I used to have a hard time doing this (it felt presumptuous to me), until *multiple* librarians I'm friends with told me that requesting stuff makes their jobs easier. They have budgets for acquisitions, and if users don't request enough things, they're left guessing what people might want. - ThreadSky

drmikewiser.bsky.social • 67 days ago

I used to have a hard time doing this (it felt presumptuous to me), until *multiple* librarians I'm friends with told me that requesting stuff makes their jobs easier. They have budgets for acquisitions, and if users don't request enough things, they're left guessing what people might want.

Reposted from Chuck Wendig

Yup, it works. Want a book the library doesn’t have? Ask ‘em for it.

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abysmallytall.bsky.social•66 days ago

I had the same problem, but the interaction I had with my local librarian after ordering one book cured me of it. She was grateful for the interest and excited to read it herself.

kitwc.bsky.social•66 days ago

Yep, definitely! I mean, if you want a book about a particular kind of serving fork that was used in one town in England in the year 1733 or something they’ll probably interlibrary loan it instead of buying it. But MOST things, if you want them, other people will too.

drmikewiser.bsky.social•66 days ago

I mostly use the request this book for novels, and rely on ILL for nonfiction.

ahintofoctober.bsky.social•67 days ago

My old one had a place where you could write requests - that was a lot easier than having to voice it, even via email!

drmikewiser.bsky.social•67 days ago

Mine has a spot when you do a search for a book to request it if the library doesn't own it.

ahintofoctober.bsky.social•66 days ago

That's even better!

akshatsharma.bsky.social•67 days ago

Interlibrary loan is...I don't have words glowing enough to describe that munificence.

faustianorgan.bsky.social•66 days ago

If you request something they can't get, they'll tell you and explain (only available in digital, only available from overseas sellers, etc). They'll do everything to get your request or help you find another way to get it.

If you aren't the only one making the request, you get a spot in the queue.

soupgargoyle.bsky.social•66 days ago

plus if they don't want to get it they just... won't... my local library has a system where you can request a certain number of titles I think per month, and they'll either get them or they won't

crayonsocialism.bsky.social•66 days ago

For real, we love getting requests. Please request things. Absolute worst case scenario, you get a polite form email telling you we can't get it.

stcmicrobeblog.bsky.social•67 days ago

christoph: everything you say, mike, except: "... they're left guessing what people might want." the librarians receive suggestion lists from mostly long-standing contacts with specialized booksellers (or a few publishers) within an agreed budget, from which they select for acquisitions.

drmikewiser.bsky.social•67 days ago

At least the ones I’ve known have less trust in the sellers than in requests from their patrons. Not in any underhanded way, but that the sellers are using demographic models that work well in the aggregate but not necessarily in any specific community. “5 people have asked for X” is easier to trust

stcmicrobeblog.bsky.social•67 days ago

christoph: (disclosure: I am a junior partner in one of these specialized booksellers. we would not have decades of business relationships with a number of university libraries if we only wanted to sell them as much as possible.)

chrisware.bsky.social•66 days ago

I have been doing this. Unfortunately, a lot of times, I am told that the item I requested is unavailable through their vendor, even though it's available through retailers like Amazon. Seems to be a bit restrictive on some things.

drmikewiser.bsky.social•66 days ago

Yeah, there are ... unfortunate rules about library eBooks in particular. Limited number of loans before the license expires, much higher cost than retail, etc. Still, though: if they have the budget, good for them to know what patrons would like (if possible).

michael4shaw.bsky.social•66 days ago

cheers, that's great to know 👍

mickifoster.bsky.social•66 days ago

I found out I cod request five books a month. A month!

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