Manage policies

Create and edit copy or loan policies 

Use the OCLC Policies Directory to explain your lending policies. For example, you can create a loan policy for libraries within your state or consortia for which you have a special reciprocal relationship. You may also list a copy policy for libraries outside your state with which you may not have any lending relationship. In that case, charges may apply and can be included.

Tip: If you are a reciprocal lender, enter Reciprocal Lender as the policy name so that other lenders can find this information easily.

When entering your policies, have the following information available:

• The different groups to whom you lend. Include them in your policies. Only groups that have been profiled by OCLC will display.
• The fees that you charge to libraries for your ILL services. These may include flat or per item/page/ exposure charges, taxes, shipping, service or rush fees. You may always indicate a zero charge in any policy. Enter 0.00 in the fee field if there is no fee.
• The billing methods that you support. These may include IFM or “invoice with item” methods, for example. If you have more than one method, they are listed in order of preference, with the first being the most preferred.
• The delivery methods that you support. These could include physical methods, such as USPS, UPS or FedEx, or electronic methods, such as email, FTP or OCLC Article Exchange.
• Specific loan and renewal periods.

To add or edit a copy or loan policy:

1. Click the Policies tab.
2. Expand either the Copies or Loans accordion.
3. Click Add or Edit. The workform appears.
4. Type the Policy Name (required field).
5. Service:
   1. Copies:
      • Copy Type. The type of copy the policy applies to. Note: Policies based on a single copy type are often easier to understand than those that apply to multiple copy types.
   2. Loans:
      • Loan Item Maximum. The maximum number of items loaned.
      • Renewal Maximum. The maximum number of times a loan can be renewed.
      • Renewal Period. The length of the renewal period.
      • Loan period. The length of the loan.
6. Fees (required field):
   • Increment. The unit of measurement (page, exposure, item)
   • Minimum/maximum. The number of copies available per Fee. Note: To indicate a flat fee, fill in Fee, but leave Minimum and Maximum blank.
   • Currency. The monetary unit used.
   • Tax included. Indicates if tax is part of fee or not.
   • Tax type. Rate (per cent) or fee.
   • Tax. The amount of the tax.
   • Reciprocal Type. The kind of reciprocal agreement (fee vs. free), if any.
     • Example: A policy for copying the first 10 items at $2 and the next 10 at $8 would be recorded in two rows:
     • Increment: Item; min: 1; max: 10; fee: $2
     • Increment: Item; min: 11; max: 20; fee: $8
7. Borrowers:
   • OCLC Group. The groups the policy applies to and any exceptions.
   • Library Categories. A description chosen by the library.
   • Locations. The locations the policy applies to and any exceptions.

8. Items:

   • Collections. The collections the policy applies to and any exceptions.
   • Formats. The formats the policy applies to and any exceptions.
   • Restrictions. Any conditions that restrict the use of the item.

9. Details:

   • Methods and their fees are listed in order of preference.
10. Notes:
    • Additional notes about the policy.
11. Click Save.

Create Deflection Policies

Deflection is applied to the lender string to ensure that an unfilled request does not remain in WorldShare Interlibrary Loan or Tipasa as Pending, waiting for potential lenders to manually deny the request.

Deflection is not the same process as filtering. Filtering is a process that chooses lenders based on holdings data and other information from the holdings record before the request is created (produced). It takes place before the lender string is built. The Policies Directory is not involved with this processing.

To create a Deflection policy:

1. Navigate to the Policies tab from the OCLC Policies Directory.
2. Click the Add button on the Deflections drop-down.
3. Enter the following required fields:
   1. Policy Name
   2. Request type. Options include:
      • Copy
      • Loan
      • Copy or Loan
   3. Deflection type. Options include:
      • Enable Real Time Deflection: Choose this option to enable the deflection policy.
      • Enable Real Time Deflection - except when I am last in the lender string: Choose this option to enable the deflection policy except when the institution is the last lender in the lender string.
      • Disable Deflection: Choose this option to disable the deflection. Select one of the above options to enable the deflection at a later time.
4. Optional. Under Fees section, enter the Borrower maximum cost.
5. Optional. Under Borrowers section, select the OCLC Group or Custom Holding Group to include in the deflection.
6. Optional. Under Items, select the Item features for the deflection. Options include:
   • Formats
   • E-License Terms
   • Material Age
7. Optional. Enter Notes for the deflection.
8. Click Save.

If the borrower returns to the request after it has been placed, the asterisk indicating the current lender will have moved to the next lender. The Request History will indicate the Reason for No:

• Auto-Deflection: Format Type
• Auto-Deflection: Profiled Group (covers profiled groups and Custom Holding Groups)
• Auto Deflection: Maximum Cost
• Auto Deflection: Age of Material
• Auto Deflection: Multiple Reasons
• Auto Deflection: Request Type

Deflection may be based on the request service type, local holdings, format type, OCLC profiled group membership, Custom Holding Group, maximum cost, E- license terms and material age in years. Exceptions can also be set, based on format type, OCLC profiled group membership, and Custom Holding Group. The default setting is for no deflection policies to be set.

If you have multiple deflections, requests are processed following the hierarchy for deflection listed below.

Deflection Policy Formats