Request an item (FAQs)

General information about the Request Item service

What is an item request?

The Request Item service enables you to place an online request for library material while searching the library catalogue. You'll need a valid U of T library card to place your request, and the service includes the following:

• Placing holds on items that are checked out
• Delivery of items from one campus to another

What is a hold?

When the item you need is checked out, you can ask for a hold. This means that we won't allow the current borrower to renew the book and, when it is returned, the owning library will hold it at their circulation desk for you to pick up there. If your library record contains your email address, you'll be notified when the book is returned.

What is intercampus delivery?

Intercampus delivery is the library service that moves books between Uof T campuses for you, when they are not available on your campus. The service cannot be used to move books between libraries located on the same campus.

I can't log into the Request Item service. Why not?

If you can't log in, the Request Item service will tell you which of the following problems exist:

• The barcode and PIN that you entered don't match our records
• Your library card is blocked (more than $25.00 in fines)
• Your library card has expired
• Your library card does not allow you to request items or place holds. Current faculty, staff, and students can place holds and intercampus delivery requests. Others may have limited privileges. For more information, please see: Request articles or books from other libraries.

For further help with your library card, please visit any Uof T library circulation desk.

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How the service works

How do I place a hold?

To request a hold directly from the catalogue:

• In the catalogue, click on the Details button for the item you need
• On the Item Information page, click on Request Item and follow the instructions given

To place a hold if you do not have access to a computer:

• Call the First Stop Telephone Service at 416 978-8450, or
• Visit a library circulation desk

When notified that your hold is available, you must pick it up at the owning library.

How do I get an item delivered between campuses?

For intercampus delivery, the only pick up locations offered will be on campuses where the item is not currently available.

• In the catalogue, click on the Details button for the item you need
• On the Item Information page, click on Request Item and follow the instructions given.

Delivery requests are processed in the order received. Delivery between campuses can take up to a week. If the item you request is charged out, delivery will take longer.

How do I track my request?

• If you have placed a hold, and will be picking your item up at the owning library, you can track your request using my.account in the library catalogue
• If you have placed an intercampus delivery request, and the item is being delivered to your pick-up library, you can track your request using RACER. To learn more about RACER, click here. 

How do I cancel my request?

If you have requested a book, but no longer need it, please let us know so that we can release it for the next user.

To cancel a hold:

• If it is not yet available, please call the First Stop Telephone Service at 416 978-8450, or visit any library circulation desk, or use my.account in the library catalogue
• If it is waiting for you, please contact the library where it is being held for you.

To cancel an intercampus delivery request, you can

• Reply to your email Confirmation of Item Request Notice
• Reply to your email Pick-up Notice
• Call the library you have selected as your pick-up location.

How will I know when to pick up my item?

When your item is ready for pick up, we'll send you an email.

What is the need-by date on the request form?

If you won't need the item you are requesting after a specific date, give us that date. We'll let you know if we don't think the book will be back before then. Once an item is available, the average delivery time is 5 business days.

What does it mean if I receive a cancellation notice?

For some reason, the item you requested cannot be supplied. Please read the email NOTES for further clarification.

Who can request hospital delivery?

Hospital delivery is available to Consortium members, faculty, graduate students, and staff who are affiliated with the hospital. Please ensure that borrowing arrangements with your hospital library have been confirmed before initiating the request item service.

How do I get my item if I choose hospital delivery?

When filling out your request form, you will be asked to select a hospital library. We will ship the item to that hospital library. If you are requesting a journal article, you can also choose to have it faxed to you. Charges may apply for delivery of journal articles.

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Troubleshooting

I want delivery, but my library is not listed as a pick-up location on the request form. Why not?

Your library will not be listed as a pick-up location if the item you are requesting is available on your campus. For intercampus delivery, the only pick up locations offered will be on campuses where the item is not currently available.

On the St. George campus, there are  three pick-up locations: Robarts Library, Gerstein Science Information Centre, and OISE Library.

Note: In the catalogue, if you limit your search to a particular library, you will see information about the copies of your item at that library only. However, copies of your item may also be available at other libraries. The Item Request form will list all libraries where your item is currently available.

The form says the item is available on my campus, but I can't find it. What do I do?

If the system says that a book is available on your campus, you can't use the Request Item service to get it delivered. But sometimes, books go missing even though the system reports that they are on the shelf. In this case, please speak to intercampus delivery staff about your request, or ask the library to search for the book.

I want delivery, and my item is not charged out. But the request form says that my item is not available for delivery. Why not?

To request delivery using this form, the item that you want must be in one of the following locations, within its library:

• General locations: STACKS, STORAGE, ITEM MAY BE REQUESTED, CURREN_PER, PERIODICAL
• Special collections: FIS SAS, ROMFAREAST
• At the OISE Library: OISE WERC, OISE MLC, OISE CFO, OISE JUVENILE, OISE CLC, AV, and Theses

An item held in a location not listed above, such as Reference, Short Term Loan, or Special Collections, cannot be requested using this service.

Also, the following libraries DO NOT PARTICIPATE in the intercampus delivery service:

• Astronomy, DMGC, Gardiner Museum, Industrial Relations, Massey, Media Commons Library, New College (Ivey), Pontifical Institute, St. Augustine's Seminary, Thomas Fisher Rare Book, University Archives, Victoria University Archives, Victoria University Centre for Reformation and Renaissance Studies, Hospital libraries, and the University of Toronto Schools Library (UTS).

To borrow material from one of these libraries, please contact them directly.

Can I request delivery of a printed copy of a book, when the library owns both print and online versions?

Yes.

I'm not receiving email notifications about my requests. Why not?

Commercial email services like hotmail and yahoo, frequently identify REQUEST ITEM emails as junk. If you use these services, check your junk mail folder for messages. To avoid this problem, use your University of Toronto email account instead.

How can I request an item not owned by any University of Toronto library?

A request for an item not owned by a University of Toronto Library is called an Interlibrary Loan. Interlibrary Loan requests can be placed using RACER (Rapid Access to Collections by Electronic Requesting). For more information, please visit the Resource Sharing web page.