Lender list build process and more...

The lender list build process in the NHAIS ILL System determines where your request will be routed. You don't really need to know the details below but understanding how the process works will answer questions like "Why didn't my request go that library when I know they hold the title?"

The lender list build process happens behind the scenes right after you submit an individual request. The request is usually in Awaiting Lenders status less than a minute before it becomes Pending at the first potential lender. With a multi-copy request, the lender list is built before you submit the request--the program first has to establish that there are enough copies held at libraries around the state.

The lender list build process takes the information in the record you chose to create your request (the "source record") and searches the catalogs in the NHAIS ILL System for matching records. The program also checks lending policies before adding a library to the lender list. Once all potential lenders are determined for the list, the locations are sorted according to the Preferred Lender List assigned to each borrower.

Matching criteria are tweaked from time to time to minimize the false positives and false negatives that come up when trying a establish matches across millions of MARC records from hundreds of sources. As of this writing, matching occurs as detailed below. All gathered targets are searched for the first match point available from the ILL request information, then any remaining libraries that were not successfully matched are used to search the next match point, and so on.

ISBN and ISSN
-Searches up to first 3 numbers in record..
-If match is found, no additional validation occurs.
-If no match, moves to next match point.

OCLC Number, LCCN, and UPC (Other Standard Identifier)
-Searches first number.
-If match is found, validation includes:
a. Title
b. Format, if lending policy is used
-If no match, moves to next match point.

Publisher Number
-Searches first number.
-If match is found, validation includes:
a. Publisher Source or Title
b. Format, if lending policy is used
-If no match, moves to next match point.

Title/Author
-Both Title and Author must be present in the ILL request data to perform this search.
-If match is found, validation includes:
a. Publisher date and publisher name
b. Format, if lending policy is used

In the absence of standard numbers or an author in the source record, the program will resort to the following:

Title
- Requires an exact match on normalized titles.
Normalization information:
-Everything before the bracket (245 $a $b $n $p) is used
-Strips symbols and double spaces, lower all cases, changes “&” to “and”
-If match is found, validation includes:
a. Publisher information
b. Format, if lending policy is used
-If no match on the final match point, the lender is not added.

Even if a location makes it onto a lender list, that doesn't guarantee the library will ever see the request. Once a request is Shipped by a lender, none of the libraries below it on the lender list will see the request. Also, when it's time to send the request to a particular lender on the list, the program runs some checks again and others for the first time to ensure the most up-to-date availability. A "no" to any of these questions will lead SHAREit to skip over a potential lender in the list:
-Does the lender still own the item?
-Does the lender still lend the format?
-Is the library currently accepting requests?
-Is the item showing an "available" shelf status (for Z-targets that provide that information)?
 

   

The NHAIS ILL System will be offline briefly tonight (Tuesday, Oct. 27) starting at 10 o'clock for software updates. Only behind-the-scenes functions are affected so you won't notice anything different Wednesday morning.

   

With thanks to my colleague here at the NHSL, Jen Finch, head of reference and go-to for all things library statistical 🙂

Someone asked me how to quickly see which libraries serve a similarly sized population. Here are the steps:

1. Go here: Library Statistics | NH State Library

2. Scroll down below the photo

3. Download 2025 Complete Library Statistics (or just take this link, but I wanted you to know where to find it on the NHLS website for future reference)  https://www.nhsl.dncr.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt726/files/documents/2025-complete-library-stats.xlsx

4. Choose the first tab, "Outlet Data"

5. Sort Column J "Population of the Legal Service Area"

       6. Find your library in the sorted list and you'll see which others serve close to the same population size.

   

Beginning on November 2, delivery directly to libraries that are listed on “North Country” routes will resume. The planned routes are available at the bottom of this [message]. We will also post them to the NHSL website as soon as we can.

Thank you for bearing with us. We will do our best to fulfill all ILL routes in the months ahead, but I want to share that we are still operating without one of our full‑time drivers. As a result, there may be some unavoidable juggling. Thank you in advance for your continued patience and understanding. As ever, our goal is to provide the best service to our public libraires.

Finally, I would like to single out the work of one particular NHSL staff person who has gone well above and beyond “other duties as assigned.” Diana Sklader has been instrumental in figuring how to make the hub routes work and how to return to door-to-door delivery, all while driving more than her fair share of van routes. THANK YOU, Diana!!!

All my best and TGIF,

Mindy Atwood
Administrator of Library Operations :: Assistant State Librarian
New Hampshire State Library 

Tuesday
15 Stops
 
Center Sandwich
Tamworth
Chocorua
Madison
Conway
North Conway
Jackson
Bartlett
Bethlehem
Franconia
Lincoln
North Woodstock
Thornton
Campton
Plymouth

Wednesday
13 Stops
 
Dalton
Whitefield
Jefferson
Lancaster
Groveton
Stratford
Colebrook
Errol
WMCC - Berlin
Berlin
Gorham
Randolph
Twin Mountain


Thursday
14 Stops
 
Plymouth
Rumney
Wentworth
Warren
Lyme
Orford
Piermont
Haverhill
North Haverhill
Woodsville
Monroe
Bath
Lisbon
Littleton

   

The vulnerabilities to PHP sites announced yesterday by the NSA have been addressed on the NHAIS ILL system. We were notified yesterday by Soutron Global (the company that now owns Auto-Graphics and which hosts our ShareIt software) that there was an issue and that they were addressing it: 

"We have identified a security vulnerability in PHP, a component used by SHAREit including for features such as cover images (jacket art). We are treating this as a priority and are applying the fix across our hosted service now. No action is needed from you."

Today we were notified that all is well: 

"All SHAREit and VERSO sites, SaaS and remotely hosted, are now running versions that include the needed PHP vulnerability fixes. The team identified every affected product and server, developed a fix and plan, and updated every affected environment within a day of the disclosure. No action is needed from customers."