RDS@UF: Rush Cataloging

Updated December 2021 by Dave Van Kleeck

2022 Rush Mailbox Schedule

Month           Coverage

Procedure for Rush Material Requested via the Rush Mailbox

An e-mail account for the Copy Cataloging Unit in the Cataloging Services Department is set up to handle item requests.  When a patron clicks the Request button in Mango, an email is automatically generated with the relevant information and is sent to cathelp@uflib.ufl.edu (lib-catrush). E-mail addresses should be kept current for contacting all units and Circulation locations for follow-up activity.  Cooperation is essential from all appropriate library departments and owning locations in order to provide the best service to the patron. These instructions are primarily intended to aid Copy Cataloging staff, but include some instructions for other units as well.

The Copy Cataloging Unit:

1. Staff rotate responsibility for rushes based on a monthly schedule. The cataloger responsible for the rushes both searches for and catalogs rush requests received electronically as well as rushes placed on the rush shelf in Copy Cataloging by Acquisitions staff. The staff person who has the following month is the back up for the current month.
2. Staff monitors the rush request e-mail account twice a day.  Rush/hold requests are sent to the lib-catrush mailbox via the request button in Mango. 
3. Staff receives a copy of any request form in the lib-catrush inbox.
4. Staff searches Aleph to determine the location/status of item
   • If item appears to be in the Cataloging Services Department, staff search all possible locations within the department.
   • If item appears to be located in a location outside the Cataloging Services Department, staff forward the request to the appropriate location to follow-up when necessary.

Procedural examples:

1. Item is in the Cataloging Services Department
2. Item is in the Conservation Department
3. Item is “In Transit” or at the owning location
4. Item order has been cancelled for any reason
5. Item has been received but cannot be located and is presumed Lost
6. Item has not been received from vendor (or is “On Order”)
7. Multiple requests for the same item
8. Item is not owned by library
9. Incomplete item information from patron

Copy Cataloging Unit: If ever in doubt, check with your supervisor and/or send an email to the Collections Support Unit (acqhelp@uflib.ufl.edu) in the Acquisitions and Discovery Services department and they can assist you with most hold request issues.

 1. Item is in the Cataloging Services Department

1. Copy Cataloging staff
   • Requested item should be searched in all likely locations. Considerable detective work is often required to locate an item. Check the Item History for a better idea of when the item may have been last handled, and by whom.
   • If the item cannot be located by Copy Cataloging staff and you have no reason to think the item might be in Acquisitions, send an email to the Cataloging Services Department first (CopyCatUnit@uflib.ufl.edu and CCU@uflib.ufl.edu). If you think Acquisitions may have the item, send an email to the Acquisitions Collections Support Unit (acqhelp@uflib.ufl.edu) requesting information/help finding the item.
   • When the item is found, it is cataloged by the cataloger responsible for the rushes (or taken to the Contributed Cataloging Unit as needed - see ** below for further instructions). After cataloging, take the item to the rush shelf in the Processing Area. Rushes should be processed throughout the day.
     • If item needs to be sent to Conservation after circulating according to "What to Put on Binding Shelf for West and Science" or "What to Put on Binding Shelf for Other Branches", insert appropriate RUSH slip in item to notify Circulation to send item to Conservation for binding when returned from patron.
   • Move request from Inbox to the appropriate completed folder.
   • After processing of the rush item:
     • For West (including the Africana, Asia and Judaica collections) material place on the rush ready for pick up shelf.
     • For LAC material, place item on LAC pickup shelf.
     • For all other owning locations, box material as soon as processed and place for mail pick up. Delivery to the owning location can take up to 2 days, depending on mail pick up.

**Rushes needing original work are placed in the Rushes basket found in the Contributed Cataloging Unit area. Contributed cataloging staff will check basket throughout the day and sign their name and date when picking up an item to catalog. Once catalog return material to the “Rushes to be processed” shelf in the Processing area.

2. Item is in the Conservation Department

1. Copy Cataloging staff – unless noted otherwise
   • Forward request to Conservation (See contact information below).
   • Send the patron an email with this message: "The item you requested is in the Conservation Department. Your request is being forwarded and will be processed as soon as possible."
   • Move request from Inbox to Completed folder.
   • Follow Conservation procedure to transport item to appropriate Circulation location – Conservation staff
   • Follow Circulation procedure to notify patron that the item is available for check-out – Circulation staff

