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OCLC Support

Withdrawn status

Learn about the different scenarios that cause items to be given a withdrawn status.
What is a withdrawn item?

“Withdrawn” is an item status in WorldShare Circulation. It applies to items that have been deleted. 

What is a deleted item?

A deleted item is an item that library staff removed from the WMS collection, either by removing the barcode from the Local Holdings Record (serials issues or volumes of multi-part monographic series) or deleting the Local Holdings Record (all item types). Deleted items may have the status “Withdrawn,” which may display as “Withdrawn (Available)” until the item is purged.

What does it mean when a barcode appears in 876 $r in MARC view?

Active barcodes are stored in 876 $p, “piece designation.” When an existing barcode is replaced or deleted from a Local Holding Record in Text View, it is stored in 876 $r, “Invalid or Cancelled Piece Designation.” When an existing barcode is replaced or deleted in MARC view, the old barcode does not appear in 876 $r. In both cases, the item continues to be retrievable by the old, deleted barcode, as described below.

What is the difference between deleting a barcode and deleting an LHR? 

When a barcode (876 $p) value is deleted, the rest of the LHR remains in WorldCat, is retrievable by other means (e.g., call number), and displays to end users. When the entire LHR is deleted, it is no longer visible to end users and is only retrievable in the Circulation > Enter barcode box by barcode. When the last LHR on a WorldCat record is deleted, your library’s holdings are removed from the record, and the title no longer appears as “held” by your library.

How can I tell by whom or via which process an item has been deleted?

In Record Manager > Institution Settings, select Display LHR History and Retain User Information. From the time the setting is updated onward, LHR Change History will display the user account that executed the Delete action to library staff users with appropriate permissions.

 Note: When the entire LHR is deleted (not just the 876 field removed from it), library staff can no longer retrieve the LHR in Record Manager or WorldCat Discovery.

In what modules can items be withdrawn?

 Note: Once withdrawn, the items can only be viewed by searching the barcode in Circulation.

Which roles can delete items?
  • Acquisitions Admin
  • Acquisitions Order Staff
  • Acquisitions Receive Staff
  • Acquisitions Senior Staff
  • Acquisitions Settings Staff
  • Cataloging Admin
  • Cataloging Bulk Edit
  • Cataloging Full
  • Circulation Admin
  • Circulation Desk
  • Circulation Desk Privacy
  • Collection Manager Admin
  • Serials Admin
  • Serials Receive
  • Student Worker

Additionally, any process that results in removing WorldCat holdings from a WorldCat record will also remove any associated Local Holdings Records. This applies to Bulk Actions in Record Manager and to Delete WorldCat Holdings and Delete WorldCat Local Holdings Records data sync collections. 

What are the scenarios that result in an item acquiring “withdrawn” status?
Module/Service Scenario
Acquisitions
  • Changing the resource / OCN of an on-order LHR, if the library staff user has added a barcode manually to the LHR
  • Unreceiving a serial issue
  • Binding a serial issue, without reusing the barcode in the bound volume
Acquisitions > Copy/Items View Editor
  • Deleting a monograph
  • Deleting the copy record for serials and multiparts
Acquisitions > My LHRs
  • Deleting records from the results of an LHR search
Circulation > Copy/Items View Editor
  • Deleting a monograph
  • Deleting the copy record for serials and multiparts
Circulation > My LHRs
  • Deleting records from the results of an LHR search
Collection Manager > Data sync collection
  • Deleting an LHR
  • Changing an item barcode in 87X $p and failing to record the previous value in 87X $r
  • Removing an item barcode previously recorded in 87X $p
Connexion
  • Deleting an LHR
  • Changing an item barcode in 87X $p and failing to record the previous value to 87X $r
  • Removing an item barcode previously recorded in 87X $p
Metadata API
  • Deleting an LHR
  • Changing an item barcode in 87X $p and failing to record the previous value to 87X $r
  • Removing an item barcode previously recorded in 87X $p
Record Manager > LHR Text View Editor
  • Deleting an LHR
  • Changing an item barcode in 87X $p and failing to record the previous value to 87X $r
  • Removing an item barcode previously recorded in 87X $p
Record Manager > Record Work Lists
  • Deleting an LHR
  • Changing an item barcode in 87X $p and failing to record the previous value to 87X $r
  • Removing an item barcode previously recorded in 87X $p
Record Manager > My LHRs
  • Deleting records from the results of an LHR search
  • Changing the 876 $p to a different barcode
WMS Collection Management API
  • Deleting an LHR

