Using Materials Request in the Catalog

This documentation details how to use the Materials Request feature in the library catalog.

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What is a Materials Request ?

The Material Request form is used to let a local library know that there is an item or title you would like them to either purchase or borrow for you.

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How to submit a Materials Request from search results

The first step is to search for the item at your local library.

Open

If the title isn’t owned by your local library, the following screen will appear. Click on the Suggest a purchase link. 

Open

The Login screen will appear if you’re not currently logged into the catalog.  Enter your login credentials.  Click Continue to login and access the Materials request form.

Filling out the Materials Request form

There are four sections of the Materials Request form:

• Basic Information

• Place a hold

• Supplemental Details

• Contact Info

Basic Information

The Format and Title will automatically be populated based on your search.  You can use the Format drop-down menu to change the format.  The Author field will need to be filled in.

Place a hold

This section allows for a hold to be placed when the item is available.  The Pickup Location is a dropdown menu for any library that has multiple branches.  The Pickup Location associated with your login will show on the screen.  There is an option to decide if the item will be borrowed from another library, if your home library decides to not purchase the item.

If the No option is chosen to not place a hold when the item is available, the Pickup Location will no longer show on the screen.

Supplemental Details (optional)

This supplemental details section is optional, however, any information that can help a local library find the desired title is appreciated.  The Age Level and Type have dropdown menus.  The Publisher and Publication Year always helps a library find the correct publisher and the current edition of the item. 

Contact Info

The Email field will be populated by the email address from your account login, if there is an email associated with your library account.  The Phone number may need to be added or may populate automatically.  Please make sure to enter your current contact information to ensure a response. 

Make sure to review the information, before clicking on the Submit Materials Request button.

Once the form has been submitted the following message will appear. In the green box, you’ll see the title and author information for the title you requested. In the blue box, you’ll see information regarding how many materials requests you have submitted and the balance of active requests you have available. Click on the See my Materials Requests button to view and manage your materials requests.

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Managing Materials Requests in your account

Access the My Materials Requests page from the Materials Request option in your library account menu.

The My Materials Requests page displays all your Open Requests on default. You can click on the All Requests option and click the Update Filters button to see all your active and completed Materials Requests. Use the Search bar to search for specific Materials Requests you have made.

The Details button will open a pop-up window detailing the information you supplied in the form for the individual request.

When the Cancel Request button is clicked, the following pop-up boxes will appear. To confirm the cancellation of your request, click Okay.

You will receive a success message when the materials request is successfully cancelled. Click Close to close complete the cancellation.

You can submit a new Materials Request using the Submit New Materials Request button at the bottom of the My Materials Request page. The button will open up a blank Materials Request form that you can fill out to the best of your ability.

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