Process requests

Learn how to process New For Review and Open Access requests, how to receive items from In Transit and Received status, the options for unfilled requests, and how to respond to conditionals from lenders in WorldShare Interlibrary Loan.

Select whether you are using the Legacy interface or the Modernized interface in WorldShare Interlibrary Loan. 

Process New For Review requests

Follow the instructions below to process New for Review requests.

To process New for Review requests:

  1. From the Borrowing Requests category, click New For Review. The initial categories of Not Reviewed and Reviewed are listed.
    • Requests under Not Reviewed are requests that have not been seen by your staff. These requests originate from a source outside of your system.
    • Requests with a status of Reviewed have been saved by your staff, using the Save For Review feature.
  2. Click the request ID or Title to display a request.
  3. Review and confirm the information in the Request Details section.
  4. If the citation needs to be verified, click the magnifying glass icon, next to the Title, Author or standard number fields, to search WorldCat via Discover Items. A contextual search is launched for the terms selected, and the Results screen appears.
  5. A My library catalog link will redirect to the library's online catalog URL as set up in the Online Catalog section of the WorldCat Registry module in the OCLC Service Configuration. The following must be entered in the Online Catalog section in order for the My library catalog link to resolve: Online Catalog Direct to ISBN, Online Catalog Direct to ISSN, or Online Catalog Direct to OCLC Number. 
  6. On the Results screen, you have two options:
    1. Click the item you want to request. Bibliographic information appears. If applicable, click Apply data, OR
    2. Click a link to holdings, or use a Custom Holdings Path or OCLC profiled Group. On the Holdings screen, add lenders to the Lender String, then click Update request.

       Note:  The citation information for copy requests will display at the top of the Holdings screen and will remain as you scroll through potential lenders.  Compare the lenders holding information in the Holdings column to the citation information of the copy request to be sure the lender has the exact volume needed to fulfill the request.
       

      Screenshot of the holdings screen, calling out the citation information needed for copy requests.

  7. The request form appears, and the bibliographic data is updated.
  8. Apply your constant data, and click Send Request.
  9. A confirmation message appears and the request is updated.

Bibliographic matching

Bibliographic matching helps patrons get the item they asked for. When someone submits a new borrowing request through a supported path (listed below), WorldShare Interlibrary Loan searches WorldCat using the citation on the request. It finds WorldCat records that count as good matches for that request. 

The system then picks one main, best matched, WorldCat record for the request. When several records qualify, it picks the one held by the most libraries worldwide. That main record does two jobs: 

  • It fills in bibliographic information on the request (title, OCLC number, and related data). 
  • If you use borrowing automations, it helps the system decide which automation applies. 

This matching runs for eligible new requests even if you do not use the Automated Request Manager. 

More than one WorldCat record can match

Sometimes WorldCat has more than one good record for the same item (for example, different editions of the same work or records for an e-serial vs. a print serial). The request still gets one main record applied, as described above. 

Some automations go further. If the matched automation builds a lender string or sends the request to lenders using a Custom Holdings Path, the Automated Request Manager also checks your preferred lenders against other good matching WorldCat records, not only the main record. That way a lender is not skipped just because their holdings are on a different edition or different record in WorldCat. 

What borrowing staff usually see first on the request is bibliographic data from the main best matching record. Later, as the request moves through lenders in the lender string, that data may change to match the lender or edition held by each lender in the lender string. 

If no automation applies, or the automation only updates constant data or moves the request to review (it does not build a lender string or send to lenders), this main record is used to update the bibliographic fields on the request and that is typically the end of matching. 

When bibliographic matching runs

Matching runs automatically when a request is submitted via: 

  • WorldShare ILL request form 
  • OpenURL 
  •  Data typed into a blank request form 
  • FirstSearch 

 Note: Matching does not run when staff create a request manually in the staff interface unless the request is sent to automation.

When there is no OCLC number on the request, the same rules use the format of the most widely held record from the search, not mainly the format on the form. 

