Have you ever come across terms like “place a hold” or “available but not holdable” and wondered what they actually mean? Library lingo can sometimes feel like its own language, so we’re here to break it down and help you make the most of your library experience.
Let’s start with holds:
- Place a hold
This simply means adding your name to the list for an item you’d like to borrow. - Holdshelf
When your requested items arrive at your library and are ready for pickup, staff place them on a designated shelf just for you. - Available but not holdable
If you see this in the MORE Catalog, it means the item is currently on a special display or collection at its home library and isn’t being sent to other locations (for example, a Lucky Day item).- Lucky Day
These are popular items that are only available at the owning library. They typically have a shorter checkout period, often 7 days, to give more people a chance to enjoy them.
- Lucky Day
Delivery and transit:
- In Transit
Your item is on its way to your library. It travels from the owning library to a sorting center, and then to the library where you’ll pick it up. - Delivery
Libraries receive bins of materials several times a week from a sorting service. When these arrive, staff check in each item. From there, items are either placed on the holdshelf for pickup or returned to the shelves.
ILL & WISCAT
- Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
Items borrowed from another library outside of your local system. For participating Wisconsin libraries, we use the state catalog called, WISCAT.
Understanding these terms can make navigating the MORE catalog and your account much easier. If you ever have questions, library staff are always happy to help!