Home → Item Cataloging and Holdings Management → The Holdings Editor → Circulation Modifiers

3.7. Circulation Modifiers

Last Updated 01/09/2026

Adding Circulation Modifiers

On This Page

Circulation Modifiers are item type designators added at the local item level (not included in the bibliographic Record) that impact how an item circulates. Catalogers select them when adding Item Attributes from a designated list of options.

Circulation modifiers are an important factor for building circulation and hold policies. They are added at the Item level as Item Attributes in the Holdings Editor.

While it is advisable to apply circulation modifiers that match the item type, in some cases, a library's selection of circulation policies may dictate specific policies that don't match exactly (for example, PLAYAWAY versus AUDIOBOOK). 

How are Circulation Modifiers Chosen?

The consortium moderates the list of available Circulation Modifiers to limit complexity while ensuring that libraries have sufficient options for circulation and hold policies. This results in a large but finite list of options. Any request to add new circulation modifiers should be sent to Cardinal staff and will be discussed in the Cataloging Interest Group.

Adding Circulation Modifiers

Circulation modifiers appear in the dropdown list in Item Attributes section of the Holdings Editor. They are a required field and must be applied for every item in the catalog. 

Note: When importing records in the Batch Importer, the Holdings Profile includes a subfield for Circ Modifier. This field must use the exact format, spelling, and capitalization listed above or the upload will fail.

Resource Sharing

NC Cardinal has hold policies that allow all items with BOOK, AUDIOBOOK, VIDEO & MUSIC circulation modifiers to be available for resource sharing, unless the shelving location or item prevents holds (such as reference or genealogy items.)

By default, Cardinal-wide hold policies are set up for all the other circ mods so holds cannot be placed on them, unless your library system has requested a hold policy to allow your patrons to place holds on items with those circ mods. By default, hold policies for these non-resource sharing circulation modifiers will be set so that holds can be placed only by your patrons, unless you specify that you want those items to be eligible for resource sharing.