Reasons for failed request

A. Temporary glitches in network communications or local ILS

1. Unable to get Availability information

Sometimes Navigator is unable to get item availability at the location(s), sometimes due to a local system or network problem. Summit allows the request to be placed, but NRE builds no rota, so the request fails. Re-trying request a few minutes later may give different results.

Example: 103959 “Pedagogy of the oppressed”

Availability results 7/16/09 at 10:56am

B. Possible software bugs

1. Multiple copies, auto answered Non Supply at all locations

Many copies appear to be available in Navigator. Rota is built. Request is auto answered Non Supply at all locations.
This is a bug related to multiple OCLC numbers in a record, or Local loan rules don’t allow Summit hold (at just one?).

Example: 34465966 “Nine to Five” 

What happens when request goes to NRE:
 
Lender (Responder)    Request Method    Action    Status    Date Changed      
        REQUEST    Not Supplied    10 Jul 2009 19:04:12      
Southern Oregon U Circulation    LASER    Answer Nonsupply-Indication    Not Supplied    10 Jul 2009 19:04:11      
Southern Oregon U Circulation    LASER    REQUEST    Pending    10 Jul 2009 19:03:06      
WSU Pullman Terrell Circ Desk    LASER    Answer Nonsupply-Indication    Not Supplied    10 Jul 2009 19:03:05      
WSU Pullman Terrell Circ Desk    LASER    REQUEST    Pending    10 Jul 2009 19:01:57      
Suzzallo - Circulation    LASER    Answer Nonsupply-Indication    Not Supplied    10 Jul 2009 19:01:55      
Suzzallo - Circulation    LASER    REQUEST    Pending    10 Jul 2009 19:00:43     

Log Messages

2. Rota built for only one of several locations with available copies

Record in Navigator shows many available copies.  The request goes to NRE, but then NRE builds a rota with only one location. Unknown cause. Request is answered Non-supply at single location in rota and then goes to end of rota. Patron gets non fulfillment notice.

Example:   OCLC 231588344 “How we decide”

Copies available at multiple locations in Navigator:

Rota in NRE  tries only one location.

Lender (Responder) Request Method Action Status Date Changed
REQUEST Not Supplied 14 May 2009 10:22:49
Mt. Hood Circ Desk LASER Answer Nonsupply-Indication Not Supplied 14 May 2009 10:22:48
Mt. Hood Circ Desk LASER Answer Will Supply-Indication Pending 14 May 2009 01:48:35
Mt. Hood Circ Desk LASER REQUEST Pending 14 May 2009 01:47:34

C. System design problems:  availability for local use versus Summit; multiple editions and formats

1. Location is non-circ for Summit

Item appears “Available” but is held in a non requestable location.

Example: “Fool” 276307220, held in a location (New Book) that does not circulate for Summit.

• No rota is built.
• Items like this are NOT counted in NRE statistics as unfilled requests.
• This problem can be mitigated by the owning site using the OCLC Service Configuration Module to customize the availability display. Fixing configuration would make this item display in RED and as “0 of 1” available. This of course is helpful only if the patron checks availability. WARNING: Changes to OCLC configuration will also be reflected in your Worldcat Local Catalog.  also see configuration for Availability.
  

What Availability looks like in Navigator:

What happens when request goes to NRE:

Lender (Responder)    Request Method    Action    Status    Date Changed      
        REQUEST             
Log Messages
 
Date    Description    Message      
07 Jul 2009 17:34    User Alerts    Action = 'Request' ILL Status = 'Idle' Log Message Type = 'Item not Located - Rota is Empty' / MOCK, JASON      
07 Jul 2009 17:34    Item not Located - Rota is Empty        

2. Location is non-circ for local and Summit use

Item is non circulating for local use and non-circulating for Summit.  The location was not included in the list specified for Summit lending ("circ") on site profile submitted to OCLC.  The item displays in "green" as requestable; the Request button appears on screen, and Summit request can be placed. Technical solution is not identified at this time (December 2009).  If patron does not check item availability and correctly interpret it they will be surprised to get a request failure notice.

This problem can be mitigated by the owning site using the OCLC Service Configuration Module to customize availability display. Fixing configuration would make this item display in RED and as “0 of 1” available. This of course is only helpful if the patron checks availability.  [added, as in #1:  WARNING: Changes to OCLC configuration will also be reflected in your Worldcat Local Catalog.  also see configuration for Availability.]

FRBR consolidates editions and format under one record, usually the first edition. But when the request is placed the rota is built only for items on the primary record, not other records the patron saw. Patrons must use the "all editions and formats" tab and search to make requests for alternate editions.  Most patrons don’t check this. This leads to an ILL request or no request being made for very common items when all copies of the first ed. are unavailable but many copies of later editions are available.

Example:    OCLC 2011203 A golden treasury of Persian poetry.  Note: This item, the first edition (primary record for the consolidated record) is Missing.

Only by clicking the very small text that says “View all editions and formats” (where was it? should it be illustrated and highlighted?) will the patron find this 2nd edition that is available:

The patron may not realize that it's necessary to select specific editions or formats to request rather than relying on the summarized display, or consolidated record, for which Navigator will try only one of those.