Pika Holds Process

Owned by Ashley Sneesby, created
Last updated: Jan 18, 2023
5 min read

This documentation describes the holds process and logic in Pika

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Table of Contents

Types of Holds

Bib or Title Level Holds

  • Pika has record grouping to allow all formats and editions of a work to be grouped together to help users easily identify which formats are available.

  • Any formats that are holdable and checked out will have a Place Hold button next to the title.

  • Patrons can place holds on physical items as well as OverDrive eContent items.

Item Level Holds

  • Generally, a hold in Pika will be a bib or title level hold to allow for the first available item to be chosen to fill a patron’s hold.  

  • Pika almost always places bib level holds. The only time when Pika prompts a user for an item level hold is when there is volume information. 

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Placing Holds

A patron can place a hold in Pika.  A library staff member can place a hold in Pika for a patron. Patrons can also freeze their holds.

Placing Bib or Title Level Holds

  • Pika has record grouping to allow all formats and editions of a work to be grouped together to help users easily identify which formats are available.

  • The logic Pika relies on when placing a hold on all bibs for a grouped format (e.g. Book) is that Pika will place a hold on the first bib that displays in the grouped format:

    • For fiction, the editions are sorted so that the "most available" editions to the patron come first and the bib first in the sort will receive the hold.

    • For nonfiction, the editions are sorted so that the latest editions come first (highest numbered edition for primary sort, publication date as a secondary sort). The bib first in this sort will receive the hold.

  • Patrons can place holds on physical items as well as OverDrive eContent items. The sort and place hold logic for Overdrive holdings is the same as that for physical items in the catalog.

  • Patrons can search by title, author, subject or keyword search. In fact, patrons can search the entire catalog by starting with a blank search (searching for nothing returns everything), and click the Go button.

  • Any formats that are holdable and checked out will have a Place Hold button next to the item. Here is an example of one title that has many formats grouped to the record. This allows your patron to place a hold on any format with the Place Hold button.

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Placing Item Level Holds – Pika (OPAC)

  • If a patron would like a specific item from a specific library, an item level hold can be placed in Pika, if the item has volume information.

  • The patron would have to pick the specific edition to place on hold.  

  • An item may also display how many copies and number of people on the waiting list  

  • If the number of copies is not shown, you can click on the Quick Copy View to see information about each library who owns the item

  • The patron will see their home library pick up location, and the Submit Hold Request.

  • The patron will be prompted to pick a specific item.  Once the specific item is chosen, the patron would click the Submit Hold Request.

  • The patron will receive a pop up message letting them know the hold was placed successfully, and how they will be contacted.

  • The check in process is what triggers the hold.

  • On occasion, a patron may use the Place Hold button and the hold may fail because the specific library pickup location does not have any of those items that are holdable by that specific patron. 

  • The patron would like on the Place Hold button for the item.

  • The patron will be prompted to login to their account. The place hold box will appear. It will not be until they click on the Submit Hold Request button that they will know if they can place a hold.

  • If the specific item is not holdable for that specific patron they will get the Hold Failed pop-up box.

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Fulfilling Holds

All the holds that were placed in Pika can only be fulfilled when libraries run their processes to fulfill the holds and send the item to the lending library for their patrons, or fulfill the hold for their own patrons.

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Cancelling Holds

Cancelling Bibliographic or Item Level Holds

  • Patrons can cancel an item level hold or bibliographic level hold in Pika.

  • Library staff can log into Pika with the patron’s name and library card number to cancel the patron’s hold.  

  • How a patron would cancel his or her own hold.

    • The patron would need to login to their Pika account through their home library. However, for this example, we will be using the Marmot Union Catalog.

  • Once logged in, the patron can click on the Titles on Hold link to view all their holds.

  • Once the patron clicks on the Titles on Hold link, the holds on their account will show. If they want to cancel a hold, they just need to click on the Cancel Hold button.

  • The Cancel Hold box will appear asking if the person is sure they want to cancel the hold. The patron will need to click the Confirm Cancel Hold button.

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