Limit the floating items for the same title and material type

You can limit the number of items attached to the same bibliographic record that the receiving branch will accept. For example, a limit of 20 on material type DVD indicates that the receiving branch will not accept more than 20 DVD copies of any given title. In determining how many items to bring in, the system counts how many of the items are immediately available (In), as well as how many of the items have floated to the receiving branch regardless of their current circulation status.

To set limits on items with the same material type linked to the same bibliographic record:

Note:
You need the system-level System Administration permission Modify floating material type limits table: Allow to do this procedure.

  1. In the Administration Explorer tree view, select the receiving branch (the branch to which items will float).
  2. Open the Policy Tables folder for the receiving branch, and select Floating: Material Type Limits. The Floating: Material Type Limits table is displayed in the details view.

Note:
To better manage memory, a program-defined row limit determines whether this table can be opened at a specific organizational level. For example, if the table is opened at the system level and would require more than the limit (comprising entries from all branches) to be loaded, you will see a message advising you to open the table at a lower organizational level.

  1. In the Material Type list, select the material type for which you want to change the receiving branch’s limits. By default, the maximum number of In items attached to the same bibliographic record for each material type is set to 5. The default maximum number of items of any circulation status is 10.
  2. Click ModIcon00511.gif. The Modify box opens.

ModFloatMatLimits.gif 

  1. Change the limit settings as appropriate, and click OK. The Maximum In Item Limit can be 0 or greater. The Maximum Total Item Limit must be 1 or greater.

Examples:

Due to normal circulation processes, you may end up with more floating items than your on-shelf (In) item limit. For example, your In Item Limit is set to 5. You have 4 items on the shelf, and you check another item in. You have reached the limit. Then you check out 2 of the items. Another item comes in and successfully floats to your branch because you have 2 less than your In limit. The two checked out items come back. All items are on the shelf, and they total to one more than the limit. You can manipulate the limit settings depending on the results you want:

— To closely enforce an on-shelf (In) limit, set the In Item Limit to any value greater than 1, and set the Total Item Limit to an equal or slightly greater value. For example, set the In Item Limit to 10 and the Total Item Limit to 12. The on-shelf limit is enforced but the total items may grow somewhat over the on-shelf limit. The Total Item Limit setting helps to control the expansion.

— To loosely enforce an on-shelf limit, set the In Item Limit to any value greater than 1, and set the Total Item Limit to a value much greater than the In item Limit. The on-shelf limit is enforced but the total items may grow over the on-shelf limit.

— To enforce only a total limit, set the In Item Limit to any value greater than 2, and set the Total Item Limit to any value equal or less than the In Item Limit (other than 1). For example, set the In Item Limit to 50 and the Total Item Limit to 10. This essentially overrides the on-shelf limit.

— To not impose any limits, set both limits to very high values (such as 99). This essentially turns off checking.

  1. Repeat steps 2-4 for each material type for which you want to change the limits.

Related Information

You can display a prompt when checking in a floating item that would exceed the material type limits. See Set parameters and profiles for floating collections.