Making Requests

You can request material that is out on loan, make an advanced booking for an item in Heavy Demand or request an item from another site or store using the Availability tab and Request option in Primo or the Request function from the Holdings screen in the Library Catalogue.

If the item you require is on loan to someone else then, depending on the loan period, the Library will ensure that it is returned and/or reserved for you.

If the item is in a closed access store or at a library on a different University of Aberdeen campus, you can place a request for the material to be delivered to your site library for collection.

You will be notified via your University email account when an item is available for you to collect. Only your University email account will be used. If you do not want to be notified by email you must apply in writing to the Head of Library Services Mr Laurence Bebbington.

Collecting requested items

At the Sir Duncan Rice Library items are self-collection and can be collected and issued via the self service kiosks within the Heavy Demand area on Floor 1. Items are shelved alphabetically using the first 4 letters of your surname and last 4 numbers on you ID card. Long loan books will be held for for 5 days, 3 days for a 3-day-loan item and 24 hours for restricted loan journals.

At other site libraries requested items are held for collection at the Issue Desk.

Request a long loan or 4-week loan item

In Primo, if the item is currently out on loan or in a closed access store, it will say Request from in red. If you are a member of the University, you can place a request in Primo. If you are an external member, click on Details and click on the Library Catalogue link.

You can request anything that is out on loan to another reader yourself from the Library Catalogue. When you have located the item you want:

• click on the Request link on the left of the Holdings screen in the library catalogue
• enter your ID number + card issue number, followed by your PIN number

We email the person who has the item out and ask them to bring it back promptly, within 5 days. When it has come back to the library we let you know via your University email account and keep the item for you for a week.

If you have any problems placing a request take a note of the barcode which you will find on the catalogue record, take your ID card to an Issue Desk and ask staff to request the item for you. If the item has already been requested for someone else, we can add your name to the waiting list.

Request a short-loan item

Do this yourself from Primo or the Library Catalogue. When you have located the item you want, if it is on loan, you can request to see it when it is returned:

• click on the Request link on the left of the Holdings screen in the library catalogue
• enter your ID number + card issue number, followed by your PIN number

You will be notified via your University email account when the item has been returned. You can also check your borrower Record on the catalogue to see if the item has been returned.

Request a Heavy Demand item

Do this yourself from Primo or the Library Catalogue. When you have located the item you want:

• log in using your computer username and password, or your ID number + card issue number, followed by your PIN number
• click on the Availability tab, then the Heavy Demand Booking link.   Select the date you wish to reserve the item for. 

You may book items up to 3 weeks in advance.  Up to 14 items may be reserved over that period - please note that you may not book an item for consecutive days, or reserve more than 2 items per day. 

On the day of your booking, fetch the item from the shelf in the Heavy Demand area – you will need a note of the shelfmark in order to find the item.

Take the item(s) to a Self Service kiosk and issue them.  Please check the due date on the receipt carefully – late returns are charged at a rate of 75p per hour.

Please ask staff if you need any assistance with making bookings or finding reserved items.

Intercampus and Closed Access Store Requests

You can request items located in site libraries on different University of Aberdeen campuses or from library stores using Primo or the Library Catalogue.

When you have located the item you want,

• click on the Request link on the left of the Holdings screen in the library catalogue
• enter your ID number + card issue number, followed by your PIN number

Staff will fetch the material for you and send it to the appropriate site library the next working day (Monday to Friday only). For collection times, please ask at the site where you collect the material.

Further information on requesting print journal parts from store can be found in the Fact Sheet Journals - How Do I Find a Journal?

24-hour Loan Periodicals will be kept for one day before being returned to their home site library. Other Intercampus and Store material will be held for you for up to 5 days.

Daily delivery of Store material to the Sir Duncan Rice Library is by approximately 16:00, Monday to Friday.

Please note: We do not transfer requested items within the Old Aberdeen campus between the Sir Duncan Rice Library and Taylor Library.