Hold Queues

When a hold on a single item is created, a hold record is created that links the item and the specified user. When more than one user places a hold on a single item, a hold list or hold queue forms. Any number of users can wait in the hold queue.

When an item that has holds becomes available, SirsiDynix Symphony checks the hold queue to determine which user will receive the item. All holds are evaluated to see which one (if any) will be satisfied. Only qualified holds for the item, patron, and station operator who placed the hold are considered.

Demand Management systems do not have a first-come, first-served hold queue order (unless the hold map does not give one user priority for the item over another user). The following criteria are used to determine which user’s hold in the hold queue will be satisfied.

When a hold is placed, staff can force the current user’s hold to be first in the queue, but the hold is still subject to the Priority attribute of the Hold Map policy. The User Profile policy also determines how many simultaneous holds a user can have outstanding.

The Hold Rank number is assigned through the User Profile policy. The Hold Rank is a number from 100 to 199. A user with a rank of 102 has a hold honored before a user with a rank of 105. All users with the same hold rank number wait in the hold queue in first-come, first-serve order.

At any time, the library can find out who is waiting for any item in the collection and how long they have waited. SirsiDynix Symphony can automatically produce a list of titles that have long hold queues.

When an item with holds becomes available, SirsiDynix Symphony determines which user’s hold in the queue will be satisfied, and makes the item available. If the user does not pick up an available item, you can decide what actions to take based on your library’s procedures and the expiration date of the hold.

SirsiDynix Symphony considers only qualifying holds for the station operator who placed the hold, not the station operator who is currently making the item available.

If a Hold Map does not exist for a particular hold, the hold is treated as a No Priority hold.