of items, and how many holdings are available for the resource sharing process and the summary holding.
    • Managing Department - for shipping a digital resource, the Managing Department drop-down list is displayed, enabling the user to select which digitization department receives the digitization request. If only one department is available to manage the request, the Managing Department automatically populates with that department. If more than one value exists, the default value is taken from the rs_default_digitization_department customer parameter if it exists.
    • Option to add a note.

    Create_Digitization_Request_Selection.png

    Create Digitization Request options

    If you do not select a library, the most sensible library will be chosen for you.

    When selecting Create Request, a digitization request is created for the item, and the status updates to Being Processed. The selected digitization department processes the digitization request.

    For requested resources that are multi-volume or serial resources (i.e., they include issue/volume/description, etc.), the request form contains the following:

    • ‘Request Specific Item’ checkbox (unchecked by default)
    • When the checkbox is unchecked, the Manual Description field is visible.

    The field is mandatory and is populated with the patron requested information as shown in the Note field of the request.

    When the checkbox is checked, dropdown lists display for the Year, Volume, and Description. The Description is mandatory because it is required to fulfill the request (based on the currently selected holding). The Year and Volume help narrow down the description field values.

    Adding a Lost Item Fee

    When a borrower declares an item as lost, a note is added to the lending request, and the request status updates to Lost.

    The lending request lost item note.

    Note added to the Lending Request

    The lender can then apply the Lost action to the item and send a message to the borrower about the Lost Item fee. 

    The Lost lending action.

    Lost lending action

    The lending lost item form.

    Lost Item message

    After sending the Lost Item message, the request status updates to Lost and Fee Communicated. After the fee is paid or waived, manually set the lending status to Request Completed.

    Expired Lending Requests

    When a pod is configured with expiration terms, lending requests include an expiration date and the number of days before a request is due to expire.

    Pod expiry details on a request.

    Pod/Request information with expiration details

    Requests can be faceted by Expiration Date.

    Expiration Date facet options.

    Expiration Date facet

    For pods that allow automatic renewals, when the Send Courtesy Notices and Handle Loan Renewals Job (Configuration > Fulfillment > General > Fulfillment Job Configuration) is set to Active and Allow Renew for Rapido Pods Requests is checked, expiring requests are automatically renewed.

    To prevent lending requests from expiring during non-workdays, set the days to exclude from the expiry period calculation (Configuration > Resource Sharing > Configuration > Resource Sharing Working Days).

    Shipping Directly to Branch

    To allow branches to ship resources directly to a borrowing institution instead of sending the request to the associated resource sharing library, select Ship resource sharing resources directly (Configuration > General > Libraries > Add a Library or Edit Library Information). When Ship resource sharing resources directly is checked and the staff has fulfillment privileges in the library defined to allow shipping of resources directly from the branch while at the scope of that library, the Shipping Items menu (Fulfillment > Resource Sharing > Shipping Items) menu and the Scan In Item page > Shipping Items button are visible. The user can use either one of them to ship the resource. The resource sharing request is then updated accordingly (for example, Shipped Physically). For more information, see Enabling Branches to Ship Directly.

    We recommend setting the move to branch to automatic, (see Create Move Request Configuration). This creates the fulfillment request for the staff at the branch to handle without needing to access the resource sharing requests task list.

    Resupplying a Request

    When RESEND_REQUEST_RECEIVED (Configuration > Resource Sharing > Configuration > Manage Rapido Alerts) is configured, Rapido includes alerts to notify lenders when the borrowing institution uses the Resupply Request action.

    The lender receives an alert and a note with the request, and the request status updates to Created lending request.

    Resupply request notes and alerts.

    Lending Request Notes and Alerts

    Resend Requests can also be saved as sets.

    Sorting by Shelving Location Workflow

    To efficiently organize your lending requests, you can sort lending requests by location. After selecting Sort by: Shelving Location, when printing pickup slips, the pickup slips are printed in order by shelving location.

    This is only relevant for requests that have not yet shipped.

    The option to sort by shelving location.
    Shelving Location

    Automating Digital Requests

    Rapido supports batch automatic delivery of digital lending requests from a configured folder using the internal identifier from scanned files. When the Automatically Ship Rapido Digital Requests job runs, the attached files are sent automatically to fill the borrowing request, and the request closes automatically.

    For information on configuring the Automatically Ship Rapido Digital Requests job, see Configuring Rapido Jobs.

    The Digitization Workflow Setup (Configuration > Fulfillment > Copyright Management > Digitization and Copyright Rules) determines what kind of output the borrowing institution receives, based on what output type (link or attachment) is selected in the Select digitization target drop down list. When the job is run, a folder AutoShipFileTmp is created in the institution's root directory folder with a folder for shipped files and a folder for failed deliveries.

    When the file is available, the borrower receives the Notification Item Letter with links to the file.

    The out-of-the-box Notification Item Letter automatically includes the link. If a user has configured the letter, the user needs to configure these links for them to be included. 

    The notification item letter.

    Links to files in the Notification Item Letter

    The request then updates the request Status to Shipped Digitally. If there is a problem that causes the file delivery to fail, the job will try to send the file the next time the job is run.

    The job report for the Automatically Ship Rapido Digital Requests job is available in the History tab (Admin > Manage Jobs and Sets > Monitor Jobs).

    The job report.

    Alerts and Events on the Job Report

    Lending Scanning Options

    You can set a message to warn users that scanning in items will complete the lending process. See Configuring Lending Scanning Options.

