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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The Joys of "Holds"

Thanks to a customer for sending this short story:

It was the Friday morning before the long weekend, and I got an email from the ORL informing me that I had holds to pick up: one feature film, five music CDs, and a novel. My entertainment for the weekend was set, all at one stop and all for free!

Using the holds system is truly one of the joys of the library. I can browse the catalogue looking up titles, authors, and musicians that I like, and with a mouse-click I can request these items be brought to a branch near me. Amazing! Some items don't have waitlists and some require a little (or a lot!) of patience, but eventually they all find their way to me. And when I get that email that my holds are in, it's always like discovering a little treasure.

If I'm going away, or concerned about too many things coming to me at once, I use the "suspend" option. By clicking "Suspend my holds until..." and entering a future date, I hold my place in the queue for that item until I'm ready for it. Brilliant!

Thank you, ORL!