Private requests/Congressional loans UXPROD-4119

Owned by Stephanie Buck
Last updated: Jan 23, 2024
10 min read

Glossary

Secure patron: A patron that belongs to a specific patron group that requires extra security related to their request, loan, circulation, proxy/sponsor, and contact data
Authorized staff: Library of Congress staff that have the permissions to view all secure patron data
Unauthorized staff: Library of Congress staff that do not have permission to view secure patron data
Secure patron data: The request, loan, circulation and contact data of a secure patron
Proxy: A secure patron's staff member that is able to request and borrow on behalf of the secure patron. This info is stored in the User record
Sponsor: The secure patron for whom a proxy is able to request and borrow items. This info is stored in the User record
Fake proxy: Not to be confused with proxy noted above. This fake proxy is used to place a request or loan an item for a secure patron by authorized staff
Direct request: A request sent to authorized staff from a secure patron via email, phone, fax, etc. The request is not received via discovery 
Private request: A request placed that hides a secure patron's name and data

Ideas for permissions:

Mediated requests: All permissions
Mediated requests: Move to new item, reorder queue
Mediated requests: Reorder queue
Mediated requests: View
Mediated requests: View, create
Mediated requests: View, edit, cancel

Assumptions to be validated: 

  1. Check in and check out of items will still occur in their designated apps.
  2. Mediated request actions, like Confirm item arrival, will only happen in Mediated requests
  3. Private requests will only appear in Requests and Circulation log as Fake proxy users, "Private Patron"
  4. Authorized staff will manage the majority of private requests within Mediated requests
    1. Moving a request to a different item and reordering the queue will be done in Requests
  5. Future idea: Mediated requests can help support different fulfillment paths and a way to place new materials requests
    1. Different statuses to track different types of mediation
    2. Help show if activities have occurred 

What does the user workflow look like within folio to receive, process, and fulfill a private request? Actions in bold

*oLOAN is private collection of congressional loan materials. When materials are acquired for Congress, they belong in this collection. This collection is not shelf searched by unauthorized retrieval staff. It is maintained by authorized congressional loan staff. Cataloging and acquisitions staff (and others) need to be able to see oLOAN collection items for collections processing work. They cannot request/borrow those items with LC staff borrower accounts. The oLOAN items are suppressed from the OPAC. If a Congressional patron submits a request for something, and there is an oLOAN copy, authorized staff will retrieve that copy to fill the request.

Items can be found to fulfill private request

Workflow A - oLOAN collection page

  1. Authorized (congressional loan) staff receive notification that a title or item request has come in via discovery OR receive direct request
  2. Authorized (congressional loan) staff determine which item should fulfill request and place new private request 
    1. Patron notification triggered (request received and in process)
    2. Request status - Open - Not yet filled 
    3. Item status - Paged
  3. Authorized (congressional loan) staff check to see if item is part of oLOAN collection
  4. Item is part of the oLOAN collection, authorized (congressional loan) staff retrieve item immediately
  5. Authorized (congressional loan) staff scan item to trigger transit slip printing
    1. Patron notification triggered (Item located)
    2. Request status - Open - In transit
    3. Item status - In transit
  6. Item sent/delivered to authorized (circulation) staff to scan to confirm arrival at service point
    1. Request status - Open - In transit
    2. Item status - In transit
  7. Authorized (circulation staff) check out and deliver to secure patron (secure patron data visible)
    1. Patron notification triggered (request filled) 
    2. Request status - Closed - Filled
    3. Item status - Checked out

Workflow B - oLOAN collection hold

  1. Authorized (congressional loan) staff receive notification that a title or item request has come in via discovery OR receive direct request 
  2. Authorized (congressional loan) staff determine which item should fulfill request. Item is checked out or is otherwise unavailable for requesting
  3. Authorized (congressional loan) staff check to see if item is part of oLOAN collection
  4. Item is part of oLOAN collection, authorized (congressional loan) staff place the private request 
    1. Patron notification (request received and in process)
    2. Request status - Open - Not yet filled
    3. Item status - Hold
  5. Patron notified, request stays in Open - Not yet filled status until filled, or in perpetuity
    1. Patron notified (item can't be found/on order/on hold)
    2. Request status - Open - Not yet filled
    3. Item status - Paged