    Disabling Lending Hours

    Resource sharing libraries can temporarily disable lending resource sharing accommodations. This feature is commonly used for holidays, extended staff absences, natural disasters, or known disruptions to services.

    Lending hours must be disabled for both Rapido resource sharing and RapidILL. See Disabling Lending Hours in Rapido.

    The Rapido configuration affects the physical requests and digital requests that do not come from RapidILL.

    Disabling Lending Hours in RapidILL

    To disable lending hours in RapidILL:
    1. Log in to the RapidILL website.
    2. Select Settings > Lending Off Hours.

      Lending Off Hours Settings.

      Lending Off Times settings
    3. Select Add New Time.

      The option to add a new time.

      Add New Times
    4. Select the dates and times when lending is unavailable.

      Scheduled Lending Off Times.

      Scheduled Lending Off Times

      It is a known issue that if an off time is created and then edited, to change the off time, you must delete the off time and create a new entry.

    Shipping Items Digitally

    Rapido enables you to ship a digital request directly from the Download Electronic Resource screen. After downloading a digital request (Lending Request > Download Electronic Resource action), you can now use the Ship item digitally action to upload the electronic resource directly from the Download Electronic Resource screen.

    The ship item digitally section on the Download Electronic Resource screen.
    Ship item digitally
    Browse to or drop the file to upload and select Ship.
    An uploaded digital item ready to ship.
    Uploaded digital item ready to ship
    The status updates to Shipped Digitally and the borrower receives the Notification Item Letter with the resource attached or a link to download the resource.
    Lenders that provide a document delivery service can indicate whether the supplied document can be made available to the patron in digital form, or whether the digital content requires manual handling by the borrowing staff, such as printing a physical copy that can be shared with the patron as a non-returnable physical copy. This option enhances copyright control by enabling the lender to specify to the borrower that the document cannot be shared with the patron. To enable relevant terms see,  Conditional Terms of Use for Digital Requests.
    The shipping terms of use list on the document delivery form.
    Shipping Terms of Use
    When a term of use is selected, an alert is added to the request indicating that The request has a loan condition, and the Shipping Terms Of Use condition appears on the right pane Request information.
    The loan condition alert.
    Loan condition alert
    The loan condition on the request information.
    Request information Shipping Terms Of Use

    Creating Invoices for Partners

    New for April! When configured (see Send Invoice to Partner Job), lending institutions can send invoices directly to borrowers for requests that include fees.

    When the Send Invoice to Partner job runs successfully, the Partner Invoice Letter (Configuration > General > Letters > Letters Configuration) is emailed to relevant partners detailing the costs for the request.

    The partner invoice letter.

    Partner Invoice Letter

    Invoices are also viewable on the new Resource Sharing Partner Attachments tab (Fulfillment > Resource Sharing > Partners). Attachments can also be added manually.

    Attachments tab
    The invoice status is displayed in the right pane Request costs in the following fields:
    • Invoice Sent Date — The date the invoice was sent to the partner.
    • Invoice Number — The invoice number that contains this request charge information.
    • Invoice Printed — An indication if an invoice was already created for this request.
    When the section is open for editing, the library staff can update the invoice number and the invoice printed indicator.
    Request costs

    Invoices can also be sent in bulk by selecting multiple requests and selecting the Lending Request Send Invoice action.

    Send Invoices in bulk action
    A message is displayed indicating which invoices were sent. 

    Successful invoices are invoices that were sent successfully. Failed invoices are invoices to partners without an email address. Skipped invoices are for requests that are not relevant because there are no charges for those requests or an invoice was already sent.

    Confirmation message

    Workflow Statuses

    The request status updates according to the action selected.
    Additionally, the request status updates when the lending library performs an action for the request.

    The available actions depend on the request status.

    Resource Sharing Lending Request Statues
    Action Description
    Being Processed An internal fulfillment request was created and is awaiting staff processing.
    Cancel reply This status is not currently supported.
    Cancelled The request was cancelled by either the borrower or the lender.
    Conditional The lender was responded with a conditional response.
    Created lending request The initial status prior to being processed can either be processed or moved to branch to be processed.
    Damaged This status is triggered automatically if the borrower reported that the item is damaged.
    Deleted The library chose to delete the request and will not see the request.
    Expired The request expired and is no longer actionable by this lender.
    Lender check in This is a manually set status that sends a confirmation message to the borrower that the item was checked in.
    This option should not be selected in workflow profiles that are used by broker partners because it causes the request to wait for lender confirmation.
    Locate failed The incoming request was not located automatically and the staff must locate the resource manually.
    Lost The borrower has updated the status to lost.
    Lost and fee communicated This status is set when the lender used the Lost action to report the lost item fee to the borrower.
    Overdue request The due date for the request passed.
    Pending Auto Reject This status is sent when the request is waiting to be automatically rejected.
    Reactivated This status is set after the Activate action is used and is awaiting the next action.
    To enable this feature, you must contact Ex Libris Support.
    Recalled item The Recall action was performed with the p2p partner.
    Received by partner The borrower received the shipped item
    Rejected the borrower request The lender rejected the borrower request.
    Renew requested The borrower has requested renewal.
    Request Completed The request was completed.
    Returned by partner The borrowing library has returned the item.
    Shipped Digitally The lender has suppled the requested item digitally.
    Shipped Physically The lender has shipped the requested item.
    Will Supply The lender used the Will supply action to indicate that they will fulfill the request, but they have not yet fulfilled the request.
    • Was this article helpful?