Web Client: fool proof transferring vol/copy process

I am inviting comments. I found the current volume/copy transfer process is prone to mistakes.

This is a two-steps process: marking a destination, then transferring the source vol/copy.

The current behaviour:

There are four options of marking a destination on Holdings View.

1. Mark For > Volume Transfer
2. Actions > Choose a Library as V/C Transfer Destination
3. Actions > Mark > Library as Volume Transfer Destination
4. Actions > Mark > Volume as Item Transfer Destination

There are five options of making the transfer:

Actions > Transfer > Volumes to Previously Marked Record
Actions > Transfer > Volumes to Previously Marked Library
Actions > Transfer > Volumes to Previously Marked Record and Library
Actions > Transfer > Copies to Previously Marked Library
Actions > Transfer > Items to Previously Marked Volume

It appears there could be four destinations existing at the same time. These four destination persist until a new one of its kind is marked, even after logging out of EG, closing the browser and shutting the computer.

Only one of these four destinations is visible and can be reset (cleared) (the one marked via Mark For > Volume Transfer).

The five options of making the transfer are always available (meaning none of them is greyed out for any reason). Clicking anyone will transfer the source to the corresponding destination. A misstep here will send the source to the wrong destination.

This function is not expected to be used by cataloguers on daily basis. It may be challenging for cataloguers to choose the right transfer option every time. They need to fully understand and remember how the destination and transfer options are paired up. It will not be an easy task for a used-once-in-a-while function. The consequences of choosing the wrong option is transferring the source to the wrong destination due to the persistent hidden destinations.

Suggested changes:

1. keep only one volume destination and one copy destination at a time.
2. keep only one option for volume transfer and one option for copy transfer
3. show a option popup indicating the destination bib (ideally with title) and vol/library for staff choose YES or NO. This is especially important if the above 1 & 2 can not be done.

I see the merit of having multiple destinations, which allows staff to shuffle copies/volumes among two bibs and within one bib at a time. But I think this scenario rarely occurs. Considering the added complexity and consequence of the misstep, a mistake-proof process makes more sense to me.

Tina Ji
BC Libraries Coop