Notes about matching

  • If the request has only an ISSN or ISBN, the title on the request must be close enough to the WorldCat title. 
  • The system uses ISSN, OCLC number, and ISBN when they appear on the request and looks in WorldCat for records with those identifiers that also pass title checking. 
  • When the request includes an OCLC number, format matching is based on the material format of that WorldCat record (not mainly the format on the request form). Only records whose format is the same or in the same format group as that record are kept—for example, book and e-text are in one group; DVD is not grouped with book. 

When there is no OCLC number on the request, the same rules use the format of the most widely held record from the search, not mainly the format on the form.  Some related formats are treated as equivalent during matching:  

  • Book, E-Text, Integrated Resource, Dissertation, Microform, and Thesis 
  • Serial, E-Serial, Newspaper, Serial - Bound, and Serial - Unbound. 

Print and electronic serial records can both be acceptable when they share an ISSN and pass title checking, because serial formats are in the same group. Other formats each have their own category (for example DVD, VHS, and sound recording). A request for a DVD will not pull in book or VHS records for the same title. 

Limiting which WorldCat records can match 

Most of the time, bibliographic matching may include more than one acceptable WorldCat record when ISBN, ISSN, or OCLC number searches find equivalent editions or cataloging choices. That helps automation find lenders among your most preferred partners when any related record is acceptable. 

Other times you already know the exact WorldCat record you want to use to find lenders. You do not want matching to expand the list of acceptable records using other identifiers on the request. The same need comes up when a patron requires large print and a regular print copy is not acceptable. 

Edition preference and edition text on the request tell matching when to narrow results. Matching uses these values as originally submitted on the request, before it updates bibliographic fields. 

Setting edition preference on the request 

Edition preference and edition text must be on the request when it is submitted or when staff send it to automation. You can set them in the staff interface, on patron request forms, or both. 

  • Staff interface: When staff create or edit a borrowing request, use the Request details section.
    • Set Preferred edition to This edition when you need matching to use a specific WorldCat record and not broaden to other editions.
    • Use Edition for edition notes (for example, large print), together with the OCLC number and other bibliographic fields.
    • To apply a particular record, search Discover Items from the request (for example, using the magnifying glass next to the title or a standard number), open the record, and apply its bibliographic data to the request, or enter the OCLC number directly in Request details.
    • Confirm any edition-related fields and the OCLC number before you send the request to automation. 
  • Patron request forms: Patron interlibrary loan forms can optionally include the same information.
    • In Patron Request Workforms, your library can add the Edition field (patron section) and Edition (text) (bibliographic section).
      • Large-print detection matches phrases in edition text (for example, large print, large type), not yes/no answers.
      • Patrons only see fields your library adds to the form. If a field is not on the form, patrons cannot enter that information on that submission; staff can still set edition preference, edition text, and the OCLC number in the staff interface. 

This edition with an OCLC number 

Choose This edition when staff or the patron need that specific WorldCat record, not a different edition the system might otherwise find from ISBN or ISSN. 

When This edition is selected and the request includes an OCLC number, acceptable matches are limited to that OCLC number only. Bibliographic matching does not use ISBN or ISSN on the request to add other acceptable records. If that OCLC number cannot be matched, the request typically moves to Review for staff follow-up. 

Selecting This edition without an OCLC number on the request does not narrow matching by itself. 

Large print in edition text 

When edition text indicates large print (recognized English and non-English phrases, matched without regard to case), acceptable matches are limited to large-print print-book records in WorldCat. This works together with the usual identifier, title, and material format rules. 

This edition and large print can both apply. If This edition is selected with an OCLC number and edition text indicates large print, matching uses only that OCLC number and the record must also qualify as large print. If it does not, the request will move to Review. 

Other edition settings 

Any edition (or no preference selected) keeps the broader matching behavior described earlier, except when edition text triggers large print filtering. 

Most recent edition does not change which WorldCat records are acceptable during bibliographic matching. 

Request history includes an automation history with notes when these rules restricted matching or caused an ISBN or ISSN search to be skipped. Staff can review those notes when a request lands in Review. 

