MCPL: How to Request and Manage Holds on Titles

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Placing and Managing Holds

Place a hold

To request an item in our catalog, go to the Details screen for that title and click on Place Hold on the left side.

You must have an MCPL library card and PIN. You will not be able to place holds if you owe $25 or more. See Paying Fines and Fees.

How do I know when my hold is available?

When the item arrives at your chosen pick-up branch, you will receive a notice by mail or by email. Register for email notification.

You will have 10 days to pick it up before it is removed from the hold shelf.

You can also check the status of your holds from Your Account. If a hold is at your pick-up library for you, it is displayed as "Available."

Fee for holds not picked up within 10 days
If an available hold is not picked up within 10 days, the item will be removed from the hold shelf and you will be charged $1. Cancel unneeded holds by using your online account, by contacting Ask-a-Librarian at 240-777-0001, or by email.

Maximum number of holds
You may have up to 30 hold requests (including interlibrary loan requests) on your account at one time.

Suspending or editing holds
You can suspend your holds using your online account, if you can't pick up or use them during a particular period. While your hold is suspended, you will continue to move up the hold queue, but the title will not become available for you. Read detailed instructions for suspending or editing holds.

Cancelling holds
Cancel unneeded holds by using your online account, by contacting Ask-a-Librarian at 240-777-0001, or by email.

How long will it take to fill my hold if the title is available on a library shelf?
Library staff pull items to fill hold requests once a day. If you need a title immediately, you should call the branch that has it. A staff member will look for the item and either place it on the hold shelf or send it to another branch you choose. Transferring an available item between branches takes 3 to 5 days.

Holds on new entertainment DVDs
The library purchases many copies of each popular DVD title. A few copies of every title will be filling customer holds, but, for the first 90 days a DVD title is owned, most will be non-holdable copies, available to people browsing the library's shelves. Instead of moving around the county in delivery trucks and awaiting pick-up on hold shelves, the non-holdable copies are in constant use. After 90 days in the system, all copies will begin to fill customer holds.

When I try to place a hold, I get a "privilege expired" message.

Renew your library account. If there is no mailing address change and if your account is free of fines or fees, you can renew your account from Your Account online or by calling Ask-a-Librarian at 240-777-0001.

If your address has changed, proof of address must be presented at a library.

If money is owed on the account, it must be paid before the account can be renewed. See Paying Fines and Fees.

Holds on downloadable titles
Holds on our downloadable e-books and audiobooks will not show on your regular library account. See your Maryland Digital eLibrary account to manage those holds.

What if MCPL doesn't own the title I need?
You can make a purchase suggestion. Or our Interlibrary Loan service may be able to borrow it from another library system for you.

Olney's MCPL Express at the Longwood Community Center has a special situation about holds.
You may place holds with a pick-up location of OLN_LOCKER (or Olney Hold Lockers) only if you are registered for Email Notification. Holds will be ready for pick-up at 6:00 pm on the day your hold notice is sent. Holds will be available for 4 days, including the day the notice is sent.. The shortened pick-up deadline is in place to minimize the backlog of holds caused by the limited number of lockers. If you check your account online, please note that holds are not ready for pick-up until they are shown as "Checked Out" to your account. Read more.

I need help.
Our librarians are happy to help you. Contact your branch or Ask-a-Librarian.

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