Workflow C - LC Collection

  1. Authorized (congressional loan) staff receive notification that a title or item request has come in via discovery OR receive direct request
  2. Authorized (congressional loan) staff determine which item should fulfill request
  3. Authorized (congressional loan) staff check to see if item is part of oLOAN collection
  4. Item is not part of oLOAN collection, authorized (congressional loan) staff place the private request 
    1. Patron notification (request received and in process)
    2. Request status - Open - Not yet filled
    3. Item status - Paged
  5. Unauthorized (retrieval) staff prints pick slip with fake proxy data
    1. Request status - Open - Not yet filled
    2. Item status - Paged
  6. Item retrieved and scanned in to trigger sending item back to authorized (congressional loan) staff 
    1. Patron notification triggered (Item located)
    2. Request status - Open - In transit
    3. Item status - In transit
  7. Item arrives at authorized (congressional loan) staff and scan to confirm arrival and review
    1. Request status - Open - In transit
    2. Item status - In transit 
  8. Item matched to request and approved/scanned by authorized (congressional loan) staff, triggers transit slip printing  
    1. Request status - Open - In transit
    2. Item status - In transit
  9. Item sent/delivered to authorized (circulation) staff to scan to confirm arrival at service point
    1. Request status - Open - Awaiting pickup
    2. Item status - Awaiting pickup
  10. Item checked out and delivered to secure patron (secure patron data visible)
    1. Patron notification triggered (request filled) 
    2. Patron notification triggered (request ready?) 
    3. Request status - Closed - Filled
    4. Item status - Checked out


Items cannot be found to fulfill request 

Workflow D - oLOAN (Inventory record present)

  1. Authorized (congressional loan) staff receive notification that a title or item request has come in via discovery OR receive direct request 
  2. Authorized (congressional loan) staff determine which item should fulfill request 
  3. Authorized (congressional loan) staff check to see if item is part of oLOAN collection
  4. Item is part of oLOAN collection, authorized (congressional loan) staff place the private request 
    1. Patron notification (Request received and in process)
    2. Request status - Open - Not yet filled
    3. Item status - Paged
  5. Authorized (congressional loan) staff retrieve item immediately but item cannot be found 
  6. Patron notified, request stays in Open - Not yet filled status until item is acquired, loan is filled, or in perpetuity
    1. Patron notification triggered (item can't be found/on order/on hold)
    2. Request status - Open - Not yet filled
    3. Item status - Paged


Workflow E (LC collection, Inventory record present)

  1. Authorized (congressional loan) staff receive notification that a title or item request has come in via discovery OR receive direct request 
  2. Authorized (congressional loan) staff determine which item should fulfill request 
  3. Authorized (congressional loan) staff check to see if item is part of oLOAN collection
  4. Item is not part of oLOAN collection, authorized (congressional loan) staff place the private request 
    1. Patron notification triggered (Request received and in process)
    2. Request status - Open - Not yet filled
    3. Item status - Paged
  5. Unauthorized (retrieval) staff prints pick slip with fake proxy patron data 
    1. Request status - Open - Not yet filled
    2. Item status - Paged
  6. Item cannot be found, unauthorized (retrieval) staff alerts authorized (congressional loan) staff (how?)
    1. Request status - Open - Not yet filled (future Open - Not on shelf)
    2. Item status - Paged 
  7. Patron notified, request stays in Open - Not yet filled status until filled, or in perpetuity
    1. Patron notification triggered (item can't be found/on order/on hold)
    2. Request status - Open - Not yet filled (future Open - Not on shelf)
    3. Item status - Paged

Workflow F (Not owned, no Inventory record present)

  1. Authorized staff receive notification that a title or item request has come in via discovery OR receive direct request
  2. Authorized (congressional loan) staff determine which item should fulfill request
  3. Authorized (congressional loan) staff are unable to find an item or instance record within Inventory
  4. Acquisition pursued - Authorized (congressional loan) staff creates stub instance, holding & item record in Inventory 
    1. Request status - Open - Not yet filled 
    2. Item status - 
  5. Authorized (congressional loan) staff place the private request
    1. Patron notification triggered (Request received and in process)
    2. Request status - Open - Not yet filled
    3. Item status - 
  6. Patron notified, request stays in Open - Not yet filled status until filled, or in perpetuity
    1. Patron notification triggered (item can't be found/on order/on hold)
    2. Request status - Open - Not yet filled
    3. Item status - 

Edge case workflows (rarely happen)

  1. A request on a topic that results in a reference-like search for materials
    1. Someone requests a specific title and its not available but we might suggest an alternative title for similar content
    2. CL staff might have a topic requested, and go to the shelf to identify specific items. If they pulled anything from the shelf, they would immediately add the request to ACS and fill it to track the loan.


(question) Workflow questions: 

  • Do we need new request or item statuses?
    • Will we use item status Paged even when a hold has been placed, and a search slip printed?
    • The Open - In transit statuses could work, but some could be Open - In review or similar
  • What happens to the fake proxy data when the items gets checked out to real patron?
  • Can we set the Mediated requests app to automatically refresh on a timer, maybe every three minutes, so that we don't have to create notifications for staff when requests come through Discovery?
  • How do we handle secure patron data in the Circulation log, after the request process (loan details, user details, fees/fines, etc.)?
  • What app. should be responsible for reporting of private patron requests and data (e.g., Mediated requests app., Lists app. with information from Mediated requests app.?)

