Reader Resources

How to Place a Hold for Contact-Free Pickup

  • Search for the desired title in our online library catalog
  • Click on the desired title from the search results list
  • Click on Place a Hold
  • Enter your account information (you can use your library card number and your PIN, which is by default the last four digits of the phone number you provided to us)
  • Select Pickup Location from the drop-down menu (see below)  ↓ 
  • Click Submit Hold
How to place a hold
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Note: Select the library that owns the item as the pickup location:

  • In order to minimize quarantine periods for items and staff contact, the libraries will not be delivering items between locations at this time.
  • If you choose Scotch Plains as the pickup location for a Fanwood item, you will receive an error message, and vice versa.
  • If an item is owned by the Fanwood Library, you must select Fanwood as the pickup location, and arrange for pickup at the Fanwood Library.
  • If you would prefer to see only items available at one particular location, you can set the library location for your search on the left side of the catalog. 

Further instructions on picking up your items.

Tips for browsing the library catalog

  • If you only want to pick items up from one library, you can change All Locations in the left sidebar so you only see titles from your preferred library.
  • Click on Format to narrow your results by item type (book, DVD, Audiobook, etc.)
  • Click on Collections to limit the results to Adult Fiction, Adult Non-Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, etc.
  • Sort by Publication Date if you want to see the newest titles first.
  • If you haven’t already limited your search to one library, in the search results, click View All Locations or All Copies to make sure the title is available at your preferred location.

Let us Suggest Your Next Read!

The Adult Services librarians are ready to help you find a great book to read! Through our new service, you can fill out a form to get personalized recommendations.

Suggest a Purchase

Use this form to submit a request for a book purchase (print or electronic.)