Cataloging standards for external reservation systems items
This document describes the cataloging standards necessary for item records that link out to external reservation systems to display properly in Pika.
Table of Contents
External reservation systems basics
Many libraries utilize third-party external reservation systems for non-traditional items such as LendingKey or LibCal. External reservation systems allow patrons to reserve library materials such as book club kits, board games, tools, sewing machines, etc. for use. Libraries using external reservation systems want the items to display in the library catalog for discovery and direct patrons to the reservation system from the catalog seamlessly.
Libraries using Pika for Sierra can follow cataloging standards to facilitate the display of items in the catalog and linking to external reservation systems.
Cataloging standards
Pika will support the proper display and linking functionality for external reservation system items if those items follow the proper cataloging standards.
Bibliographic record standards
The bibliographic record for any external reservation items should follow normal standards for a physical item in the ILS. Typically these items are kits or physical realia and should be cataloged as such at the bibliographic level.
In consortial configurations, libraries may share the same bibliographic record for their individual items in certain scenarios. This is most commonly seen with book club kits.
Item record standards
The item record should follow standards for a typical item including a barcode, shelving location, and call number, if appropriate.
For an item to display with the desired Reserve Online link in Pika, it must meet the following criteria :
Item is non-holdable
I-type of Reservable (globally non-holdable)
MLN1 I-type 353
MLN2 I-type 33
Loan rules, i-types, shelving locations, or other mechanisms local to individual libraries can be utilized to make items non-holdable. For this functionality to work, the items in question must be non-holdable.
The unique Reservable i-type is already globally non-holdable, which is likely the easiest method for libraries that want to incorporate external reservation system items in the catalog.
Item has a status that is Available for circulation
The item doesn’t have to be actually Available, but rather in a status that indicates it’s actively circulating e.g. On shelf, On holds shelf, Checked Out, etc.
If the item has a status that is unavailable in some way e.g. Missing or Damaged the Reserve Online button will not display.
Current handling for the On order status means that any reservable item with an On order status will display the Place Hold button. Libraries should not use the On order status for reservable items.
Item field y URL 856|u
The URL in the item URL subfield u should direct the user to the appropriate page in the external reservation system.
The subfield u must exist in the URL 856 item field for the handling to function properly.
For MLN 2 the item subfield is entered as u in the record in Sierra but is exported to the 945|4 for Pika handling.
MLN 1
MLN 2
Display in Pika
If an item is cataloged properly in the underlying ILS with the expected item data, the record will display will the appropriate format determination and a link to the external reservation system with a button that directs the patron to Reserve Online.
The Reserve Online button will only display for items owned by the home library in the given library’s unique Pika interface. Only items owned by library will display in the given library’s unique Pika interface in most consortia configurations.
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