Blanket Holds Workaround

Copy level blanket holds result in 'Records in use' message

PROBLEM DESCRIPTION
When trying to place copy level holds for items attached to the same title in the blanket hold wizard, if the system is configured to dynamically update the holditem database (which is used in the onshelf items with holds wizard) the system will often fail to place some of the holds and display a 'records in use message'

SOLUTION DETAILS
This is a known issue, jira case number UNI-37094
Appears that when placing holds in the blanket hold wizard, on a system set to dynamically call the process to look for items that can trap the holds, all the holds with their catalog keys are sent at once to the pickholddm process. Appears that when holds for the same catalog key are sent all at once, the processes seem to conflict with each other and cause the 'records in use' message to appear.

WORKAROUND
As a workaround, one might consider the following. The concept of the blanket holds wizard was really based upon a situation where a user (for example) might like a number of different titles on a subject (perhaps they are researching an historical topic, need about 5 good books on the subject and want just the first different 5 titles they can get). The blanket hold function could be used to place 10 holds on different titles (where FIVE titles are needed) and then once 5 of the holds are trapped, the holds on the other 5 titles are removed.

When it comes to wanting a number of copies of the same title (perhaps for a book club where they need 10 copies of the same title), I would recommend not using the blanket hold function, but just placing 10 different title level holds on the same title. (The staff would simply need to override the prompt the user already has a hold on the title). Any 10 different copies of the same title could trap their holds so they would get the first 10 items that become available.

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