Library Services

Requests, Suggestions for Purchase, & Interlibrary Loan

Requesting Library Items

All items which appear in the Library's online catalog, except reference books, special collections, and other types of in-library-use-only materials, can be reserved for you. A request can be used to hold an item for you when it is returned or to transfer an item from one branch library to another one that is more convenient for you. Requests are filled in order by date requested. Borrowers may have up to 15 current requests on their library account.

Placing a Request

You may place requests for items listed in the online catalog in any one of the following ways:

• in person at a branch library
• by calling Telephone Reference (427-7713)
• online, using the Web-based online catalog. For detailed instructions see our Placing a Request tutorial

When Your Request Comes In

You will be notified by the noticing option you have selected when an item is in and being held for you. You can also check by accessing your Library account online. If you no longer want the item or can't pick it up by the date shown, call your branch library to cancel the request or cancel it online from your library account. See branch information for phone numbers. REQUESTS CANNOT BE CANCELED BY REPLYING TO THE EMAIL NOTIFICATION WHICH YOU RECEIVED.

Is There a Charge?

Our Request Service is free for items that the Library owns or decides to purchase.

What About Books the Library Doesn't Own?

The library is happy to consider purchasing your suggested titles and to help you acquire books that are difficult to find. You may make a purchase suggestion in a number of ways:

• In person at any branch
• By calling Telephone Reference at 831-427-7713
• By sending an email to the Library at eLibrary@santacruzpl.org
• By texting the Library at 66746 (message and data rates may apply)
• Through the Library's mobile app SCPL On the Go using the BookLook feature

Once we receive your purchase suggestion, our selection librarians check reviews and availability and determine if the title is a good fit with our collection. If a book title is not available to purchase or if selectors decide it isn't a good fit for the collection, you may have the option to borrow it from another library via Interlibrary Loan (ILL).

For more information about ILL, view our policy related to this service.

Available at these branch libraries:

• Available at all branches

Last updated on Oct. 9, 2019