 

What is the longest amount of time an item may show as withdrawn?

The maximum retention period for deleted items is 12,000 months (1,000 years).

 Note: WorldShare waits for the amount of time entered in Service Configuration > WMS Circulation > Admin General > Deleted Items before purging items. The process that purges items run once a week on Sunday evenings.If your setting is set to 0, all items will stay in the system in Withdrawn status until the Sunday night following the action that deleted them.

If you find that Withdrawn items remain past Sunday following the end of your deleted item retention period, contact OCLC Support with a sample title/s, OCLC number, and the link to this article.

Will items with Withdrawn status display to users in Discovery?

Items deleted from WMS will not display to end users but will be retained in the system until they are purged. 

Are there any statuses that would block an item from being purged after being deleted?

A withdrawn, barcoded item will only be purged by WorldShare Circulation if the item’s previous status was Available, Unavailable, or Missing and its current status is Withdrawn (Available), Withdrawn (Unavailable), or Withdrawn (Missing). If an item is in any other status, library staff must check it in at its holding location to make the item eligible for purging.

 Note: Prior to February 2023, WMS would allow your library to 1) delete a user account with claimed loans and 2) withdraw and purge items in a claim status.As of February 2023, a withdrawn item can only be purged from Circulation at the end of your deleted items retention period if the item's current status is Withdrawn (Available), Withdrawn (Unavailable), or Withdrawn (Missing). This change ensures that claimed items continue to appear on the patron's Claims tab until the item record is checked in.

Similarly, a user account with claimed loans cannot be deleted until the claimed items are checked in. You can then optionally withdraw or mark the items as missing.

Will the system purge a withdrawn item in a container?

The system will not purge a withdrawn item in a container if the container still exists. Remove the item from its container before withdrawing it from the collection.

Are there any statuses that would prevent an item from being withdrawn?

Library staff must check in items in a Claimed or Lost status to clear the patron’s claim count before withdrawing the item from the collection. A claim cannot be removed from the patron’s account after the item is deleted.

As of February 2023, a withdrawn item will only be purged from at the end of your deleted items retention period if the item's current status is Withdrawn (Available), Withdrawn (Unavailable), or Withdrawn (Missing).

How can staff bring up a withdrawn item?

Until the item is purged from the system, staff will be able to retrieve the item by barcode in WorldShare Circulation’s “Enter Barcode” search box. Withdrawn items can only be retrieved in the Discover Items > Local Holdings Records > Barcode search box if the barcode is present in 876 $r, which occurs when an existing barcode is replaced with a new barcode in Item/Copies View Editor. The system retains old barcodes until the deleted items are purged.

When does the purge job run?

The system-wide job to purge deleted items runs every Sunday. Deleted items will be retained until the job runs.

What happens if a deleted item has the same barcode as another item?

Reusing barcodes is not recommended in WMS. If you have multiple items with the same barcode and you delete only one item, then the other item with the same barcode will also acquire the item status Withdrawn.

It may not be possible to reuse a deleted barcode until the intended item has been purged.

If you copied a barcode to another LHR before deleting the original item, then both will show as withdrawn and will be purged as you have indicated in the Retain Deleted Items setting. It is recommended that you delete the original item before adding the barcode to the new LHR.

What is the difference between Withdrawn (Available) and Withdrawn statuses?

