As a member of Libraries West you can borrow from millions of books and other materials across the region, including items that may not be available in Dorset Libraries.
How to reserve a library item
The quickest way to reserve an item is online via our Libraries West website or via the Libraries West app.
You can also call us on 01305 224311, a member of staff can then reserve your item over the phone for you.
Alternatively, you can reserve an item in person by visiting your local library.
When you reserve an item, you will be asked to choose the library you would like to collect it from.
What happens after you reserve an item?
Once you place a reservation, our system automatically tries to source an item from a local library to help reduce waiting times. If there are no copies available locally, or there is a long queue, the system will select the next available copy from across the Libraries West network. This means your item may come from anywhere within the wider region.
Understanding your reservation status
When you check your account, you may see the following updates:
- Active: your reservation has been placed. A copy has not yet been assigned to you, this may be due to a queue
- In transit: an item has been assigned to you and it is on it's way
- Available: your item has arrived and is ready for collection
These updates show the progress of your reservation, but they do not always indicate how long it will take to arrive.
Collecting your item
We will contact you as soon as your item is ready to collect. You can choose to be notified by email, text message or letter. Just let us know your preferred method of notification when you reserve your item. You can also update your notification preferences within the My Profile tab of My Account page.
Items are usually held for up to 14 days from the date we notify you.