[OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] Feature Question: Multilevel Holds

[Mike Rylander]

On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 4:24 AM, Paul Waak <ptwaak at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> We have frequent requests for titles at a scope higher than the bib record
> level.  An example would be for any copy of The Bean Trees where hard back,
> trade, mass market or large print is alright but an audiobook or an abridged
> edition is not.

This functionality has existed since day one in Evergreen, and is a
feature we call metarecords.  See the "Group Formats and Editions"
check box in the advanced search page.  The grouping of titles is
based on a locally configurable fingerprint algorithm. (
http://svn.open-ils.org/trac/ILS/browser/trunk/Open-ILS/src/javascript/backend/catalog/biblio_fingerprint.js
)  To filter based on item type or form there are type and form
filters both in the simple search (the formats dropdown, which
defaults to "All Formats") and on the advanced search interface (Item
Form and Item Type).  These are based on the bibliographic data in the
MARC, so your cataloging must be complete enough to make use of them,
but if you're talking about RDA then it should be, right? ;)

This works not only for search but also for holds.  If when placing a
hold you click on "advanced hold options" then you get to select one
or more acceptable formats.  The titles involved are grouped in
exactly the same way (using the mentioned fingerprint) as the "Group
Formats and Editions" function on the advanced search page.

With a one-line local change to one OPAC file, metarecord searches
(grouping formats and editions) can be made the default.

-- 
Mike Rylander
 | VP, Research and Design
 | Equinox Software, Inc. / The Evergreen Experts
 | phone:  1-877-OPEN-ILS (673-6457)
 | email:  miker at esilibrary.com
 | web:  http://www.esilibrary.com