Holdings screen

Display holdings

Screenshot of an item’s holdings screen, calling out the options to display/filter holdings

To display holdings, use one of the following options:

  1. Click State Holdings, Regional Holdings, or All Holdings.
    • State Holdings: Holdings within your state displayed in alphabetical order by institution name.
    • Regional Holdings: Holdings from states or provinces that border your state. Bodies of water are not considered when determining borders. Your institution's state or province is listed first, followed by other states or provinces in alphabetical order.
    • All Holdings: Your institution's state or province is listed first, followed by other states or provinces in alphabetical order.

       Note: A line separates holdings for each state and province. Within each state or province, holdings are listed alphabetically by institution name

  2. To display holdings from a Custom Holdings Path or OCLC profiled group, select that option from the Filter by drop-down list. Click Go to see results based on the selected filters. See Filter holdings to build a lender string for more information.

Note: The Year and Volume filters apply to the selected path or profiled group when creating a copy request for an article from a journal/magazine.

Filter holdings to build a lender string

When viewing holdings for an item, you can filter the list of holdings to assist in building a lender string. If you select both a Custom Holdings Path and a year or volume, the lender string will automatically populate with libraries from the first section of the display. 

Filter by Custom Holdings Path

You can filter holdings by a custom holdings path when the item requested is a book or other monograph as well as for copy requests where:

  • The patron did not specify the year or volume.
  • The holding libraries do not specify their year or volume-level holdings.
  1. Select a custom holdings path from the drop-down list.
  2. Click Go. The results list identifies the group of the holding library in the Group column. Groups are also delineated by a heavy gray line.
    • If you select both a Custom Holdings Path and a year or volume, the lender string will automatically populate with libraries from the first section of the display. 
  3. Click Yes in the Supplier column to add lenders to the string. You can add up to 15 lenders from the results list.

 Note:  Custom Holdings Paths which contain Profiled Groups can only be completely applied via automations configured in the Automated Request Manager. If the Custom Holdings Path has been manually applied, a warning appears. To build a partial lender string from the current Custom Holdings Path that does not include symbols from the Profiled Group, click OK. Click Cancel to close this window and either manually route this request to automation or select a different Custom Holdings Path. See Custom Holdings Path for more information.

Filter with Year and Volume

When viewing holdings for a journal or other periodical, you can filter the list of holdings by year or year and volume. This data is populated from the lending library's local holdings record or knowledge base holdings. 

  1. Enter a year in the Year field
    Or
    Enter a year in the Year field and a volume in the Volume field.
  2. Click Go.
    • The results list is split into three sections, delineated by a heavy gray horizontal line:
      • Libraries that hold the year/volume
      • Libraries where local holdings are not available
      • Libraries that do not hold the year/volume
    • If you select both a Custom Holdings Path and a year or volume, the lender string will automatically populate with libraries from the first section of the display. 
  3. Click Yes in the Supplier column to add lenders to the string. You can add up to 15 lenders from the results list. A lender string will be added based on libraries that hold the year/volume.

Holdings screen view

Screenshot of the holdings screen calling out all available options

On the Holdings screen, you also have several options:

