Holds

 

Placing Holds

Holds can be placed on a patron’s account two ways:

The preferred method is through the OPAC. There are two types of holds or reserves: Title-Level Holds (also known as Bib-Level Holds or Copy Returned Soonest Holds) and Item-Level Holds:

  • For most holds, place a Bib-Level Hold and do not limit to a location in Sierra (in the OPAC, there is not the option to limit to an owning location). This method ensures that your patron will receive the first available copy of a title; if there is a long waiting list, your patron will get your copy first even if patrons from other libraries have been waiting longer.
  • If the volume field was used in the item record because there are multiple volumes attached to one bibliographic record, you must place an Item-Level Hold. In the OPAC, there will be a screen listing the volumes and the desired volume must be selected for the hold to be processed. When placing holds in Sierra, staff must careful to check if the volume field has been used; if it has been, you must request a specific volume.

Circulation staff may also place holds on their patron’s accounts through the Sierra Circulation Program, although this is not the preferred method. Circ staff are strongly encouraged to use the opac to place holds for patrons because it cuts down on errors and provides a good teaching moment for patrons. (You can scan a barcode into a web browser to save time.)

There are two locations from which to place holds in Sierra:

The Search/Holds Function:

  1. Enter the title or author of the item
  2. Select a bib record that includes a [local library] copy, or if [local library] does not own, select the record with the greatest number of items attached.
    Choose carefully!! Some items that have multiple volumes or are series (ex. DVD sets, Manga, Graphic novels, etc.) Material type (Large print, cassettes, CDs, etc.)
  3. Select “Hold Copy Returned Soonest”

Select barcode or patron from the drop down menu
Scan the patron’s barcode or type in their name
Once the patron is selected and the “Place a Title-Level Hold” screen pops up, hit “ok”; select “Page for title” when that screen pops up – the item is now on hold.

The Check Out (Circulation Desk) Tab:

  1. Type in the patron’s name or scan in their barcode
  2. Go to the “Holds” tab
  3. Select “Add Holds”
  4. Enter the title or author of the item
  5. Select a record that includes a [local library] copy, or if [local library] does not own, select the record with the greatest number of libraries.
  6. Select “Hold Copy Returned Soonest”

Once the patron is selected and the “Place a Title-Level Hold” screen pops up, hit “ok”; select “Page for title” when that screen pops up – the item is now on hold.

Occasionally a patron will only want a local copy, or a specific edition of a title. In that case, place an “Item-Level hold” rather than a “Title-Level Hold.” The procedure is the same as above through selecting a record:

  1. Select “Hold Selected Item”
  2. From the pop up screen select “Place hold; do not print paging slip”
  3. Scan the patron’s barcode or type in their name (if placing through the patron’s record, their name will automatically pop up).
  4. Once the patron is selected and the “Place a Title-Level Hold” screen pops up, hit “ok.”


Once an item is placed on reserve, a staff member at the circulation desk will contact the patron. Items are placed on the hold shelf for one (1) week.

Modifying Holds

Sierra will permit library staff to modify a hold request in several ways. If a patron does not want their request to be fulfilled before a certain date, that information can be entered when the hold is placed by entering a date into the “Not Wanted Before” or “Not Wanted After” fields in the “Place a Title-Level Hold” screen. This modification can also be done after the hold is placed by highlighting the hold under the “Holds” tab in the patron record, clicking on the “Modify Holds” tab, then entering the information.

Library staff can also move a patron up or down on a list of holds by “changing priority” of the hold. This is done when there is a system malfunction or staff error placing the hold. It should not be done on a regular basis. A brief explanation with staff initials should be be entered in the Hold Note field.

Extending (Renewing) Holds

Most intra-Minerva items may be renewed once unless they are significantly overdue or requested by another patron. So long as the system allows the renewal without a message/warning, it is fine. If there is a message/warning and the patron would like to keep the item, contact the owning library’s circ staff to and ask to override the block for a second renewal.

MaineCat items can likely be renewed once as well (there are a few cases where a renewal will not be allowed). If the system will not let the item be renewed, staff are not permitted to override a system message/warning regarding a MaineCat item to add another renewal. Extra renewals on MaineCat items do not work and the item will appear as overdue to the lending library and you may receive a bill for the item.

To renew an item:

  1. Once in the patron’s record, go to the “Checked-out Items” tab
  2. Select the item for renewal and click on “Renew.”
    –OR–
  3. Click on the Renew button and scan the item. A box with the patron’s name will pop up. Confirm patron ID and click okay.


If the patron is present with the item, stamp it with the new due date. If the patron is on the phone, make sure to let them know the new due date.

Broken Holds

These can be items that appear as checked out on a patron record when they aren’t or items that give a message they are checked out when they are actually in hand; most need to be sent to the Innovative Help Desk to be resolved but some can be fixed locally by library staff. Before sending a request for a broken hold to be removed follow these steps:

  1. Change the status to “@” IR OFF Site.
  2. Save and close the item record.
  3. Scan it through Check In.
  4. Then try again to perform the desired transaction (checkout, deleting the item record, etc.)

In many cases, this will clear the old hold; if it doesn’t, send a request to Maine InfoNet Support at http://support.maineinfonet.org and submit a Broken Hold request.