Add "Request" as a block option in Block Preferences
Currently the Block Preferences have Block options to permit Blocks on Loan and Renewals, but it would be good to include Blocks on Requests on these blocks - specifically Patron Physical Item Requests, but conceivably other requests.
For example is a Patron Limit is defined on Overdues or Recalled overdues, and the limits are exceeded, the relevant Block Preferences are triggered,
i.e.
Patron overdue limits has exceeded
Patron overdue recall limit exceeded
However, the only options on what patron services blocked are Loan and Renewal.
Requests should also be added to the options so that overdues can immediately block a wider range of patron services.
Adding this option allows libraries to more adequately sanction the breaching of patron limits (without having to manually add User Defined Blocks which do allow Request blocking) and so would prevent users with overdue (requested) items from requesting additional items while they are remain overdue themselves.
-
Jay commented
I asked Ex-Libris for this in a case over 3 1/2 years ago and they said that this is not how they want Primo/Alma to work but after all this time, it would still be very helpful for us. It's better to stop the request up front than for staff to go to storage and page the book only to find out after the fact that the patron has an overdue recall. What a waste of staff time. Voyager allowed this.
Further in terms of blocking a request, I would like to have patrons in specific user groups automatically be blocked when they reach their assigned book number limit just like in Voyager but that doesn't work either.
Finally, I would like a patron to be automatically blocked from requesting when they reach a specified fine amount, just like in Voyager, yet this doesn't work either.