Tipasa release notes, June 2023

Automatically expire borrowing requests sent to partners​

Previously, all steps for managing off-system borrowing requests were manual. With this release, the system will automatically close off-system borrowing requests based on Need Before date or the Days To Respond - saving you time by eliminating the need to review dates and manually close requests.

If this has been reached...	These will automatically update...
Need Before date	Request status: Closed (Expired) Reason for no (supplier history): Aged to Expired
Days To Respond (8 days for copies and 16 days for loans)	Request status: Closed (Unfilled) Reason for no (supplier history): Aged to Unfilled

Notes:

• This automatic closing applies to all off-system borrowing requests, including those already in your queue. We recommend that you check your off-system borrowing queue for any expired or unfilled request and notify the partner that the request has been closed and the item is no longer needed from them. You can use the "full request details" email or the newly available notification for Cancel (see section below, Send new automated notifications to partner institutions). Then, you may want to submit the request to another partner (by copying the request and extending the Need Before date) or change the fulfillment type to an ILL or purchase request.
• With an upcoming release, the system will use the Days To Respond that you have set for the partner institution in the Address Book - rather than the default 8 or 16 days. 

For more information, see Off-system borrowing.

Include partner institutions in automation-built lender strings

OCLC symbols for off-system partner institutions can now be included in lender strings built by automation. To be used in an automation-built lender string:

• An OCLC symbol must be included for the partner institution in the Address Book.
• The partner institution's OCLC symbol must be included in a custom holdings group and path used by the automation.
• The partner institution must have holdings in WorldCat or automation must be able to search their catalog holdings via Z39.50.

Also:

• In the OCLC Policies Directory, the partner institution's OCLC Supplier status must be set to No.
• In Advanced Workflows, the use of off-system partners in lender strings must be enabled. This option will become available in mid-July 2023.

Finding or creating the partner institution's OCLC symbol

Even though your partner institution doesn't typically supply items on the OCLC network, they may have an OCLC symbol for other services such as cataloging. To determine if the institution already has an OCLC symbol, check the WorldCat Registry.

If the partner institution does not have an OCLC symbol, please submit a request to OCLC Support for a symbol to be created and for requestability to be configured via Z39.50.

Setting up your partner institution for use in automation-built lender strings

Once you know the OCLC symbol for your partner institution:

1.  Add the OCLC symbol to the partner record in the Address Book.
   
   
    
2. Include the OCLC symbol in a custom holding group and path.
3. Include that custom holding path in an automation (by using the Automated Request Manager).
4. In the settings for Advanced Workflows, enable the use of off-system partners in lender strings. This option will become available in mid-July 2023.
   
   

Automated building of the lender string

When the request is submitted to automation, the system checks holdings for the symbols included in the custom holdings path and builds the lender string by applying the criteria you've specified for the automation.

As the request moves through the lender string, it automatically switches between ILL and off-system requesting depending on whether the institution is an ILL supplier or off-system partner. If OCLC Supplier status is Yes, the request is submitted to the lender as an ILL request. If the OCLC Supplier status is No, and the symbol has been configured correctly for off-system requesting, then the request is submitted as an off-system request.

For more information, see Off-system borrowing.

Send new automated notifications to partner institutions

Two new notifications are now available for you to configure in OCLC Service Configuration for manual or automated sending to off-system partners. 

When you manually update an off-system request, you will need to manually send the notification. When the system automatically creates or cancels a request, the notification can be set to send automatically.

This notification...	Must be sent manually when...	Can be automated to send automatically when...
Can you supply?	You manually create an off-system borrowing request.	A request is sent to an off-system partner via an automation-built lender string.
Cancel	You manually cancel a request.	The Need Before date or Days To Respond has been reached.

For more information, see Notifications.

Take advantage of user experience and performance enhancements

In OCLC Service Configuration, several enhancements have been made to the partner list in the Address Book.

• The Address Book now includes columns for the Alternate Name, Partner Symbol, and OCLC Symbol.​
• The search box now searches Partner Name, Alternate Name, Partner Symbol, and OCLC Symbol. ​
• Pagination and additional sorting options have been added. 
• The partner list now loads faster.
• The limit for active partners has been increased from 1,000 to 8,000.

In the staff interface, Partner Name and Partner Symbol lists now also load faster and spinners display while the lists are loading.

For more information, see Address Book and Off-system borrowing.