Heritage Advanced Bookings
The optional Advanced Bookings Module offers the facility to users to book any items for specific periods in the future. Advanced Bookings can cater for more than just the library – the facility to book items by the hour as well as the day means it is just as useful for booking resources such as rooms or equipment as traditional library stock.
The module works in the same way as the advanced reservation features of Heritage 4.2, i.e. bookings are placed on individual accessions (items). The system allows for tentative bookings, which must be confirmed by a specified date, otherwise the accession can be re-allocated to another booking, or borrowed in the normal way by another reader.
If items might be required for loan by other readers between bookings, a ‘buffer period’ can be set to ensure that the item is returned in time for processing for the next booking (i.e. the preceding loan period will be automatically curtailed if necessary).
Heritage provides three different methods of viewing future bookings, including the calendar (which defaults to the next seven months), the week (displaying the next seven days, for timed loans) and a display of all copies (up to seven copies shown at once) with the days/hours vertically aligned.
Summary of the features provided:
- Enables users to reserve items between two specified points in the future.
- Bookings can be applied to timed loans as well as stock with day- based loans.
- Timed bookings facilitate booking rooms, equipment or similar fixed resources.
- Tentative bookings can be made, requiring confirmation by a specified time or date.
- A buffer period can be applied to allow a reasonable time for the return or retrieval of an item.
- An optional release date/time can be set so that items not collected or taken up can be re-allocated.
- A log of all bookings placed is retained for statistical analysis.
- The information controlling bookings is defined as an extension to the circulation rules.
- A booking calendar displays future bookings for each item.
- When a loan or booking request clashes with an existing booking an adjusted loan or booking period is offered.
- Bookings can be applied to non-loan items, e.g. reference stock or facilities that would not be available for circulation ‘on demand’.