I-Share Sample Workflow: Processing I-Share Items
Related product I-Share

I-Share Sample Workflow: Processing I-Share Items

Note: This is a sample workflow, which may or may not meet the workflow needs of your library.

If any step in the process is confusing, or does not produce the expected result, please .

Incoming Processing

Initial steps:

  1. Unpack purple ILDS bags
  2. Sort books into two stacks: your items being returned, other libraries’ items being delivered.
  3. While sorting, do a cursory scan of each item for damage or paperwork which may require special action.

Process other libraries' items delivered to your library:

  1. Divide the incoming books into two stacks- those from I-Share libraries, and those from other Non-I-Share libraries.
  2. Do an inspection of each book for damage. If damage is found to an I-Share book, follow the the I-Share Best Practices: Damaged Items procedures.
  3. Process items from non-I-Share libraries following your library’s procedure.
  4. For the I-Share items, discharge each item in the Voyager Circulation client.
    • Discharging the item will automatically change the status of the book from “In Transit-On Hold” to just “On Hold”. This change of status will print a Hold Slip for the item.
    • If your library has more than one pick-up location, discharging the item may generate a Route Slip for you to ship the item on to the patron's pick-up location.
      • When that pick-up location receives the item and discharges the item in the Circulation client, that discharge will automatically change the status of the book from “In Transit-On Hold” to just “On Hold”. This change of status will print a Hold Slip for the item.
  5. The printed Hold Slip will let you know which patron the book is for; label the item for the Hold Shelf following your library’s procedure, and put the item in your library’s Hold location.
  6. Either notify your patrons via phone/email manually to let them know of their item’s arrival, or you can use the automatic "Item Available Notices" feature in Voyager which will email your patrons automatically when Circ Job #5 runs overnight and during the noon hour.
    • Necessary SysAdmin settings to use Item Available Notices feature:
      • SysAdmin->Circulation-> Policy Definitions-> [click Edit]-> Patrons Tab-> [Select patron group]-> [click Rules]-> the Email Item Available Notices box is checked
      • SysAdmin->Circulation-> Policy Definitions-> [click Edit]-> Patrons Tab-> All patron group-> [click Rules]-> the Email Item Available Notices box is checked (due to a system bug, the All patron group must be checked to send Item Available Notices to your patrons. Due the bug, Item available notices are either sent to ALL of your patrons, or NONE of your patrons.
  7. When the patron comes to your library to pick up the item, charge the item to the patron in Voyager Circulation. This will change the item’s status to Charged.
  8. Inform the patron of the due date. Remember, once the charge window is closed in Voyager Circulation, only the patron can see that item listed by looking in his/her VUFind account.

Process your items being returned:

  1. Divide the incoming books into two stacks- those from I-Share libraries, and those from other Non-I-Share libraries.
  2. Do an inspection of each book for damage following your library’s procedure, making note of any damage or items with notes from borrowing library (example- is the item marked lost?).
  3. Process items returned by non-I-Share libraries according to your library's policies/workflow.
  4. For items returning from I-Share libraries, discharge all of the items owned by your library in the Voyager Circulation client. While discharging, watch for any pop-up notices (such as item lost, Circulation Review, etc.).
    • Most of the items should discharge with the “Browse” status showing in the FYI column of the Discharge menu, meaning they were in transit without being charged to a patron. This is the usual way items are in transit.
    • If an item shows “Discharged” in the FYI column of the discharge menu, that means it was charged to a patron while in transit.
      • Depending on your library’s workflow and process for sending items to other library systems (like through OCLC), this might be a sign that there are additional steps that need to be finished before the transaction is complete.
      • This may also mean the the item was checked out to an ILLINET library.
      • While the discharge screen is still open, right click on the item in the discharged list, then choose "Go to Borrowing Patron" to see who the item was previously charged to. If necessary, take a screenshot of the patron record when it loads.
  5. Barring any odd circumstances, once discharged, your library’s books are ready to be reshelved.
    • If your library has more than one Circulation Happening Location location, discharging the item may generate a Route Slip for you to ship the item on to the item's final shelving location.

Outgoing Processing

Follow your library's own workflow for shipping items requested through non-I-Share methods (such as OCLC WorldCat or other ILL delivery services).

Processing Daily Call slips

  1. These documents explain the daily process for filling Call Slips for shipping.

Returning an Item that your patron borrowed through I-Share:

  1. After your patron has used the item they borrowed from I-Share, they will return it to the library.
  2. Do an inspection of each book for damage. If damage is found to an I-Share book that wasn’t there before your patron used it, do not discharge the book. Follow I-Share Best Practices: Damaged Items procedures.
  3. For undamaged items, discharge the item Voyager Circulation, watching for any pop-up notices (such as a lost status; if lost status is applied, follow I-Share Best Practices: Lost Items).  Discharging the item in Voyager Circulation will print a Route slip.
  4. Place the Route slip inside the front cover of the book or item case, and return the item through ILDS. Read the FAQ at the ILDS homepage for more information.