How To...


Place a Reservation

Reservations may be placed on most items in the Richmond upon Thames Library catalogue, including many items that are currently unavailable because they are on order or on loan. Reservations may be placed on an individual title or on a set of titles. When placing reservations on a set of titles, you may choose whether you would like to reserve all titles in the set, or only some of them depending on which items become available first.

To place a reservation on an individual item:

  1. Open the Search Our Catalogues menu in the Navigation panel and select the Catalogue option you would like to use: Quick Search, Full Catalogue or one of the other options.

    The Quick Search option allows you to search the entire library catalogue (Search All) or a particular data field (Title, Author, Subject) using any number of words.

    The Advanced Search option allows you to search the library catalogue more precisely.

  2. Carry out a search for the title you would like to reserve. If the words you have entered retrieve more than one catalogue record, the records will be displayed as a list, showing the brief details of each item found. To reserve an individual item from the list, select the item you want by clicking on the title and view the record in full display.

  3. Select the Place Reservation button displayed at the top and bottom of the record display. This button will only appear if a reservation may be placed on this title. Reservations may not be placed on Premium DVDs, DVD Box Sets or items that are ‘For Reference only’. A form will be presented for you to complete.

  4. Enter your Library card number and PIN if you have not already logged in.

  5. Select the ‘Pickup Location’ from which you would like to collect the item.

  6. Select the item you would like to reserve. We recommend that you select ‘Any item held in Richmond upon Thames Libraries’ as selecting a specific copy or only the copies located at a specific library will lengthen the time taken to supply your reservation.

  7. Select an expiration period or enter a specific expiration date. Your reservation will be automatically cancelled if not satisfied by this date.

  8. Enter any notes you would like to include, then select the Place Reservation button.

  9. You will be advised if there are any charges or problems with your reservation. If all is well and you wish to proceed with your reservation, select the Continue button. Select the Cancel button if you don't wish to place the reservation.

  10. If you decided to proceed, details of your reservation will be displayed. This includes your current place in the reservation queue for the title.

To place a reservation on a set of items:

  1. Open the Search Our Catalogues menu in the Navigation panel and select the Catalogue option you would like to use.

  2. Carry out a search for titles you would like to reserve. If the words you have entered retrieve more than one catalogue record, the records will be displayed as a list, showing the brief details of each item found.

  3. Browse through your page of retrieved records and mark the checkboxes for the titles you would like to reserve. You may reserve up to five items at one time.

  4. Once you have selected all the titles you would like to reserve on the current page, select the Reserve Selections button displayed at the top and bottom of the page.

  5. The reservations form will be displayed. Any titles you are unable to reserve will be displayed at the top of the form, followed by the list of titles included in this reservation. Reservations may not be placed on Premium DVDs, DVD Box Sets or items that are ‘For Reference only’.

  6. Enter your Library card number and PIN if you are not already logged in.

  7. Select the ‘Pickup Location’ from which you would like to collect the items.

  8. Select the number of titles you would like to have trapped for you to satisfy this reservation. For example, you may have performed a search for titles on a particular subject and would like to checkout just one of the items retrieved but don't really care which one. If you would just like to have the first one available, select 1 from number of titles required. You can however also place a reservation on all the titles by choosing the All titles option, in which case you will get a copy of each title.

  9. Select an expiration period or enter a specific expiration date. Your reservation will be automatically cancelled if not satisfied by this date.

  10. Enter any notes you would like to include, then select the Submit button.

  11. You will be advised if there are any charges or problems with your reservation. If all is well and you wish to proceed with your reservation, select the Continue button. Select the Cancel button if you don't wish to place the reservation.

  12. If you decided to proceed, details of your reservation will be displayed. This includes your current place in the reservation queue for each title.

You can also use the My Saved List facility to build up a set of titles you would like to reserve. Please refer to the section on placing reservations in the My Saved List help page for details.

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Place a SELMS Reservation

If you have been unable to find the item you are looking for in the Richmond upon Thames Library catalogue you may continue your search in the SELMS catalogue. Simply click on the link: ‘Try this search in the SELMS Catalogue’.

A charge is made to cover the cost of transporting items reserved via the SELMS Library Network. Check our Library charges and concessions for further details.

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Place an Inter-library Loan Request

If you have been unable to find the item you were looking for in the Richmond upon Thames Library catalogue or in the SELMS catalogue, you may place a request for an Inter-library Loan (ILL) from another public or academic library. A charge is made to cover the cost of providing this service. Check our Library charges and concessions for further details.

