Holds and waitlists explained

Holds reserve the next available copy of a book for a patron. Waitlists are what builds up when there's more than one hold.

How it works

• A patron places a hold on a book
• If a copy is available now, the hold becomes "Ready" immediately
• If no copies are available, the patron joins the queue (waitlist)
• When a copy is returned, the next person in the queue gets their hold marked "Ready"
• They have 7 days to pick up before the hold expires and moves to the next person

Queue order

First-in, first-out. The first person to place a hold gets the book first.

Position in queue

Patrons see their position ("You're 3rd in line") in the portal. Staff see the full queue in Holds → for any book.

Estimated availability

Shelfwise estimates when a hold might be filled based on average loan duration. The estimate is shown when possible — it's not exact but gives patrons a rough idea.

Hold expiration

Default: 7 days after the hold is "Ready". Configurable in Settings → Loan Policies.

Skipping a hold

A patron can skip their turn (e.g., on vacation) by cancelling and re-placing the hold. They go to the back of the queue.

Holds count toward limits

There's no default limit on how many holds a patron can have. Custom plans can enforce a max.