Strategy consequences describe when the intelligent distribution algorithm should distribute items to a media hotel. An item receives its strategy consequence via its title and the title's strategy.
Some of the strategy consequences result in a fixed rule while others require an adjustable parameter to be specified when applied to a strategy. The parameter applies to all items within that strategy, but it is possible to define different strategies which use the same strategy consequence but with different values for the parameter.
Simple strategy consequences
The simple strategy consequences only look at how many copies of the applicable title are present at (or assigned to) the specific lending branches.
Even distribution
Strategy consequence: Distribute evenly to the lending branches even if it will exceed the
meter-max.
Description: The items are distributed evenly in number among the lending branches. The item is only placed in a media hotel if there is no matching
item grouping at the lending branches. However, placement in an item grouping that does not have any space allocated at all is not allowed.
Never a media hotel
Strategy consequence: Distribute to the lending branches even if it will exceed the
meter-max.
Description: The item is only placed in a media hotel if there is no matching
item grouping at the lending branches. However, placement in an item grouping that does not have any space allocated at all is not allowed.
A
Strategy consequence: Never distribute to a media hotel if there is shelf space at the lending branches, regardless of the
copy-min/max.
Description: The media hotel is only used as a last resort when there is no physical space available at the lending branches.
X
Strategy consequence: Distribute to a media hotel if all of the lending branches are above copy-max.
Description: The lending branches are filled up to copy-max, the “surplus” is stored in a media hotel.
Y
Strategy consequence: Distribute to a media hotel if all of the lending branches are above copy-min.
Description: The lending branches are filled up to copy-min, a “reserve” is stored in a media hotel.
D
Strategy consequence: Always distribute to a media hotel.
Description: The item is never placed in the lending branches.
Complex strategy consequences
The complex strategy consequences enable the intelligent distribution algorithm to include in the calculations the number of copies of the applicable title that are already present at (or assigned to) a media hotel. The strategy consequence selected is combined with a number, x, which indicates the number of copies you would like to place in a media hotel.
The parameter x can be expressed in the form of a fixed number of items or as a % of the overall stock (both items at home and items checked out are counted). If the parameter is listed as, e.g., 25% and the overall stock of a title is 12 copies, then the media hotels will receive 3 copies of this title. (See the details for the specific strategy consequences below). Since a strategy typically applies to many titles each having a varying number of copies, the number of copies assigned to a media hotel will therefore depend on the total number of copies of the title.
P-x
Strategy consequence: Distribute to a media hotel if all of the lending branches are above copy-max and the media hotels have less than x copies.
Description: The lending branches are filled up to copy-max, then the media hotels receive x copies before the remainder is distributed to the lending branches.
Q-x
Strategy consequence: Distribute to a media hotel if all of the lending branches are above copy-min and the media hotels have less than x copies. If all of the lending branches are above copy-max, distribute to the media hotel.
Description: Once all of the lending branches have reached copy-min, up to x copies are placed in a media hotel, then the lending branches are filled up to copy-max before the remainder is sent to a media hotel.
R-x
Strategy consequence: Distribute to a media hotel if all of the lending branches are above copy-min or the media hotels have less than x copies.
Description: Items are distributed to the media hotel until the media hotels have x copies, then the lending branches are filled up to copy-min before the remainder is sent to a media hotel.
S-x
Strategy consequence: Distribute to a media hotel if the media hotels have less than x copies.
Description: x copies are distributed to a media hotel, then the remainder is placed at the lending branches.
The simple strategy consequences (A, X, Y, D) can, in fact, be obtained by using the advanced strategy consequences (P, Q, R, S) along with a parameter value, x, in the amount of either 0% or 100%. The relationship is shown in the table below.
| Strategy consequence |
x = 0% |
x = 100% |
| P-x |
A |
X |
| Q-x |
X |
Y |
| R-x |
Y |
D |
| S-x |
A |
D |
Example 1:
Strategy consequence S with the parameter 2 is chosen for a strategy.
This means that 2 copies are distributed to a media hotel and the remainder is sent to the lending branches.
Example 2:
Strategy consequence Q with the parameter 10% is chosen for a strategy.
This means that once all of the lending branches have reached their copy-mins, 10% of the system’s overall stock is distributed to a media hotel, then the lending branches are filled up to their copy-maxes.