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Suggest an Item

Suggest an item for our collection

If there is something you would love to read but can't find it on our catalogue, tell us about it! We welcome suggestions from our members to buy an item that is not currently in our collection or on order.

Find out more before you fill out the form

More information

  • We are more likely to be able to source books from the last 3 years, and CDs/DVDs released in the past year.
  • We automatically buy new titles by popular fiction authors and most New Zealand writers. You can place a hold when the title appears in the catalogue.
  • Our Content Development Policy guides what we buy for the collection.
  • We consider all suggestions, but we do not commit to purchasing all suggested titles.
  • If we decide not to purchase an item, we will let you know.
  • Suggestions may be declined for various reasons:
    • Current collection priorities and budget do not allow for the purchase of the item, or the topic is already sufficiently covered in our collection.
    • The title is out of print, not yet published, or otherwise unavailable.
    • It is unable to be sourced through our contractual suppliers.
    • It is an unsuitable format for inclusion in a public library.
    • It is too specialised/academic for a public library collection - we need to consider the relevance for our whole community.
    • We may have already removed the item from our collection because it was not being used.
    • We may already hold the item in another format, such as Large Print, eBook or eAudiobook.
    • In some collection areas we focus our purchasing on current/popular titles.
  • If we don't buy your suggested item, you may wish to use our interlibrary loan service (fees apply).

Suggest to buy

FAQ

    • Please note that some titles may not be available through Libby / OverDrive due to licensing restrictions specific to the Australasian region. These limitations are set by publishers and Libby / OverDrive.
    • Standard processing of suggestions to buy typically takes up to 14 days.
    • If the item is purchased, it may take 1 to 2 days to appear in Libby / OverDrive.
    • We can’t place holds on eBooks or eAudiobooks, so please check Libby / OverDrive periodically to see whether the item has been added to our collection.

    • Standard processing of suggestions to buy typically takes up to 14 days. If we’re able to obtain a copy, we’ll place a hold on it for you. If we’re not able to fulfil the request, we’ll let you know.
    • Items may take 3 to 6 months to arrive from overseas.
    • If the item is a new release by a popular author on our standing order list, we can’t process a purchase request or place a hold. These titles are automatically added to our collection closer to the publication date.

  • You place holds on items you want to borrow from search results, or from the sidebar on the left of a title’s details page. If you want to pick up the item at a specific location, you can see which branches currently have the item, as well as the circulation status of all available copies. There is a limit of 20 holds on your card. 

    ► To place a hold from search results

    1. Enter some keywords and run your search.
    2. Find the title you want.
    3. Titles with at least one copy in the library show Available. To see the current status of all copies of the item, click the availability details link.
    4. Click the Place a Hold link.
    5. In the Place a Hold popup, select the branch where you’d like to pick up the title. The default is the location is your home branch, or the one you specified on your Preferences page as your preferred location. (If your library has only one location, you won’t see this option.)
    6. Click the Confirm button.

    Your requested title will now appear on your Holds page.

    ► To place a hold from a title’s details page

    1. Find the title you’d like to place a hold on by searching or browsing the catalogue. Go to its details page by clicking its title.
    2. The total number of copies and number currently available is shown. To see the location and current status of each available copy of a title, click the View Availability Details link.
    3. On the left sidebar of the title’s details page, click the Place a Hold button.
    4. Select the branch where you’d like to pick up the title. The default is the location is your home branch, or the one you specified on your Preferences page as your preferred location. (If your library has only one location, you won’t see this option.)
    5. Click the Confirm button.

    Your requested title will now appear on your Holds page.

    Notes: If you need an item in a hurry, use the On the shelves now at dropdown list to view locations that have copies available.

    Some items, such as reference book or documents on microfiche, cannot be placed on hold. Inquire about these at the Reference Desk at your branch.

    Some popular titles may not always be available as quickly as you’d like. Discover new works by exploring the recommendations, comments and tags submitted by other library members.

  • From the Holds page, you’re able to keep track of the titles you’ve requested, and where and when they will be available for pickup. By default, items on the page are sorted by hold position, with items ready for pickup first. If you prefer, you can sort the page by status, title, author or format.

    You can also cancel and suspend your hold requests. To change the status of a request, use the checkbox next to each title, and then click the appropriate button. Cancelled and suspended holds are each shown on separate pages. You can activate suspended holds from the Suspended page.

    The status of items ready for pickup are shown in green. Items not yet available are shown in red.

    Note: Use this page to manage holds. To place a hold, do a search, or view a title’s details page. See below.

    The content on the Holds page is visible only to you. Please consult our Privacy Statement to learn more about how your private information is protected.

  • Yes, you are welcome to suggest a title you would like to see through our Suggest an item form.

    In Libby you can find titles that are not available in the collection and use a Notify Me smart tag to express your interest.

    If a title you've tagged with your Notify Me smart tag is purchased, you'll get a notification and have the option to borrow it or place it on hold right away.

    Not all titles are available through our eBook and eAudiobook collections, and not all titles that are recommended or tagged with Notify Me will be added.

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