OVERVIEW:
The 4.1 REQUEST form is substantially different from previous versions of VDX.This guide will focus on the how to successfully edit the VDX 4.1 REQUEST form during submission of a request.It will highlight new features and particularly notable differences in the editing functions.
Contents
PART 1: The VDX 4.1 REQUEST form What’s new? (from Top to Bottom)
1.1: Item Format and Service Type fields
1.2: Our Local Number
1.3: Item Note
1.4: Adding the OCLC accession number (Well-Known Control Numbers)
1.5 Rota Details (Rota Entry)
1.6: Adding Call Numbers to a non-OCLC location (UC’s and Stanford or other non-OCLC ISO partners)
1.7: Private Note
1.8: Patron Details
1.9: Additional Service Details
1.10: Note on “Delivery Method”
PART 2: Creating Requests from BibSearch – Differences in Holdings Selection
PART 1: The VDX 4.1 REQUEST form What’s new? (from Top to Bottom)
The significant difference in the 4.1 form from previous versions is that all editing is done on one page, scrolling from top to bottom, rather than being separated by the “Main”, “Rota”, “Service”, and “Requester” tabs as in previous versions.
1.1:Item Format and Service Type fields
Another significant difference is the “interactive” nature of certain edit functions, most notably the “Item Format” and “Service Type” fields. Editing one part of these fields will result in an automatic edit of another part of the form related to the change.
In the example below, the Item Format is “Book”. Because this format is associated with “Loan” rather than “Copy” requests, the Copyright field is blank and “Article” fields are suppressed. The “Item Details” fields are set up for “Monograph” details.
If, however, the Item Format “Part of Book” (which is associated with “Copy” requests) is selected, the Service Type in the “Service 1” field automatically changes to “Copy non returnable” and the Copyright field is populated with the default “CCG” subtype
Note that “Media Type” and the “Service 2 / Service Type” do not change).
Furthermore, selecting “Part of Book” as the Item Format will add “article” fields, in this case “Chapter Details” (if the Item Format is changed back to “Book”, the Chapter Details section will again be suppressed).
In reverse, if instead the Service 1 / Service Type is changed from “Loan” to “Copy non returnable”…
The Item Format changes to “Part of Book”, and the “Copyright” field is populated:
The “Chapter Details” fields are also added:
If, on this “Book” record, the Item Format is changed to “Article Printed”…
The “Item Details” fields change to “Journal” format (Journal Title, ISSN, Volume / Issue, Part Date, etc)
The entire point of this is to be aware of the “interactive” nature of the 4.1 REQUEST form, and to be sure that the Item Format, Service 1, Service 2, and resultant Item Details are set properly to match what is actually being requested.
1.2:Our Local Number
This is a new field in the 4.1 REQUEST form. There is little documentation on the intended uses for entries in this field. It is suggested that this field be left blank.
1.3:Item Note
Use this field to send clarifying / additional information to the Lender. Anything entered into this field will be viewable by all lenders.
1.4: Adding the OCLC accession number (Well-Known Control Numbers)
This is very similar to previous versions. Just Select “OCLC” from the pull down menu on the left hand side…
Then add the accession number in the adjacent field and click on “Add”. The OCLC number will populate the Control Number field.
One nice enhancement is that the existing control number can be changed by highlighting, typing in a new number, and clicking the “Update” button
1.5 Rota Details (Rota Entry)
Adding locations to the Rota is different from previous versions of VDX. You can add VDX or OCLC locations by entering their symbols into the “Library symbol or location name” field, separated by commas, then clicking “Search” or hitting the Enter key.
If the symbols entered are found in the VDX locations database, the entries will populate the “Found” box. If only one entry is “found” for a symbol, the entry will automatically populate the “Selected” box as well. The entries in the “Selected” box are the actual Rota entries. The entry order can be changed by highlighting entries and using the “Up” and “Down” arrows. Entries can be removed by highlighting and using the “Remove” arrow.
Note that the locations display in the Rota boxes with a “Long Description” format, rather than the location symbol.
If a location symbol you have entered is not recognized, a “No locations found…” box will pop up. Clicking on OK will return you to the Rota Details area.
Adding an OCLC location multiple times, such as Library of Congress 5 times, is a bit more cumbersome than in previous versions. Entering asymbol more than once into the “Library symbol or location name” field will only enter that location into the “Selected” boxonce.
Fortunately, you can highlight the multiple locations in the “Found” box and click the “Add” button:
… which will add those highlighted selections to the “Selected” box / Rota.
Clicking on the “Select All” or “Deselect All” buttons immediately below the Found box will do just that to the found locations.
1.6: Adding Call Numbers to a non-OCLC location (UC’s and Stanford or other non-OCLC ISO partners)
This is a bit different. In the Rota Details Selected box highlight a location, input the call number in the “Selected Item Details / Call Number” field, and click on the “Add” button immediately below.
You will see the call number added to the “Item Numbers” box.
You might also notice that “Unknown Control Number” has been added in the “Control Numbers” box.
Pay this no mind – this is the result of a “bug” fix that allowed call numbers to be addedin manual mode.
1.7: Private Note
This is a new feature. Anything put into the Private Note field will be seen by borrowing staff only. Neither the lender nor the patron will see it.
1.8: Patron Details
Entering a patron: this process is not much different than in previous versions. Input the patron barcode then click the “Validate” button.
If the patron barcode is recognized (and the account not expired) the patron information will be entered into the appropriate fields.
One difference in 4.1 is that the email address (or addresses) associated with the patron’s record will be visible on the borrower’s record.
The patron’s email will thereafter be associated with the borrowing record, both in the Web Admin and Windows Client. This is a very useful enhancement – a secondary database will notneed to be searched to find the email address.
1.9: Additional Service Details
These fields, on “Idle” and “Not Supplied” records, will be populated with your Location defaults. Requests created from BibSearch or the “Create” function will be blank, and will need to be filled in manually. This is the same as previous versions.
1.10: Note on “Delivery Method”
The very last field on the 4.1 REQUEST form is Delivery Method. As in previous versions, this field will generally default to “Courier” (for a Loan request) or “Electronic Mail (for a Copy non returnable request). At this point it is best to use only these selections.
Loan
Copy non returnable
PART 2: Creating Requests from BibSearch – Differences in Holdings Selection
The initial searching of the databases available in BibSearch is not markedly different in 4.1. There is, however, a difference in how the holdings information populates the REQUEST form. The 2 records below are for an identical item, one record returned from Melvyl and one from WorldCat.
In previous versions, if a request was submitted from BibSearch on a found Melvyl
record, the locations could be chosen from the Main tab. In 4.1, the locations automatically populate the “Rota Details / Holdings” box.
All the holdings, or a precise selection, can be added to the “Selected” box.
This is also true of a request submitted from BibSearch on a found OCLC (WorldCat) record. The Holdings box will be populated with the most local (California, Oregon, Arizona, and Nevada) OCLC holdings, or all the locations if there are not that many. In this example, there are 127 locations populating the Holdings box (the OCLC record has over 1,600 holdings).
This can either be a great boon, or a real pain, depending on the needs of your location or the particular request. If this is not practical, you can always override the Holdings box by manually entering the OCLC location symbols of your choice.
And you can always go back to the Holdings box later.
VDX 4.1 REQUEST Form: New Features and Changes1