3. Item is “In Transit” or at the owning location

1. Copy Cataloging staff – unless noted otherwise
   • The IPS code in the item record is TR:
     • Check the item history to see when the IPS code changed to TR.
     • Always check the book trucks holding material that has already been scanned for call number labels. The scanning of the item's barcode when a call number is being generated automatically changes the IPS code from IP to TR.
     • If the item is not found in Processing, and the IPS code of TR was recently added, assume that the item is actually in transit if it is destined for a branch whose material is boxed. West and LAC material should either be on book trucks in Processing or at the owning location. Wait a day to give circulation a chance to check in new material. After that check with your supervisor.
     • Send the following message to the patron if it is determined that the item requested is actually in transit to its location or appears to have already arrived: "Item is on its way to the [name of library here]. You will be notified as soon as circulation staff have processed the item."
     • Move request from Inbox to Completed folder.
     • Follow Circulation procedure to notify patron regarding status of the item – Circulation Staff

4. Item order has been cancelled for any reason

Always consult with Acquisitions Collections Support (lib-acqhelp) to determine why the record has been cancelled. The bibliographic and holdings records of the cancelled item should be suppressed. If we eventually receive the item, the records can be unsuppressed.

1. Copy Cataloging staff
   • If order is cancelled:
     • Send the following message to the patron: “The item you requested is not available because the order has been cancelled.  Follow this link to request the item through Inter Library Loan (ILL). Click on "ILL LOGON FOR UF PATRONS."
     • Suppress the bibliographic record (and holding, if present), if there is only one copy.  If there are multiple copies, suppress the item and holdings (if any) for that particular copy. Add a staff note in the item record indicating that the order was cancelled.
     • Move request from Inbox to Completed folder.

5. Item has been received but cannot be located and is presumed lost

1. Copy Cataloging staff
   • Send an email to lib-acqhelp to try to account for the item and determine whether a new copy will be ordered.
     • If lib-acqhelp has communicated that they are ordering a replacement copy for the missing item, be sure to let the patron know in your email to them. Include the following note in your email: “A replacement copy has been ordered but may take up to 3 weeks or longer for the item to arrive and be ready for checkout.” Mention that if they need a copy sooner, they may request the item alternatively through Inter Library Loan (ILL).
     • If the item cannot be found or accounted for, send the patron an email with the following message: “The item you requested cannot be located and may be missing. Follow this link to request the item through Inter Library Loan (ILL). Click on "ILL LOGON FOR UF PATRONS." We are sorry for any inconvenience this has caused."
     • If the item is not found, add a staff note in the holding record (x| of the 852) and a note in the internal note field of the item record indicating that the item is missing with the date and the cataloger's initials.
     • Move request from Inbox to Completed folder.

6. Item has not been received (or is “On Order”)

1. Copy Cataloging staff

• If the IPS of the item requested is OR forward the request to the mailbox, lib-acqhelp. The Collections Support Unit will determine whether any given item was ordered “shelf-ready.” This should be a simpler way of handling material On Order.
• Check to see if there is a Circ. Note in the Item Record for the material designating it as a Course Reserve.
• If so, send the following message to patron: “The item you requested is being ordered for Course Reserves. As such, your hold request cannot be fulfilled. You may, however, loan out the item on a temporary first-come first-served basis from the owning library’s circulation desk, once it has arrived. If you would like to loan a copy of the item for longer, follow this link to request the item through Inter Library Loan (ILL). Click on "ILL LOGON FOR UF PATRONS." We are sorry for any inconvenience this has caused."
• If the item is not On Order as a Course Reserve, send the following message to patron: “The item you requested has not arrived yet.  It may take up to 3 weeks or longer to have the item available for use.  You will be notified by the appropriate Circulation location when the item is available. If you need a copy sooner, you may request the item through Inter Library Loan (ILL).  Click on "ILL LOGON FOR UF PATRONS.”
• Move request from Inbox to Completed folder.

7. Multiple requests for the same item

1. Copy Cataloging staff
   • Send the following message to the requesting patron: “There will be a delay in loaning this material because there is a queue for this item.  Your name will be added to the queue.  Each person, in turn, will be allowed a three week check-out period.  You will be notified when it is available for your use.  If urgently needed, you can contact Inter Library Loan (ILL). Click on "ILL logon for UF Patrons"."
   • Move request from Inbox to Completed folder.

8. Item is not owned by library

1. Copy Cataloging staff

• This is very unlikely to happen, but if it should: Send the following message to the patron: “The item you requested is not owned by the library.  It may be available through Inter Library Loan (ILL). Click on "ILL logon for UF Patrons"."
• Move request from Inbox to Completed folder.

 9. Incomplete item information from patron

1. Copy Cataloging staff
   • This should not happen since the process is automated, but if it does: Send the following message to the patron: “The rush catalog request you submitted cannot be processed because of conflicting or incomplete information.  Please supply the following information and resubmit your request.” [Explain what information is needed or conflicting.]
   • Move request from Inbox to Completed folder.

PEOPLE TO NOTIFY IN OTHER LIBRARIES FOR RUSH REQUESTS