Circulation Manual: 2.2 Circulation Desk - Requests

Recalls

When a book is checked out, a user has the option to place a recall request in Primo. In our system, this will automatically send an email with the subject line “Due Date Change notice” to the user with the book checked out. At that point, the user who received the recall request will have 1 week to return the book before their library account is blocked. No intervention is required from the Circ Desk for this process to happen. However, we will often encounter two scenarios related to this process. 

The most common scenario is that a book being checked in at the returns counter will be the subject of a recall. At the point when you check a book in, a pop up message may indicate that the book is being routed to another user who recalled it. Sometimes a receipt will print at the main Circ Desk. Other times, ALMA will indicate that the book is being routed to the “Holdshelf”. In these cases, it can be tricky to find out the name of the recalling patron. Here is the step-by-step process:

1. In ALMA under Fulfillment, go to “Monitor Requests and & Item Processes”

2. Search the book by barcode. 

3. Click on the numeral 1 where it says Requests

4. Take note of the name of the patron record that placed the Request

5. Check the book out to that patron record

6. Flag the book and place in on the shelf for deliveries

Backlogs/Rush Catalog Requests

Backlogs are books the library has accessioned but not fully cataloged. They are organized according to a six digit accession number with the format b_ _ . _ _ _ _ where the first two spaces are the last two digits of the year the book was accessioned. These books appear in the public catalog and may be requested by staff with circulating privileges. We call these requests “Rush Catalog Requests”

When you receive a request for a backlog, you must take the keys down to the specials area in Stack B where the backlogs are kept. Find the requested book and bring it directly to the desk of the Head of Technical Services where it will be cataloged. Backlogs are under no circumstances to come up to the Reading Room. The book will be cataloged and labelled and will appear as a “Notify” on the labeling shelf within a week. [More info on backlogs can be found in section 13 “Short Tasks”]

Offsite Requests

Books being held at our off-site facility (known as the Oak Grove Library Center, or OGLC) are also requestable through the library catalog. Like Rush Catalog Requests, Offsite Requests may come in during any time of the day or night. When you receive one while at circ you must: 

1. Go to the Northwestern Library Catalog (bookmarked in Chrome). Log in using the posted credentials

2. Find the book being requested (if you don’t find it, alert the Circulation Manager)

3. Confirm that the book is an AIC item before hitting “Request”

4. Fill out the webform with pickup location as Main Library, the “not needed after” date as at least 3 weeks in the future and leave a note in the notes field indicating that the request is coming from the Ryerson & Burnham Libraries. 

5. Date and initial the request slip and leave it on the Circulation Manager’s desk

Specials Requests

Because even those staff members with stack access and circulation privileges don’t have access to areas that house special collections, specials must be retrieved “on demand” by circ staff when they are needed by staff researchers outside of public hours. 

These requests will print out as paging slips similar to those that print during public hours. Please retrieve them immediately, and check them out to Staff Reserve, writing the last name of the requesting staff member and the date on the flag. Hold the book in the Staff Reserve (or oversized if FF of F) area of the specials cabinet. Use the “Specials Request” template in gmail to let the staff member know that the item is ready to be viewed at their convenience. 

Pamphlet Requests

Pamphlet files are rare and sometimes fragile but not part of the special collection and as such can circulate regularly to staff with circulation privileges. The room where they are kept cannot be accessed by staff so they must be requested “on demand” by those with library privileges. Instead of checking pamphlet files out to Staff Reserve, we can page them on demand, check them out to the patron record of the requesting staff member and set them on the shelf for delivery. If the requesting staff does not have circulating privileges, they can view the pamphlet in the Reading Room and put in on reserve or return it when they are done.