To place an Inter-library Loan request:

  1. Open the Other Online Services menu in the Navigation panel and select Request an Inter-library Loan.

  2. If you are not currently logged in you will be prompted to identify yourself for this transaction. Enter your Library card number and PIN then select the OK button.

  3. The Inter-library Loan request form will be displayed. Please enter as much information as you can about the item you require. You must enter the title of the item.

  4. You will also need to enter a date after which the item is not required and the location from which you would like to collect the item.

  5. A confirmation page will be displayed. This will indicate if there are any charges associated with your request. It will also give you the option to return to your request form, to cancel the request or to continue with your request.

  6. Select the Continue button to proceed with your request. Your request record will be displayed including the request number.

You will be advised by the Library when your item is ready to be picked up. You can also track the progress of your request or cancel your request by using the facilities in My Library. Please refer to the section on cancelling reservations, bookings and requests in the Using My Account help page for details.

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Request a Copy of an Article

If you would like us to get a digital copy of an article from a journal or a chapter of a book for you you can place this request online. To obtain a photocopy of the article you will need to visit you library to place your request.

A charge is made to cover the cost of providing this service. Check our Library charges and concessions for further details.

To request a digital copy of the article:

  1. Open the Other Online Services menu in the Navigation panel and select Request an Article.

  2. If you are not currently logged on you will be prompted to identify yourself for this transaction. Enter your Library card number and PIN then select the OK button.

  3. The Article request form will be displayed. Please enter as much information as you can about the item you require. You must enter the title of the item. Please also enter details about the journal or book in which the article can be found.

  4. You will also need to enter a date after which the item is not required.

  5. A confirmation page will be displayed. This will indicate if there are any charges associated with your request. It will also give you the option to return to your request form, to cancel the request or to continue with your request.

  6. Select the Continue button to proceed with your request. Your request record will be displayed including the request number.

Please note that before we can submit your request to the British Library you will be required to visit your local library, pay the request fee and sign a paper copy of the standard copyright declaration (electronic signatures are inadmissible) which states:

    a. I have not previously been supplied with a copy of the same material by you or any other librarian.
    b. I will not use the copy except for research for a non-commercial purpose or private study and will not supply a copy of it to any other person.
    To the best of my knowledge no other person with whom I work or study has made or intends to make, at or about the same time as this request, a request for substantially the same material for substantially the same purpose.

When your copy is ready it will be sent to your online library account email address. You can also track the progress of your request or cancel your request by using the facilities in My Account. Please refer to the section on cancelling reservations, bookings and requests in the Using My Account help page for details.

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Suggest an Item for Purchase

If you have been unable to find the item you were looking for in the local catalogue and you think it would be appropriate for the Library Service to purchase the item, you may make a recommendation.

To suggest an item for purchase:

  1. Open the Other Online Services menu in the Navigation panel and select Stock Suggestion.
  2. Read the guidelines for submitting a suggestion.
  3. Complete the suggestion form, providing as much information as you can. Then click on the ‘Submit Suggestion’ button at the bottom of the screen.

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Set up an Alert Profile

You may set up an alert profile online at any time using the facilities provided in My Library. Please refer to the Alert Profiles help page for information on how to create and update your alert profiles.

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Renew My Loans

You may renew your loans online at any time using the facilities provided in My Library. Please refer to the section on renewing loans in the Using My Library help page for details.

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Change My PIN

You may change your PIN online at any time using the facilities provided in My Library. Please refer to the personal details section in the Using My Library help page for details.

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Cancel a Reservations or Request

You may cancel your current reservations or requests if they are no longer required. You will need to access your records using My Library. Please refer to the section on cancelling reservations, bookings and requests in the Using My Library help page for details.

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Add a Review

As you browse through the Library catalogue, you may notice that some records are displayed with a number of stars. This indicates that one or more reviews have been attached to the record displayed. The number of stars displayed is an average of the ratings given to this record by the reviewers. Ratings are given as a number between 0 (very bad) and 10 (very good).

Do the following to add your review to a record:

  1. Retrieve the record you want to add your review to and display in full display.

  2. Click on the link to Add your review. This will display a form for you to complete.

  3. Enter your Library card number and PIN if you are not already logged in.

  4. Select the rating you would like to assign with 0 being very bad and 10 being very good.

  5. Enter your comments. You can enter as much text as you like. Press Enter to start a new paragraph.

  6. Select the Add Comment button to submit your review. Your comments will be reviewed by library staff before being made available for general access to others.

You can also amend and delete existing reviews by accessing these records in My Library. Please refer to the section on ratings and comments in the Using My Library help page for details.

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