Placing Holds on SMU Books & Videos
If, while searching the library catalog, you find an item available in the Twin Cities Campus Library but are not able to immediately retrieve it (i.e. you're at home), you have the option to place a hold on that item. Placing a hold means that you reserve the item for yourself. We will hold the item for you at the TC Library reference desk and not check it out to anyone else.
You can also place holds on items already checked out. As soon as the item is returned, the library notifies you via email and you have first privilege to check it out. Multiple holds can be placed on the same item; please keep in mind that you may not be first in the hold queue.
NOTE: You cannot request holds for Saint Mary's University Winona Campus (Fitzgerald Library) books and videos in the MnPALS Plus catalog. To request Winona books and videos, you must manually enter the item's information into the Blank Interlibrary Loan Book Request Form.
Placing a Hold in MnPALS Plus
Locate the desired item in the MnPALS Plus catalog. It does not matter if the item is available in the library or checked out on loan; you can place a hold either way—however—the item must be owned by St. Mary's Univ. Twin Cities Library. In the yellow and blue information bar at the bottom of the page, find the heading that says Request Item. Under that, click the link "Login" (see below).
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A gray login window will pop up. Your username is the 14-digit barcode on the front of your student ID card. Your password is your last name. |
After logging in you will be taken back to the MnPALS catalog item record. Note that where it once said Login, it now says Place Hold. Click "Place Hold."
After clicking "Place Hold", the system will create your hold request and show you the following message box. This indicates that your hold request has been successful.
Once your request goes through, library staff will pull the item and hold it at the library desk for you. If the item is checked out, library staff will be notified of your hold request when the item becomes checked-in.
We will send you an e-mail when the item is ready for you to pick up.
Note: All library items, except for assessment tests, will be held for up to two weeks after a patron is notified. Assessment tests will be held for up to one week after a patron is notified. You can pick up your held items at the TC Library reference desk.
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