  • Hover your cursor over the information icon (Information icon) next to the title of the requested item to see brief bibliographic data.
  • Click Yes (or anywhere in the Yes box) in the Supplier column to add a Supplier to your lender string.
    • Once a lender has been added to the lender string, the hyperlink in the Supplier column will no longer be clickable. If a lender is removed from the lender string, your ability to click on Yes in the Supplier column is restored. This selection status will be maintained as you move through all holdings lists.
    • Yes displays if the library is a current supplier.  If they are not, a dash displays in the Supplier column.
  • Click the information icon (Information icon) next to the library’s name to go the OCLC Policies Directory and confirm a lender’s policies. The OCLC Policies Directory for the lender will open in a new window. 
  • Click the library name to go to the library’s online catalog. 
    • This link is maintained in the WorldCat registry.  For information about configuring your OPAC to display to other libraries and provide deep links to a specific OCLC number or other identifiers, see WorldCat Registry, Configure links to your online catalog.
      • The following must be entered in the Online Catalog section in order for the OPAC link to resolve: Online Catalog Direct to ISBN, Online Catalog Direct to ISSN, or Online Catalog Direct to OCLC Number. 
  • View suppliers’ Days To Respond. The Days to Respond indicates the number o fdays the library needs to respond to copy and loan requests.
    • If an item is Held by your library, you will see the Held by my library icon icon at the top of the Holdings screen, indicating that your library has a holding set on that item in WorldCat. You will also see this icon on the top of the Request work form. 
  • View the suppliers Location, which displays abbreviations for the country, and state or provence.
  • The Symbol column shows the institution's OCLC symbol.
  • The Group column populates when you filter by a Custom Holdings Path in order to show which of your Custom Holdings Groups contains a potential lender. 
  • The Cost column indicates what the library charges for copies and loans as entered in the the OCLC Policies Directory.
  • The IFM column will indicate Yes if the library participates in Interlibrary Loan Fee Management.
  • View suppliers' Holdings information. This data is populated from the lending library's local holdings record or knowledge base holdings. If the information has been provided by the library, the column will display Local holdings available or a summary statement of specific volumes and issues held.
    • Click on the text in the column to view additional holdings details.
      • The resulting Holdings screen will list the Collection and Coverage for the knowledge base holding.
      • Local Holdings Records will list the Format, Location, and Holding information.
      • The coverage information displayed in the Holdings information sometimes comes from the embargo_info field of the KBART file in the WorldCat knowledge base. See Embargo and moving wall of coverage for more information.

          Note: The citation information for copy requests will display at the top of the Holdings screen and will remain as you scroll through potential lenders.  Compare the lenders holding information in the Holdings column to the citation information of the copy request to be sure the lender has the exact volume needed to fulfill the request.
View Holdings details

If the information has been provided by the library, electronic serials display the exact coverage statement from the WorldCat knowledge base and a Local Holding Record (LHR) summary displays for print serials in the Holdings column.

Click on the summary text in the Holdings column to view additional details about the WorldCat knowledge base or LHR holdings for the title.

  • The resulting Holdings detail screen will list the Collection and Coverage for the knowledge base holding.
    • Coverage statements are displayed in the Holdings column for each individual knowledge base collection and are not deduplicated if the holding appears in multiple collections. After clicking on a coverage statement, the resulting Holdings detail screen will list the name and coverage for each knowledge base collection containing the serial.
  • Local Holdings Records will list the Format, Location, and Holding information.

 Note: The citation information for copy requests will display at the top of the Holdings screen and will remain as you scroll through potential lenders.  Compare the lenders holding information in the Holdings column to the citation information of the copy request to be sure the lender has the exact volume needed to fulfill the request.

Process Open Access requests

Follow the instructions below to process Open Access requests.

To process Open Access requests:

  1. On the left navigation, click Discover Items.
  2. Search for a journal or magazine title by typing your search terms in the box provided.
  3. Click Search. Matching results appear, along with holdings display options.
  4. On the Results screen, click View Now. Note: The resource will open in a new window.
  5. In the WorldShare ILL window, click Regional Holdings from the Results screen.
  6. On the Holdings screen, click Create Request. Note: The View Now link is also available on this screen.
  7. On the request workform, click Save For Review.
  8. A confirmation message appears and the request appears under the category Borrowing Requests > New For Review.
  9. Click the Request ID in the confirmation message.
  10. Or access the request from the Borrowing Requests > New For Review category.
  11. Click the Email button and fill out the form to send the patron the open access link for the item requested.
     Note: HTML tags are not supported within the email feature.
  12. Open the request and select Open Access from the Change Fulfillment Type list to record fulfillment of the item.  A confirmation message appears, and the request is updated to Closed/Open Access.

 Caution: It is important to email the patron the Open Access link to the request before clicking Open Access because when the request is updated to Closed/Open Access, the patron information attached to the request will be cleared.

 Note: Requests filled via Open Access will be included in monthly statistical reporting.

Receive items (from In Transit status)

Follow the instructions below to mark an item as received.

To mark an item as received:

  1. From the Borrowing Requests category, click In Transit.
  2. Click the request ID or Title to display a request. Note: Request queues where batch processing is available include an icon in the left navigation sidebar.
  3. Click Mark as received.
  4. A confirmation message appears and the request appears under the category Borrowing Requests > Received > Received/In Use.

