Library staff are committed to the library's mission to provide all users the most efficient and rapid access possible to library materials held by the UMBC library and elsewhere. Given limitations on Library staffing, this goal can only be accomplished by minimizing disruption of normal batch processing of new materials. Therefore, it is library practice not to accept requests from users to search the acquisitions or cataloging areas for "on order" or "in process" materials. New materials are only available after being fully processed and cataloged.

Rationale:

Because there are many possible stages of processing, and hundreds of items at each stage, such searching is quite time-consuming and disruptive to the work of many staff. Library staff must be carefully allocated to the most efficient batch processing methods available to prevent pervasive processing backlogs from developing.

Alternative Service Offered:

The Library's online catalog, Aleph, displays the status of items as being "on order" or "in process," but cannot predict the date on which these items will actually be available. Once the item's availability appears as "on shelf" with no other messages displayed, the item is then available for patron use.

References: Unit Heads meeting minutes for 7/6/92

guideline implemented 6/1/92
revised 6/30/92, 9/24/92, and 2/22/05