User story drafts

As an unauthorized staff member, I need to conduct user and circulation functionality without being able to connect a secure user to their request and loan data. I should not be able to trace a loan or request back to a secure user. 

Unauthorized staff

Scenario 1 (tick)

Given that I am unauthorized staff
When I am in the Requests app
Then I cannot see a secure users requests 

Scenario 2 (tick)

Given that I am unauthorized staff
When I select a request in the Requests app
Then I cannot see real request, loan or circulation data 

Scenario 3

Given that I am unauthorized staff
When working in Requests, Users or Inventory
Then I cannot place a request for a secure patron

Scenario 4 (manual, not folio)

Given that I am unauthorized staff
When I am at a circulation desk
Then I cannot check out an item for a secure patron 

Scenario 5 (tick)

Given that I am unauthorized staff
When I view the Circulation log
Then I cannot see secure patron data in the log

Scenario 6(tick)

Given that I am unauthorized staff
When I am in the Users app
Then I can view a secure patron record 

Scenario 7(tick)

Given that I am unauthorized staff
When I view a secure patron's User record
Then I cannot see their request data, loan data, circulation history, or contact information

Scenario 8

Given that I am unauthorized staff
When I view a request or loan that has been placed by a secure patron's proxy
Then I cannot see all related request, loan and circulation data for the proxy or their sponsor (secure patron)

Scenario 9(tick)

Given that I am unauthorized staff
When I check in an item that has been loaned to a secure patron
Then I am unable to see all related request, loan and circulation data 


Authorized staff

Scenario

Given that I am authorized staff
When I have the permission Mediated requests: All permissions
Then I can View, create, edit, cancel, duplicate, move to new item, reorder queue

Scenario (tick)

Given that I am authorized staff
When I have the permission Mediated requests: View
Then I can view the Mediated requests app

Scenario

Give that I am authorized staff
When I have the permission Mediated requests: private requests
Then I can enable the setting, and View, create, edit, cancel, duplicate, move to new item, reorder queue of private requests

Scenario(tick)

Given that I am authorized staff
When I view Settings
Then I see Mediated requests and it's icon listed between MACR authority and Open access (what settings are needed?)

Scenario(tick)

Given that I am authorized staff
When I view Settings
Then there is an option to "Enable private requests"

Scenario 

Given that I am authorized staff
When I place a request for a secure patron in the Mediated requests app.
Then I am able to see all related request, loan and circulation data for the secure patron

Scenario (Mediated requests app.)(tick)

Given that I am authorized staff
When working with requests for secure patrons
Then I should be able to search, filter and sort those requests as is currently possible in the Requests app

Scenario 

Given that I am authorized staff
When working with requests for secure patrons placed via the Mediated requests app.
Then I must be able to report on all secure patron request data as is currently available in the Requests app

Scenario(tick)

Given that I am authorized staff
When a request for a secure patron is placed via the Mediated requests app.
Then the request, whether fulfilled or not, must remain in the system in perpetuity and be accessible

Scenario Users app(tick)

Given that I am authorized staff
When I view a secure patron's User record
Then I am able to see all available data in each accordion in the User record 

Scenario Check out app

Given that I am authorized staff
When I check out an item to a secure patron
Then I am able to view all secure patron data available

Scenario Check in(tick)

Given that I am authorized staff
When I check in an item that has been loaned to a secure patron
Then I am able to view all secure patron data available

Scenario 

Given that I am authorized staff
When a request is placed for a secure patron by their staff member proxy
Then I should be able to see that relationship AND the request and loan data

Scenario (Mediated requests app.)(tick)

Given that I am authorized staff
When I place a request for a secure patron AND the request fails
Then I see the appropriate error message already in place in the Requests app

Scenario

Given that I am authorized staff
When I receive a request from a secure patron via email, phone, fax, or in person
Then I will place a request (either item OR title level) in the Mediated Requests App. on their behalf

Non-FOLIO requests related:

Scenario(tick) - User story not needed at this time (12/2023). Vega collaborating with Locate regarding workflow.

Given that I am authorized staff
When a request from a secure patron is placed via OPAC
Then I am notified 
So that I can begin processing the private request on their behalf 



To add: Mediated requests actions

  • Scan & confirm arrival of item (to authorized staff)
  • Review item 
    • approve 
    • deny
  • OR Send items in transit?


(question) User questions: 

  • What happens to the fake proxy data when the items gets checked out to real patron?
    • Does that need to be reflected in the fake proxy user record?
  • When a request needs to be moved to a different item, or a queue needs to be reordered, where does that happen? Requests? How do we keep that info in sync?
  • HOW CAN MEDIATED REQUESTS LINK TO QUEUES AND INVENTORY SO ALL WORK COULD BE MANAGED IN MEDIATED REQUESTS FOR AUTHORIZED STAFF?
  • Should mediated actions be triggered by the user in the Actions dropdown, or behave more like the Inn-Reach app?