Renew item (from Received status)

Follow the instructions below to renew a request item.

To renew an item:

  1. From the Borrowing Requests category, click Received.
  2. Click the request ID or Title to display a request.
  3. Enter a Desired due date.
  4. Click Renew item.

     Caution: When suggesting a desired due date, be sure to consult the lender’s renewal policies by scrolling down in the request form and clicking the question mark icon (Question mark icon) to open the lender’s Policies Directory profile.

  5. A confirmation message appears and the request appears under Borrowing Requests > Received > Renewal Requested.  

Mark a request as Lost

If a received item is missing, mark the request as Lost to alert the Lending library.

To mark an item as Lost:

  1. From the Borrowing Requests category, click Received.
    • Items can be marked as Lost from the Received/ In Use, Renewal Requested, Renewal Approved, Renewal Denied, Overdue, and Recalled queues.
  2. Click the request ID or Title to display a request.
  3. Select Lost on the request detail screen.

The request status is updated to Lost and the request moves to the Received but Missing queue for both the borrowing library and the lending library.

If the item is recovered, return or renew the item.  See Return items for more information.

Unfilled requests

If a request is not filled by any of the lenders in the Lender String, the request will age to Unfilled.  Options for Unfilled requests include Resend Request, Change Fulfillment Type, or Cancel Request.

To resend the request:

  1. Click on the request ID of the unfilled request.
  2. Under Lending Libraries, enter additional lenders into the Lender String.
    • The History appears below to indicate the lenders who have previously received this request and their response.
  3. Optional.  Edit the bibliographic data in the Request Details, Borrowing Notes, Billing Notes, or IFM Maximum Cost.
    • Search options appear for Title, Author, ISSN, ISBN, and OCLC Number fields.
    • The Preferred edition field is not editable.
  4. From the request screen, click Resend Request.
  5. The request will move to Awaiting Response.

You can change the Fulfillment Type of an unfilled request to a Purchase Request. 

To change the fulfillment type of the request:

  1. Locate the request you want to change.
  2. In the request, click Change Fulfillment Type and select Purchase Request.
  3. The request moves to the new fulfillment type queue.

 Note: Whilst the Cancel Request button is still available for these requests, it is not necessary to click on this button as the request has already been closed. If clicked, it will result in the request status being updated to Closed (cancelled). This request will then be double-counted in OCLC Usage Statistics - Borrower Activity Overview Report as both an unfilled and a cancelled request.

Respond to conditionals from lenders (from Produced status)

Follow the instructions below to respond to conditionals.

To respond to conditionals:

  1. On the left navigation, click Borrowing Requests.
  2. Click Conditional. 
  3. On the Conditional screen, review the Conditions column to see the lender’s conditions. 
  4. Click the request ID or Title to display a request.
  5. If the lender has requested alternate terms, such as an increase in max cost or the use of IFM, and you agree to the terms, update those details within the request. You must do this before clicking Yes; otherwise, the terms of your original borrowing request still apply.
  6. Respond to the Lender’s condition with Yes, No, or Cancel Request.
    • If you click Yes, the request returns to the Lender and appears under Lending Requests > Can You Supply? > Conditions Accepted.
    • If you click No, the request goes to the next Lender in the lender string.
    • If you click Cancel Request, the request is canceled.
  7. A confirmation message appears.

 Note: Update the request as needed before saying Yes to the condition. If there is confusion or special circumstances, use the lender's contact information in the request or form the Policies Directory to communicate with the lender. There is no way to add a note when responding to a lender's conditional response within the request. 

Watch a video

New For Review ILL requests

Run time:  9:44

New For Review is a category in OCLC Interlibrary Loan service for requests routed by the system or saved by review by staff at the library to be approved and processed at a later time. This video covers how ILL requests arrive at the New For Review category and how a staff member at the library can process the request.

 

Process ILL requests as a Borrower

Run time:  10:17

This video covers the steps a staff member at a borrowing library takes after an ILL request is placed in the system and needs to be processed and updated.

 

Requests: Expired, overdue, or unfilled

Run time: 7:12

This video covers how to proceed with requests with the status of expired, overdue, or unfilled in WorldShare ILL