FAQ: I requested something online yesterday and the computer said it was checked in. Why isn’t it waiting for me at the Main Desk today?

Answer: Either we couldn’t find it or we haven’t had a chance to look for it yet.

We try to search for requested items daily but this isn’t always possible, especially on weekends when we’re short staffed. If another borrower finds the item you asked for before we do, they get to borrow it first. And if the material you want was used recently, it may not be where it belongs.

We will notify you when the material you requested is ready for pickup.

FAQ: You told me I could pick up my requested material through today, so why did the ‘Hold’ message already disappear from my account?

Answer: Our software deletes the hold message 4 days after it created it— an estimate based on 1 day to notify you plus the 3 days we promise to hold your material. Sometimes the estimate is wrong—if it took more than 1 day to notify you or we were closed due to bad weather, for example.

If you aren’t sure if your hold has expired yet, please call. We’ll be glad to check.

FAQ: Sometimes when I try to request something through the web site, the computer won’t let me. Why’s that?

Answer: Either you’ve exceeded the maximum number of requests you’re allowed to have at one time, or you’ve requested something that can’t be requested.

Maximum number of requests: 20 if you’ve given us a valid email address for hold notification, 2 if not.

Things that can’t be requested: Reference materials don’t leave the library, so they can’t be requested. Hot copies of the newest books can’t be requested, but New Arrivals copies of these titles can be requested. Also, the very newest movies can’t be requested for the first 60 days.

FAQ: I requested something a while ago and never heard anything. Now you tell me that my hold has expired. What happened?

Answer: Sometimes it’s impossible to know why our message didn’t reach you. We urge you to tell us about the problem and ask for the material again.

Please help us to notify you when your material is available: Tell us whenever your email address, address, or phone number changes; make sure that your spam filter accepts messages from nashualibrary.org and nashua.lib.nh.us; and check your messages frequently.