Tyson Tate

It may have been 2008, but the Robert E. Kennedy library still relied on an old and confusing paper-based process for allowing library patrons to request catalog items if they were in storage, in repair, or otherwise not immediately available. Worse, the online catalog would simply say that the item was unavailable—it didn’t let patrons know that they could still place a request for the item. Obviously, this was not acceptable.

To solve this problem, I created a JavaScript addition (using some features of the MooTools framework) to our online catalog—PolyCat—. This addition intelligently scans item detail pages for indications that a particular item is unavailable but can be requested while keeping in mind that some items can have multiple volumes or come in different formats. If it finds an item that can be requested it adds a button that opens a modal window where a patron can request the item. When the form is submitted, the script builds a list of relevant information for inclusion in the final request that the librarian needs to know in order to track down the item for the patron.

What once required a trip to the front desk and a page of written information is now a simple 15-second process.