HoldWise

HoldWise is a web app (with optional mobile staff view) that reduces long hold queues by optimizing where items should be pulled from and where they should be routed for pickup. It plugs into existing ILS/LSP systems (e.g., Alma, Sierra, Polaris, Koha) via APIs/SIP2/NCIP and continuously recalculates the “best fulfillment path” based on transit times, branch workload, shelf availability confidence, and pickup deadlines. Staff get a simple pull list that prioritizes high-risk holds (likely to miss SLA) and suggests substitutions (another copy, nearby branch, or eBook) when a title is chronically unavailable. This is a combination traditional + AI app: traditional rules handle policy constraints; AI forecasts availability and transit delays from historical patterns. It’s not a full library system replacement—just a focused layer that libraries can adopt without a multi-year migration.