Library Procedure Handbook

Placing a hold for a patron

Note: Patrons can place holds themselves through our online library catalog by searching for the item they want and clicking “Request it.” They will need to follow the steps to enter their first or last name and student ID # and then they will be able to place the hold.

They also may want you to put an item on hold for them. This can be done in Sierra:

1. Make sure you are in the “Check out” tab
2. Pull up the patron’s account by typing their student or staff ID number into the topmost search bar.
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3. Click on the “Holds” tab in the left-hand menu
4. Click 
5. If you have the item with you, change the dropdown to “barcode” and scan it. If you don’t have the item, type in the title (i.e. laptop) and select the matching item. You may need to limit using the filters on the side to just LTC-Cleveland (this will give you only LTC items).
6. You should see the item record.
   1. Click “hold copy returned soonest”
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7. A box will pop up with the option to enter “not needed before/after dates.” You can just click “OK” if they want the hold immediately.
   1. NOTE: If you are holding something for the student who is not enrolled yet - you MUST change the "not needed before" date to one week prior to their classes starting. This rule applies for equipment and device checkout to students who are not currently enrolled, but will be enrolling next semester. 
8. A box may also ask if you want to page hold. Choose “page”.
9. The hold should then show up in their account.
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10. If you have the item, you can go to the “Check In” tab along the left-hand menu and scan it in. This will prompt you to print the hold slip. Select the receipt printer (E4). Attach the hold slip to the item and put it on the hold shelf. The patron will be notified via Sierra automated notices.

Processing the hold list (paging list):

Description: The paging list shows up twice daily (once in the morning, once in the afternoon) in the library@gotoltc.edu email. We want to fill these holds as soon as possible. It looks like this:

1. Go down the list and search the items in the catalog to make sure they are available.
2. If they are available, write down the call numbers and go retrieve them from the shelves
3. Go to the “Check in” tab and scan in each item.
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4. You will see a pop-up for each item telling you that it is on hold for someone. The information should match the name on the paging list.
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5. Click “yes”
6. The next pop-up will be to send the hold slip to the printer. Choose the Receipt Printer (E4) from the “Name” dropdown list and hit “print”.
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7. The hold slip should print out. Attach the slip to the item with paperclips and put on the holdshelf (first aisle in the back room movable stacks). The patron will be notified that their item is ready for pickup. They will need to pick it up within 4 days.

Removing/Cancelling holds:

1. If you need to remove someone’s hold, open their account under the “Check out” screen.
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   Go to the “Holds” tab on the left-hand menu. Select the hold you wish to cancel and click “Cancel Hold”
3. Click “no” on the print hold cancellation pop-up. You should see the hold was removed from the account.

Checking a hold out to a customer:

1. When the patron arrives to pick up their hold, pull up their account under the “Check out” screen by scanning their student/staff ID card.
2. Retrieve the hold item and scan the barcode.
3. The item should now show up on their account – click “close” in the upper right corner to print the due date slip or send it to their email.
4. Note: Rarely, some holds may already show up as checked out to the person – their due date should be on the hold slip. Remind them of the due date and give them the item.

Clean hold shelf:

1. Each active hold will have a hold slip with a pull-by date on the bottom. If the pull-by date has passed, you can take this hold off the hold shelf. However, you MUST first remove the hold on it before re-shelving it.
2. To remove the hold, open the patron’s account under the “Check out” screen.
3. Go to the “Holds” tab on the left-hand menu.
4. Select the hold you wish to cancel and click “Cancel Hold”
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5. Click “no” on the print hold cancellation pop-up. You should see the hold was removed from the account.
6. Some hold items are very popular and you may see a pop-up that this item is now on hold for the next person on the waitlist. If so, print the new slip and put on the hold shelf for the next person.
7. If it is not on hold for anyone else, the item can be reshelved.

Looking up/ viewing holds:

There are two common instances you may want to look up holds:

1. To see how many holds there are on a particular item / how long the waitlist is OR
2. A patron may want to know if they have something on hold.

To check if there are holds on a particular item:

1. Go to the Search/Holds tab
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2. Scan the item barcode or type in the title (you may need to filter to only LTC items by clicking “LTC Cleveland” along the left-hand side)
3. Once you pull up the item record, click “Bib-level holds” on the left side. This will list everyone that has a hold. This is also where you can tell where a patron is on the waitlist.
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To see if a patron has a hold:

1. Open their account under the “Check out” screen by entering in their ID number.

2. Go to the “holds” tab on the left-hand menu
3. See if they have any holds.