Sending ALA Borrowing Requests

For situations in which you are not able to send a request electronically (through OCLC, Docline, etc.) you have the option to send an ALA request. This can be sent to the lending library by mail, fax, email, etc. ILLiad will automatically generate ALA Requests using Microsoft Word templates.

Processing ALA Requests

Once you decide to process a request as an ALA request, route it to the Awaiting ALA Request Processing queue. Identify ahead of time which library you will send the ALA request to. There needs to be an existing lender address record in order to process and print the request.

1. Double click on the queue Awaiting ALA Request Processing.
2. Select the request you want to print an ALA request form and double-click on it to open.
3. Enter the lender symbol for library receiving the ALA form in the Lending String field AND in the Lender field.
4. Change the System ID to OTH.
5. Click Save.
6. The Lender Selection window will open and Select the address to use.
   
   • If no address has been added to ILLiad for this symbol, enter the Lender Information and select Add Address. Then click the Select option.
7. Click Request Sent.
8. The Lender Selection window will open again. Select the address to use.
9. The request will close and move to the status In ALA Request Print Queue.

Printing ALA Requests

The documents to be opened are specified in the ILLiad Customization Manager in the BorrowingPrintALADocsArticle and BorrowingPrintALADocsLoan keys under Borrowing | Printing.

1. ALA Requests that are ready to be printed will be at the status In ALA Request Print Queue.
2. On the ILLiad main menu, click on the Borrowing ribbon and click Print ALA Requests.
3. The ALA Request template will open in Microsoft Word.
4. Verify that the ALA requests have printed correctly and close Word, electing not to save any of the open documents.
5. Once printed, the transactions sent via ALA request will move to a status of Request Sent in the ILLiad client.