• How do I request that the library purchase a book?

• Who decides if the book will be purchased or not?

• Why worry about things already owned by other USMAI libraries?

• What are Rush Orders? When should I choose this option?

• How do I request an item for reserves?

• How do I know when a book is in the library?

• When I send an order to Acquisitions, when will it be placed? When will the book get here?

How do I request that the library purchase a book?

Any UMBC community member can request that a book, music score or other media be ordered for the library's collection by using the Purchase recommendation form. Please fill out the form as completely as possible. 

If the book is for course Reserves, see the section below on Reserves.

Who decides if the book will be purchased or not?

Every academic department has a library liaison who approves or rejects potential purchases on that department's monograph funds. Library Acquisitions will not accept any requests that have not been approved by a liaison.

Why worry about things already owned by other USMAI libraries?

Since we have a very small book budget, we are extremely limited in the number of books we can buy. However, all UMBC faculty, staff, and students can borrow books from any of the sixteen USMAI libraries and have them delivered to the library here very quickly (with no charge to the patron or the library). By relying on this service for non-core materials, we can stretch our budget further while purchasing unique materials that aren't available for quick delivery from USMAI libraries. This substantially expands the depth and the breadth of the materials readily available for our use.

What are Rush Orders? When should I choose this option?

General library purchase requests usually arrive within 1-6 months. You may choose to select Rush for orders that are needed within 1 month or less. Please limit these requests to critical materials, as these items typically cost more to procure. A large number of rush requests will not be accepted. 

How do I request an item for reserves?

Do not submit orders for materials for reserves through the Purchase Recommendation Form. If you are a faculty member who wants to order material to be put on Reserve, please submit your request through the Ares system. Library Circulation or Library Media staff will submit necessary orders to Acquisitions.

How do I know when a book is in the library?

Requestors will receive updates on their requests through the RT system up to the point an order is placed. After that, Acquisitions does not provide additional notifications. You can search the catalog periodically to find out the status of your order.

We do provide a Hold service, which allows you to request that the item you ordered be held for you at the Circulation Desk. A notice is sent to the requestor indicating that the item is now in the library and on hold for him/her. If not picked-up and checked-out within 14 days the item will be moved to the stacks for general use. To request this service choose "yes" for Hold for Pick Up on the Purchase Recommendation Form. Rush requests will always be placed on hold. 

When I send an order to Acquisitions, when will it be placed? When will the book get here?

Rush orders are always placed within one or two working days of their arrival in Acquisitions. Processing of other orders depends on the time of the year.

So long as your department has funds, orders will normally be placed within two weeks of arriving in Acquisitions. 

Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery . University of Maryland, Baltimore County . 1000 Hilltop Circle . Baltimore MD 21250
(410) 455-2232 . Questions and comments to: Acquisitions Department
Last modified: August 30, 2007 11:30:35