Document Delivery requests are submitted to the system in the same ways as Borrowing requests and initially display in the ILLiad client in the Borrowing module. During processing, the requested items are identified as being owned by the local library system. The decision about whether to route to Document Delivery or Cancel the transaction as owned is often based on patron type, patron location, and whatever other criteria that an institution wishes to govern the Document Delivery process.
To help prevent multiple staff users from processing a request at the same time, a request is moved into the Request In Processing status when it is opened from a Request Processing Queue. This status change will keep that request from displaying in the queue list and being readily available for processing from that list.
A Request Queue is considered to be the following:
- Any custom queue
- Awaiting ALA Request Processing
- Awaiting Request Processing
- Awaiting Document Delivery Processing
- Awaiting Lending Request Processing
- Awaiting Conditional Request Processing
- Awaiting Renewal Request Processing
There is nothing to prevent another ILLiad staff member from finding that request another way–such as searching for the request and opening it from the search results--or if they had already had the request list open and the form was not refreshed, and from opening that request.
To search in your local OPAC, you can use the Z39.50 tab on the ILLiad request form. For more information about connecting your local OPAC with ILLiad, see OPACs and Z39.50.
The Z39.50 Search Form allows you to search your local OPAC for the requested items to determine ownership or status prior to requesting via ILL. From the Request form, click the Z39.50 tab.
- From the main request form, click on the Z39.50 tab.
- Information from the request form will be filled into the search fields.
- Click on the Search icon next to any of the fields to start the search.
- Results from your OPAC will appear in the grid.
- Location, Call Number, and Availability will appear in the Holdings grid on the bottom right.
- To import the specific record and call number into the ILLiad request first, click on the record.
- Click Copy Info.
- The call number and location will be copied to the ILLiad request.
You can use the Z39.50 Server drop-down list to specify the resource to be searched. If multiple resources have been set up, the screen will default to the resource set up in the ILLiad Customization Manager as the default search resource. This would typically be your institution's local OPAC, but could also be set to the OPACs of other institutions. See OPACs and Z39.50 for more information.
Custom Searching
Along the Discovery ribbon of the ILLiad Z39.50 Search Form are five automated Z39.50 search links:
- A Title search
- An Author search
- A Keyword Search
- A System Number search (OCLC or Docline Number)
- A Standard Number (ISSN/ISBN) search
These searches function just like the OCLC search options in the OCLC Form. Just click on the search and the system will perform the search and display the results in the results grid on the form. These same searches are also accessible from the OCLC Ribbon of the ILLiad Z39.50 Search Form.
If the automated search options are not sufficient for your needs, you may also perform a custom search using the Custom search option in the Searches section of the Discovery Ribbon. Custom Z39.50 searches may be performed based on several fields. Multiple-field searches may be strung together logically using either "AND" or "OR" as operators to refine the search. Use the dropdowns to select the fields to be searched, and enter the values for which the system should look in the fields below the dropdowns. Then select the "AND" or "OR" operator, depending on which type of search you wish to perform, and click the Search button to perform the search.