Are you cozy in your PJs at midnight searching
through the library catalog for that title you’ve been
dying to read? Placing a “hold” is one of the most popular
services provided by the Library System. A hold is simply a
request you make when an item you want is not currently
available at your local branch or, if it is available, you want
it pulled from the shelf and held for you. You may even be able
to place a hold on selected titles before they are even
published.
Once a hold has been placed, one of two things
will happen:
-
If there’s a copy available at your chosen
branch it will be assigned to fill your hold.
-
If all
copies are checked out, you will be put on a waiting list and
a copy will be assigned to you when it becomes available.
In the
morning, each branch gets a list of books that need to be pulled
to fill holds. Some of these books will fill holds at their own
locations, while others will be sent to other branches to fill
holds at those locations. Those “traveling” books are put into
crates, picked up by the courier, and sent to their final
destinations. That’s why if you place a hold on an item after
the morning list has been compiled, it will not be available for
you to pick up that very same day.
Once a
book has been assigned to fill your hold, and it’s on its way
from another location, that hold cannot be filled by another
copy. That’s why it may be possible to come into the library and
see the title you are waiting for sitting on the shelf. You may
certainly choose to check out that copy and cancel the hold you
have.
Once your hold is available for pick-up, you will be notified by
phone, mail, or e-mail, depending on the system you chose.
E-mail notification is the quickest and most effective way.
After you’ve been notified, we’ll hold the item for you for four
days, and if the item is not picked up by then it will be
re-shelved, returned to its original location, or assigned to
the next person waiting.
You may request books, sound recordings, movies, and music CDs -
up to two items per day in person or over the phone (have your
library card handy when calling), or you can do it online by
visiting us at
www.pbclibrary.org.
