How do I place a hold on an item (i.e. reserve a book)?
You can place a hold on most items in the library system so that when that item is returned, it will be sent to the library of your choice to pick up. Follow these easy steps to place a hold on an item and have it sent for you:
- From the Library's home page , select "Search Catalog" from the menu bar.
- Search for the item you are looking for by author, title, subject or keyword (keyword is the default).
- If the item is owned by the library system, the next page will either have a single item or a list of items displayed. If it is a single item, you will see a "Place Hold" link in the separate column on the left-hand of the screen. Do you see that column on the left? If Yes, skip to Step 5 below; if No, then continue to Step 4.
- From the list of items, scan down the list to see if the one you are looking for is there. When you have found it, click on the "Place Hold" link. Continue to Step 6.
- Click on the "Place Hold" link, and when the Login page appears, enter your library card number without any spaces between the numbers (this number appears just below the barcode on your library card), and your PIN (this is usually the last four digits of your telephone number). After you have entered your library card number and PIN, click on the LOGIN button.
- When the Submit Hold screen appears, choose your pickup library from the drop-down menu and then click on the SUBMIT button.
- The next screen will tell you if the hold has been successfully placed.
Note: If the screen tells you that the hold was not successfully placed, there could be several reasons, including that the item cannot be held, or that your card is blocked for some reason. If you have any questions, call any branch library for assistance.
You will receive notification either via e-mail, mail, or phone when the item is available to pick up at the library you specified.