When the Book You Want Isn't On the Shelf
As you may or may not know, there is a collection of online forms available to all UAlbany students, faculty, and staff that can be used to request certain services from the libraries. Some of these services include requesting an item for library purchase, the UA Delivery of inter-campus books and articles, and Library Instruction and Reserve service forms for Faculty and Teaching Assistants. Here is an overview of some of these forms.
First is the On Order/In Processing Request Form Occasionally, Minerva will list the Loan Type and Status of a particular book as being “On Order,��? “In Processing,��? “In Cataloging Backlog,��? or “Under Consideration.��? If you are interested in checking out a book with one of these statuses previously listed, all you need to do is fill out the On Order/In Processing Request Form, and library staff will contact you when the book is available.
Next is the Recommendation for Library Purchase Form. As the name would suggest, patrons can use this form to recommend an item to be purchased by the University Libraries and added to the collection. Before submitting a recommendation for purchase, be sure to check Minerva to make sure the Libraries do not already own the item. Once submitted, your request will be sent to the appropriate subject specialist llibrarian for consideration.
Another form available to university members is the Not on Shelf Form. Users can complete and submit this form to report an item that is not on the shelf when or where Minerva indicates it should be available. Additionally, this form can also be used to request an item that is currently listed as being “On Order,��? “In Processing,��? “Under Consideration,��? and the like, much like the On Order/In Processing Form. Before submitting the Not on Shelf Form, be sure to ask for assistance at the Circulation Desk. Staff can determine if the item was recently returned, explore other possibilities, and double-check the shelf location.
One form that has migrated to being a feature within Minerva is the Recall Service. If there is a book or other library item that is currently checked out that you urgently need, make use of the “Recall this Item��? option within Minerva. To request a recall for an item, search for the item that is currently checked out in Minerva, and click the “Recall this Item��? option. Next, enter your Net ID and password and enter MyMinerva. From the Create Request Recall window, choose which of the three University Libraries where you would like to pick up the item, and enter the date at which the item is no longer needed. Once the request is completed, you will receive a notice when the item has been returned and is available for pick up. For more information on recalling an item, there is the Recall Services page, and for detailed instructions on how to complete the Recall Request within Minerva, please visit How to Recall Items Through the Minerva Online Catalog.
Please visit Request Forms under the Services tab of the University Libraries homepage for a complete list of all the library request forms, and remember to Ask-a-Librarian if you need assistance!
Blog post created by Matthew Laudicina