The Withdrawn(Available) Status is an indicator that a deleted item will be purged from the system after your institution's delete settings period (Service Configuration > WMS Circulation > Admin General > Deleted Items). So, any item that displays this status will be purged from the system on the Sunday after the delete settings period has elapsed.

If an item has been withdrawn and it does not have the status (Available), the record will be deleted, but LHR data may not be purged correctly. This can lead to an "unknown barcode" error. 

What happens if a withdrawn item that has not yet been purged is found and checked in at another library location?

Withdrawn items checked in at a location other than the item’s home branch will go to In Transit status, with instructions for the library staff user to route the item to the home branch. When checked in at the home branch, the WITHDRAWN action will display.

How can I get a serials issue or multi-part volume’s barcode out of withdrawn status?
  1. Retrieve the local holdings record with the withdrawn barcode in Record Manager.
  2. Add a note to the field with the barcode.
  3. Save the local holdings record.
  4. Check in the barcode in WorldShare Circulation.
  5. Return to Record Manager and delete the note from the field with the barcode.
How can I get a single-part monographic item’s barcode out of withdrawn status?
  1. In Record Manager, identify an appropriate WorldCat record.
  2. In MARC view or LHR Text View Editor, add an item with the deleted item’s barcode. Note that this does not restore a previously withdrawn item; the new item will have today’s date as the create date, for example, and you will have to select the shelving location and enter a call number. However, the new item will “inherit” the deleted barcode’s circulation statistics.
  3. In Circulation, check the item in at the item’s home branch.
What is OCLC’s recommendation for retaining deleted items?

OCLC recommends that libraries retain deleted items for a minimum of two weeks. Enter 0 to purge deleted items the next time the system-wide job runs.

What should I do if I have a problem with a withdrawn item?

If you find that Withdrawn items are remaining past Sunday following the end of your deleted item retention period, contact OCLC Support  with a sample title/s, OCLC number, and the link to this article.

How can I delete items in WorldShare Circulation?

You can delete items individually or delete all items on an LHR.

How can I delete items in Record Manager?

You can delete items individually or in bulk from Record Manager.

How can I withdraw a received item in Acquisitions?

 Note: In order to prevent you from accidentally withdrawing multiple items, you can only withdraw one item at a time.

In Acquisitions:

  1. From the left navigation, click Receive and Invoice.
  2. Click Receive.
  3. Click the Search Text form field and then press <Enter>.
  4. If it is not present, enable the Receipt Status column.
    1. Click the gray gear button (Gray gear button) above the right-most column.
    2. In the Show Columns window, select Receipt Status.
    3. Close the Show Columns window by clicking anywhere outside it.
  5. Select Received from the Receipt Status drop-down list.
  6. Locate for the item you received and now want to withdraw
  7. (Optional) You may also narrow your results by one of the filters below.
    Search filters - Table
    To search by Use retrieval method
    Search Select an index with which to limit your search from the list:
    • Keyword
    • Title (default)
    • Copy Number
    • Barcode
    • Invoice Number
    • ISBN
    • ISSN
    • Order Item Number
    • Order Number
    Content Type Select the content type of the item from the list.
    • To return to the list of all items, select the blank space in the list.
    Branch Select the branch the item is to be delivered to from the list.
    • The branch is in the Location column on the order.
    • To return to the list of outstanding items, select the blank space in the list.
  8. Click Withdraw in the Receipt Status column. The item is withdrawn automatically.
     Note: When a received item is withdrawn:
    • The Receipt Status changes to Withdrawn.
    • The item's local holdings record is removed.
In which reports can I best find the withdrawn items at my institution?

Withdrawn items will appear on the Circulation Item Inventory report until they are purged. This report is updated weekly on Sundays, however, please note that this runs prior to the purge job so your deleted items may still be on the report for an additional week.

Libraries with Report Designer can utilize the Circulation Item Status Universe to create a custom report and filter by the Item Status Current Status value of Withdrawn.

 Note: The Item Status Current Status field is also available in the following reports: