[OPEN-ILS-DEV] A list of questions about Evergreen

[Sharp, Chris]

Hi Olli,

I'll take a stab at most of these - answers inline below...

----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kivilahti Olli-Antti" <olli-antti.kivilahti at jns.fi>
> To: open-ils-dev at list.georgialibraries.org
> Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2012 4:31:22 AM
> Subject: [OPEN-ILS-DEV] A list of questions about Evergreen
> 
> 
> 
> We have been gathering a list of questions regarding our struggle
> with Evergreen, and here they are. We are hoping to get some insight
> into the following topics and would love to hear what the community
> has to say. We are interested about how you use these topics in your
> daily routines, should some special measures be taken to use these
> topics correctly (obscure configuration variables?), are we asking
> the right questions or generally how you feel about us probing you
> with these questions.

Please continue asking questions like this!  I think they benefit everyone (though these particular questions might be more appropriate on the General list IMHO). 

> BTW, we are currently making our own version of the Evergreen user
> manual!
> 
> 
> Problems with Evergreen
> 
> Placing holds (9.1.)
> What is the difference between Title Level Hold and Volume Level Hold
> ? I understand Copy Level Hold which is for copies of title. Is
> Title Level Hold = Volume Level Hold in books? In serials it may be
> different and there is Issue Level Hold, too, but that's another
> question.

A Title Level Hold will target any copy attached to a single bibliographic record (within the range of allowable copies - in our case holds are allowed consortium-wide except on audio-visual items).  A Volume-Level Hold will target any copy attached to a single volume/call number.  The volume/call number is an intermediate "container" owned by a specific library to which the items are attached.  In most cases, title-level holds are what you want, but that depends on your setup.  I can't speak to Issue Level Holds.

> Managing holds in title records (9.2.)
> Sitka manual says: "All holds on this title to be picked up at your
> library are displayed. Use Filter checkbox and Pickup Library to
> view holds to be picked up at other branches of your libary system."
> What is the difference between Pickup Library and Requesting Library
> ? I understand Pickup Library being library where patron wants to
> check out items. What is the role of Requesting Library?

The Requesting Library is location from which the patron places a hold.  For self-placed holds in the OPAC, this will be the home library of the patron placing the hold.  You can use the requesting library to create hold policies like "When a patron (or staff member) at library A places a hold on an item for pickup at library B, allow (or deny) the request."

> Holds Pull List (9.3.)
> Sitka manual says: "The Holds Pull List is updated constantly. Once
> an item on the list is no longer available or a hold on the list is
> captured, the items will disappear from the list. The Holds Pull
> List should be printed at least once a day." I am confused of the
> time holds stay in the list. When I place holds, some of them shows
> in the list and others don't and even nobody captures the holds they
> disappear from the list.

The hold_targeter.pl script is intended to be run on a separate utility server every 15 minutes (at least that was the original design).  Every time it runs it looks through all the active hold requests and searches through the eligible copies for a copy to use for the hold.  Since it runs so often, the consequence is that the holds pull list may change between the time it is printed and the time holds are actually processed.  I don't know whether it is recommended to run the script less often than every 15 minutes, but that's the way we've always done it.

> Clear shelf process
> "Clear shelf copy status
> Any copies that have not been put into reshelving, in-transit, or
> on-holds-shelf (for a new hold) during the clear shelf process will
> be put into this status. This is basically a purgatory status for
> copies waiting to be pulled from the shelf and processed by hand".
> How this clear shelf process starts and when? What does it do?

I'm afraid I don't know enough about this to speak about it.  Hopefully someone else will jump in here ;-).

> Server Administration -> Permissions
> What does mean "user_request.create"? What does it allow? There is no
> explanation, just the name.

I don't know specifically, but from a glance at http://git.evergreen-ils.org/?p=Evergreen.git;a=blob;f=Open-ILS/examples/fm_IDL.xml;h=5b9725a6b0e851731ff0647b8b8704c86c345abf;hb=HEAD, it appears to be a request related to serials (?)....

> Circ Duration Rules
> Where do you define how long is the "short " duration valid? For
> example new fiction books should be in shorter loan period for three
> months since copy is purchased, where can I define it? And what is
> "extended" duration, how is it supposed to work and what purpose?

When cataloging an item, you can set its Loan Duration attribute, which allows your library to set per-item exceptions to the default loan period.  "Short" and "Extended" are defined in Admin -> Server Administration -> Circulation Duration Rules (in the staff client).   Depending on which version of Evergreen you're running, you should be able to set up a Circulation Policy to address your issue regarding newly-acquired items.

> Home service or homebound patron
> How do you manage homebound patrons? Sitka Evergreen Policy & Best
> Practices Manual says in 3.2: "providing Home Service for patrons
> with special needs".

PINES has an Outreach user defined with longer loan periods and different fine rules applied.  Aside from that I believe the process is managed outside of Evergreen in our case.

Hope that's helpful!

Chris

-- 
Chris Sharp
PINES Program Manager
Georgia Public Library Service
1800 Century Place, Suite 150
Atlanta, Georgia 30345
(404) 235-7147
csharp at georgialibraries.org
http://pines.georgialibraries.org/