Using the UF Libraries' Catalog

Requesting Items

UF faculty, students and staff and other registered library users with borrowing privileges may request any item that displays the term Request on its Holdings screen.

The Request service is provided for items that are not located on "open" shelves or not instantly obtainable by asking library staff. "Requestable" items include:

• books that are checked out by another person
• books, journals, and microfilm that are kept in an off-campus storage location

You place a Request for an item by clicking on the Location line to see the Holdings display in the UF Libraries' Catalog:

In the example above, you will notice that Patience & Fortitude is checked out. If you wanted to request it, you would click on the Request link to the left of the item information. (This service requires that you sign-in with your 14-digit library number or UFID if you have not already done so.) You would then be presented with the screen below:

Carefully note the pickup library where the item will be available. Use the second Period of Interest field to indicate the date by which you need the material. (Leave the first date as today's date.) Change the to date only if you must have the item before that date. Then click the Go button.

You will be taken to the Full Record display for the item. A note at the top of the display will indicate that your request has been registered.

You can check the status of requests that you have already submitted by connecting to the Your Account screen and clicking on the Hold requests link.

If you are not a UF faculty/student/staff or other registered user with borrowing privileges, you may request items when the location reads "request retrieval" or "storage". Instead of clicking the Request button on the Holdings screen, click the Retrieval Help button in the orange bar at the top of the screen. Choose the Alternative Form and follow the instructions.

See more details on the Request process for Retrieval and Storage items.