IDS Logic

IDS Logic helps automate ILL workflows in ILLiad behind the scenes. You can think of it as a coworker that performs routine tasks by clicking things for you. It can automatically do things such as:

• determine if an item is available and lendable
• route transactions based on specific criteria
• send emails
• handle renewal approvals
• and so much more.

Whenever IDS Logic touches a transaction, it leaves a bit of information in the Notes field so you can always see if IDS Logic acted on a particular transaction or not. These notes all start with "IDS Logic:"

IDS Logic has several different components and functions. They are all “IDS Logic” and can be used together or you can choose to only use some of the functions.

For books IDS Logic might:

• add location and call number information
• cancel requests for items that are unavailable (ex: checked out or in collections that don't circulate)
• and/or send requests out to other queues

For borrowing requests, IDS Logic can:

• accept and act on 1st renewals without intervention on your part
• send a request out to OCLC's Automated Request Manager (formerly Direct Request) without you ever touching the transaction

Here's an example of how IDS Logic automates borrowing article requests:

1. Fix the date and ISSN fields for consistency.
2. Process copyright automatically if certain criteria are met (for example, older than 5 years old or less than 5 requests for that journal title)
3. Send requests to other IDS Libraries based on journal holding coverage information contained in ALIAS, or
4. Investigate the cost to purchase newer articles through Reprints Desk, Get It Now, and Copyright Clearance Center. Logic can then (if desired) automatically fill the request through Reprints Desk based on cost and other information

Learn more about IDS Logic functionality by looking through the different IDS Logic modules outlined on this site.

Email logic@idsproject.libanswers.com if you would like to review your specific library configuration, if you think Logic isn’t working at your library, or if your library would like to talk about making changes to your Logic configuration.

The following changes will impact your Logic configuration. You should reach out if any of these occur at your library

• Add new collections/locations that should not circulate to borrowers or lenders

• Change ILS systems

• Change journal knowledgebase systems

• Change your Reprints Desk account information

IDS Logic is setup with a server addon. That helps connect ILLiad with the IDS Logic base code and configuration file with all the settings unique to your library.

Logic is designed to run every x number of minutes. This is in your library’s configuration file and is often every 1-10 minutes. This means that if Logic is running every 5 minutes at your library, the transactions will be moved by IDS Logic every 5 minutes. It is possible to ‘interrupt’ Logic’s automation by opening and acting on requests between Logic runs. Sometimes people ask why Logic didn’t move something and it’s because staff got to the request first! You might be tempted to shorten the time between each Logic run, but, if you have a lot of rules, especially complex queries, shortening to one minute between runs might not be long enough to process all the requests and you really should leave it at five minutes. If this sounds like your library, maybe 3 minutes would be your sweet spot?

The configuration file also connects to OCLC through a kbwskey, RePrints Desk with your credentials, Copyright Clearance Center with an API call, InternetArchive with an API call, and your ILS with a z39.50 connection.