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Reserve Items

Why Reserve?

1. To place your name on a waiting list for an item.
2. To have an item placed on the reserve shelves for you.

Reserve Online

1. Go to www.westervillelibrary.org.
2. Type your request into the search box and click FIND IT.
3. When you locate the item you are interested in, click the REQUEST IT or RESERVE IT button.
4. Enter your FIRST and/or LAST NAME and LIBRARY CARD NUMBER.
5. Choose your PICKUP LOCATION.*
6. When the item is ready for you to pick up, you will receive a notice letting you know. Also, the hold will appear as READY FOR PICKUP in My Account.
7. You will have four days to check out the item. If you do not check it out within four days, the item will be placed back on the shelf or move to the next patron on the waitlist.

* Note: SELF-SERVE RESERVE = pickup near the Circulation Desk. DRIVE-UP RESERVE = pickup through the drive-up window on the north side of the building. All other choices refer to the Library Link and Outreach programs.

View Requested Reserves

1. Log in to MY ACCOUNT.
2. Click on REQUESTS (HOLDS).
3. An item's status will be listed as Ready if the item is waiting for you to pick up at the pickup location of your choosing.
4. If an item's status is listed as Available or 1 of 1 holds, that means that the item has not yet been placed at the pickup location of your choosing, as it has not yet been located on the shelf.

Problems?

There are a few possible reasons why you are unable to reserve items. Please refer to the following scenarios:

When the Reserve It button does not appear in the library’s catalog:

1. The item may be "billed" to another patron or we may not own the item. If you are interested in an item that is billed or that you cannot find in the library's catalog, try borrowing it from other libraries through SearchOhio or OhioLINK. If other libraries do not own the item, you can also Suggest a Purchase and we will consider ordering the item for you.
2. The item may be an “electronic resource," which means that it is accessible through the Internet. Examples of electronic resources include eJournals and magazines, Internet sites, and eBooks/eAudiobooks. If you are viewing an item that is accessible online, simply click the link provided. A valid library card number may be required.
3. The item may be “non-circulating.” This means that the item is not allowed to leave the library. If you are interested in a non-circulating item, feel free to come in to the library to take a look at it.
4. Still can't find reserve what you're looking for? Contact us for more assistance.

When you try to place a reserve, a message appears prompting you to “Please see a librarian":

1. Your library card account may have expired. This happens every 3 years so that we can verify your correct contact information. Please contact us in order to update your account.
2. You may have a library fine that is over our $5 limit. You are able to check out items until your fine is over $5.00. At that point, you must pay your fine before you can reserve more items. Either come in to the library or pay your fine online by logging in to My Account.
3. You may have reached your 50-holds limit. Each patron is only allowed to have 50 holds at any given time.
4. Your card may not be in good standing due to a bad address, lost card or an item returned without some of its parts.
   Please contact us in order to resolve any issues on your account.

Freezing Reserves

Going on vacation? You have the option to "freeze" your requests while you are out of town.  This means that your position on the waitlist for an item is skipped over until you choose to "unfreeze" it.

Freeze:

1. Log in to MY ACCOUNT.
2. Click on REQUESTS (HOLDS).
3. Select the checkbox in the FREEZE column for the items you would like to freeze.
4. Click SAVE CHANGES.

Note: Items that are available, in-transit, or on the holdshelf for you cannot be frozen.

Unfreeze:

1. Log in to MY ACCOUNT.
2. Click on REQUESTS (HOLDS).
3. Uncheck the box in the FREEZE column for the items you would like to unfreeze.
4. Click SAVE CHANGES.