Introduction
Tell us what you need and why. Each request is checked against the existing collection and the library budget, so not every request can be purchased.
Education & TrainingForms
Library resource request form: give the librarian what they need to decide
A library resource request form lets students, faculty, and staff ask the library to acquire a book, article, database, or other item, with the details a librarian needs to check the catalog and decide. Ask for the exact title, the format and edition the requester needs, and the reason the item is needed, such as a course reading. Licensing and budget decisions stay with the library, so the form should set expectations rather than promise a purchase.
Words for the respondent
The introduction, help text, and confirmation for a request
Confirmation
Thank you. We have your request and will reply to the email address you gave.
Format needed
Choose the format you will study with. An e-book or database can carry license terms that differ from a print copy.
Needed by
Give a date only if the item is required for a course, and include the course code in the reason.
Reason for the request
Describe how you will use the item, such as a required reading or a research project.
Field blueprint
Request fields that let the librarian check the catalog
| Field | Type | Required | Why you ask it |
|---|---|---|---|
Requester name | Short text | Required | Identifies who to contact about the request and who will use the item. |
Requester roleStudentFaculty memberStaff memberOther | Single choice | Required | Some collection budgets and borrowing rules depend on whether the requester is a student, faculty member, or staff member. |
Requester email | Required | The librarian's route for questions and for the decision on the request. | |
TitleInclude the subtitle if there is one. | Short text | Required | The exact title is the first thing the librarian searches for in the catalog. |
Author or editor | Short text | Optional | Separates titles that share a name and tells the librarian which work is meant. |
ISBN or link to the itemPaste the ISBN, or the link to the publisher's page for the item, if you have it. | Short text | Optional | Matches the exact edition, which matters when a course uses a specific version. |
Format neededPrintE-bookAudiobookDatabase or online resourceNo preference | Single choice | Required | Format changes the license, the cost, and whether the library can lend the item. |
Accessible format neededLarge printScreen-reader compatibleCaptioned mediaOther | Multiple choice | Optional | Some requests need an accessible format. The librarian confirms which formats the library can provide. |
Course or programFor example: HIST 210, section 2 | Short text | Optional | Names the course or program, which may affect how the librarian prioritizes the request. |
Needed byGive a date only if the item is required for a course. | Date | Optional | Lets the librarian plan around teaching dates. It is a need, not a guarantee of delivery by that date. |
Catalog checkI searched the catalog and did not find itI found it, but it is not available to meI have not searched the catalog yet | Single choice | Required | Helps prevent duplicate purchases and shows whether the requester searched first. |
Reason for the request | Long text | Required | Shows whether the item fits the collection and who will use it. |
UnderstandingI understand the library reviews each request before deciding whether to acquire the item. | Multiple choice | Required | Sets the expectation that a request is a suggestion for review, not an order. |
At a glance
How long a request takes to complete
13Fields
8Required fields
5Estimated time (minutes)
Estimate based on question types; actual completion time varies.
Try it
Test the request form on a phone before students see it
After a response arrives
How the library works through each request
Check the catalog before deciding
The form saves each request, an hourly run processes it, and only then does the creator receive the notice. Search the catalog and the existing collection for the title or ISBN before you decide on a purchase.
Export the requests for the acquisitions meeting
Export the requests as a CSV for the acquisitions meeting. Keep the requester's email with each row, so the decision can be sent back to the person who asked.
Track follow-up as cases
If the library team works requests through Customer Care, switch on case creation, then track each request's format and status, such as waiting for approval, in your own list. Form settings set the owner for every case.
Mistakes to avoid
Requests that stall for avoidable reasons
Accepting a title with no identifier
Two editions can share a title and differ in format, price, and license. Ask for an ISBN or a link to the item before anyone orders a copy.
Overlooking the license for e-books and databases
An e-book or database can carry license terms that limit how many people use it at once or who can access it. Ask the librarian to check the license before you promise access to a group.
Presenting the form as an order desk
A request is a suggestion for review. If the form implies a purchase is certain, requesters will be disappointed when the library declines the item or chooses a different format.
Requesting an item the library already holds
A request for an item already in the collection uses up a reviewer's time and can produce a duplicate purchase. The catalog check question exists to catch that before the request is sent.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a library resource request form template I can copy?
The field list here transfers to any form tool you choose. Attain OS shares forms by link, so a paper copy for the library desk has to come from your own documents.
Can students attach a syllabus or a book cover to the request?
Requests here carry text only. Ask for the course code and the title instead, and let the librarian request the syllabus through the instructor if it is needed.
Can the library buy an e-book or database through a request?
Sometimes. It depends on the license the publisher offers and on the library's budget. The form records the need, and the librarian decides whether the item can be licensed and at what cost.
How long does a library request take?
Long enough to check the catalog, the license, and the budget. Tell requesters that a needed-by date is a need, not a promise of delivery, and say when the library usually reviews requests.
Browse by category
More requests in Education & Training
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How to build it
Choose a category and a form type in the wizard. Answer three Atty Suggestions questions, then give the form a title. Atty builds the fields in the background. Edit the fields and ask Atty to refine them, then publish and share the /f/ link.
