2.1. Holds Levels

Last Updated 03/20/2026

Copy, Title, and Metarecord Holds (Hold Levels)

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There are five types of holds in Evergreen, known as hold levels, each targeting a specific pool of resources. Library staff can place holds at all levels, although they are advised to predominantly use Meta-Record or Title Holds to maximize the number of eligible copies, as Volume and Copy Holds significantly limit options. The document also defines terms like Metarecord, Title record, Monograph parts, Call number record, and Item record related to holds.

There are five (5) different types of holds in Evergreen, referred to as hold levels. Each hold level targets a more specific pool of potential resources than the level above it. The five levels are:

Meta-Record Hold: A single Hold placed on multiple different bibliographic records. Any item attached to any record covered by the hold may be targeted to fulfil the hold.
Title Hold: This is the default hold type, in which a single hold is placed on all items attached to a specific bibliographic record. Any item that is marked as holdable on this record may be targeted to fulfil the hold.
Parts Hold: When Monographic Parts are used on a record, the hold request can identify a specific part for hold fulfilment. Any item marked as that part and attached to that record may be targeted to fulfill the hold.
Volume Hold: A single hold is placed on a specific call number. If there are multiple copies attached to that call number, any of them may be targeted to fulfill that hold.
Copy Hold: A single hold is placed on a specific barcode. Only that copy may be targeted to fulfill that hold.

All levels of holds can be placed by staff in the Staff Client. Patrons may place Meta-Record Holds, Title Holds, and Parts Holds in the OPAC.

Placing Holds in the Staff Client

Library staff can place holds at all levels. In most cases, staff should avoid placing volume or copy holds, as doing so severely limits the number of potential copies eligible to fill the patron's hold (down to 1 or 2, in most cases). Instead, staff should place metarecord or title holds for patrons by default.

Hold level	Abbreviation	When to use	How to use	Who can use	Hold tied to
Metarecord	M	Patron wants first available copy of multiple formats (as selected)	Staff or patron first select the Group Formats and Editions checkbox, then click on Place Hold next to title.	Patron or staff	Holdings attached to multiple MARC (title) records
Title	T	Patron wants first available copy of a title in a specific format	Staff or patron click on Place Hold next to title.	Patron or staff	Holdings attached to a single MARC (title) record
Parts	P	Patron wants a particular part of title (e.g. volume or disk number)	Staff or patron selects part on the create/edit hold screen when setting holds notification options.	Patron or staff	Holdings with identical parts attached to a single bibliographic (title) record
Volume (Call Number)	V	Patron or staff want any title associated with a particular call number (not recommended in most cases)	In the staff client, click on Call Number Hold under Holdable?	Staff only	Holdings attached to a single call number (volume)
Copy (Item)	C	Patron or staff want a specific copy of an item (not recommended in most cases)	In the staff client, click on Item Hold under Holdable?	Staff only	A specific copy (barcode)

Metarecord: Compilation of individual bibliographic records that represent the same work (possibly in different formats). This compilation allows for several records to be represented on a single line on the search results page and allows the broadest number of potential copies to fill a patron hold for the first available copy of selected formats.

Title record: A single bibliographic record that contains MARC data about a work, such as title, author, and copyright date.

Monograph parts: A means of providing additional granularity within bibliographic records, primarily to enable patrons to place holds on individual parts of a set of differing items encompassed by the same published title.

Call number record (also called volume record): The record assigned to a library branch with one or more item records attached containing the call number for the work.

Item record: The record for a single copy of a work that is assigned a unique identification number (barcode) in the catalog.

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