How Do I
Requesting Items
Requesting / Reserving Materials through the Catalog
Requests may be made online, by phone or in person at your neighborhood library. Please be sure to select the particular library where you wish to have the item delivered.
You may request items within our catalog online! Simply go to our catalog, find a book or other item you would like to request, and click on the 
button. You will be asked to enter your library card number and PIN and where you would like to pick up your book.
More detailed information about requesting items is available in the catalog.
You will be notified when your reserved item is ready for pick up. Your online account may indicate "ready for pickup" before that item is actually on the shelf waiting for you. Please wait 8 hours or until you receive the actual email or phone call notification before coming in to retrieve your reserved item.
Note: The member libraries of the Allegheny County Library Association have recently agreed to adjust the way holds are filled within the online system in order to reduce the volume of library materials shipped throughout the county. You will no longer be able to view your specific place in the holds queue in My Account. We do not anticipate that wait times for items should be significantly different.
Freezing / Suspending Holds
You are now able to freeze your holds when you go on vacation or want to postpone a request. When you freeze a hold, you keep your place in the queue, but your hold will not be filled while it is frozen.
>> Intructions for Freezing / Suspending Holds
Return to the topInterLibrary Loan
If you cannot find an item in our county-wide catalog, you may request an interlibrary loan online by logging into our new ILLiad system. For more information, please see the InterLibrary Loan Frequently Asked Questions page.
Due to budget cuts from the State of Pennsylvania, the ILL Center must reduce the number of customer placed interlibrary loan requests in process at any given time from 20 to 10 beginning on January 1, 2010.
The ILL Center must also begin charging for interlibrary loans lent to out-of-state customers which may limit the number of items that can be obtained free from out-of-state locations for our customers. Items borrowed and lent within PA will remain free of charge.
For other libraries requesting loans from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, please see our InterLibrary Loan Lending Policies to Other Libraries.
Depository Requests
Pre-1970 journals and some reference materials from the Main Library's collections are housed off-site at the Carnegie Library Depository located at the East Liberty Library. These reference materials include books and most pre-1970 periodical titles. They are listed in The Catalog with the location of "off-site storage".
To access materials held at the Depository you must make arrangements in advance. Please submit a Depository Request Form and indicate if you wish to view the materials at the Main Library in Oakland or at the East Liberty branch. You can call the Photocopy Office: 412.622.3142, for more information. You may also ask a librarian for assistance. Spontaneous and walk-in requests cannot be accommodated.
Once you have submitted a request, the materials will be available within 2-3 days at Main or at East Liberty. You will be notified by email or by phone when the items are available for your use. In some cases, photocopying of Depository items may be restricted or prohibited because of condition.
PhotoCopy Requests
Phone: 412.622.3142
Fax: 412.621.1267
Photocopy orders can be placed by telephone, mail, or FAX.
$1.00 per page (minimum charge of $6.00)
$5.00 handling fee per order, per day
$5.00 FAX charge per order
7 percent local sales tax (if applicable)
postage (determined by weight)
Orders are filled on a same day basis. (Items in storage may take longer.)
Please call 412.622.3142 or FAX: 412.621.1267
Suggest a Purchase
If you would like to suggest the purchase of a book, magazine, CD or DVD that CLP does not have, you may fill out the Suggest a Purchase form that is found on the Catalog website under "Search Tips?".
