ILLs and the Union Catalog

Thanks so much for your patience as we get used to how ILLs work in TLC! It's going to take us some time to get used to how it works (it took us a while with OPALS, too).

While some aspects of LS2 Staff are annoying at times (like having to periodically log back in if it logs you out), there's actually a very valid reason for this. TLC has much tougher security measures to protect user information. Yes, it's less convenient. Think of it like your online banking app, or like other things we have to do these days (like using 2FA with Duo to access anything at work). We have to protect our students as best we can in an online world that is bananas.

By mid-December, we are asking folks to use the ILL system as much as possible to request and fill ILLs, rather than asking for copies on the Listserv. But if you're not getting responses, it's okay, especially in these early days, to put a nudge on the Listservs so that people get in the habit of checking. And we also understand that some requests do work better on the Listserv (such as asking for "fairy tales" or "animals"), and responders can then ask the requester to formally put in a request for specific items.

Folder of resources for Destiny users

Folder of resources for TLC users

LibGuides

List of Librarian Emails

Did you know that LS2 Reports has reports to help you keep track of holds? (This is available for Destiny schools, too! See "Notes for our Destiny schools" for more info.) To access...

Log into LS2 Reports (email Karin if you need that info)

In the search box in the upper right corner, search "Holds"

Select "Holds & ILLs" folder from the list.

Within that folder, there's one that isn't working correctly, so we're working to get it fixed. (It's the first one that starts with "Borrowers".) The other reports give you great information about holds and ILLs. They are schedulable, too!

We understand that it can be tricky to keep track of TLC things. We will be sending out information to each of you for you to save as a tab, and keep at the ready.

• Barcodes look wonky. (Sorry about that.) It's because TLC doesn't allow for duplicate barcodes anywhere in the system, and some districts have multiple items throughout their internal systems with identical barcodes. So...if you scan a barcode and that doesn't work, try typing your 4-letter school code (ask Karin if you need help determining what that is) and then scanning your barcode. (Or copy and paste what you see in TLC.)
• Tutorials are coming. In the meantime, use that Google folder you received at our Gen Membership meeting (or look for the links in this Smore, above). It has tools you need to learn how this works.
• It's possible you do not yet see what TLC librarians can see, in terms of holds. (Feedback is super helpful. Screenshots are great.) Hopefully, LS2 Reports will help. (And ask us if you need help scheduling those reports.)

A: This is for security reasons. We set it to the maximum of 15 minutes. While this is annoying, it's to safeguard user information.

A: TLC uses IP authentication to give a user login access to TLC. (The catalogs themselves are public facing and do not have this restriction. Timing out is for anything requiring a login.) This is another security feature to protect the information in there. We asked all of our district IT folks for your schools' IP ranges, but we don't have home IP information.

A: First, log into LS2 Staff regularly and check to see if the envelope icon has a number.

Second, LS2 Reports can be scheduled to send you reminders. But the envelope gives you a better sense in real time.

A: An enhancement is coming any time now! Be on the lookout for it. Eventually there will be a "decline" button in hold requests in LS2 Staff. In the meantime, you can email the librarian/library clerk of the requesting library to decline the request and ask them to cancel the hold on their end.

A: TLC does not allow for barcode duplication (meaning, two schools can't have the same barcodes). Due to ghosts of library practices past, there is some duplication of barcodes across our region. If you scan a book and it doesn't come up, see if you can see the weird barcode in TLC, and copy/paste that.

(For Destiny librarians, you probably see letters in front of your barcodes. This is your 4-letter "school code" that we use on the back end. For TLC librarians, it's possible that you'll see "DFINL" or something strange like that. Holler if you need clarification.)

1. Look in LS2 Reports (see that section above in this newsletter).
2. If you check the item out and it disappears, try going to the check in screen and scanning it there. It should tell you where it needs to go, and give you a pop up note to print. Maria Weeks discovered that doing so doesn't cancel the hold, so you can check more than once if you need to!
3. You can multiple copies of tracking slips, to keep a copy in a binder.
4. Also, it's a good idea to keep track via a spreadsheet or binder, regardless. I have learned the hard way (take a look at my example), since I went from a district librarian to an SLS librarian. Yes, it takes a few seconds to fill in, but it's so worth it later. I have to have a spreadsheet to keep track, both for annual reporting (SLS will ask you every year to tell us what you have borrowed and loaned), and to keep track of where I'm getting items from. (I've learned that my history in some platforms isn't always guaranteed to stay put.) I'm finding this method does make my life easier to keep track of anything related to ILLs in one document, and I can provide answers in seconds rather than having to dig. Here's a template if you want one to make a copy of, to get you started.

A: If scanning a barcode pulls up a different item, that means that the barcode on the book in your hand has a twin somewhere in the system, and it's pulling up their book, not yours. You can pull the book up by title to find your copy and replace the barcode, or ask Karin for help.

TLC is working on a solution. LS2 Staff is their oldest module and they have plans for future improvements. In the meantime, not only does the public facing catalog have images, and so do certain reports (such as "Borrowers and Items Checked Out, Lost, and Fines by Responsible Parties"). If you need help with that report, feel free to ask Karin.

We're still learning the system ourselves, so bear with us. A couple of things to note:

1. Don't worry about the priority number (and don't change it). No, it does not mean your request has a lesser priority than someone else's. It has to do with an algorithm on the backend. The system does prioritize requests your students make in-house over requests coming from elsewhere, but other than that, you can't skip the line (and that number has nothing to do with how many requests are ahead of yours).

2. You can tag specific libraries when requesting one item, but you cannot when looking for multiple copies. At least not so far. Again, this system is new. If you are looking for 20 items, you can tag 20 items and see who responds. (In many union catalog systems, requests work either in a string, or by automatically selecting locations for you.)

There is! This is not remotely obvious, but if you click on the location heading, it will sort them in A-Z order. Click on it again, and it will go from Z-A. Pretty cool!