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Bespeaks / Reservations
Bespeaks / Reservations
View, manage and fulfil item reservations placed by library members.
A bespeak is a reservation placed by a member on a title that is currently on loan to someone else. When the item is returned, the system alerts the librarian (via the Front Desk) that the item is on hold for the reserving member. The Bespeaks screen gives you a full picture of all active reservations, lets you notify waiting members, and allows you to cancel bespeaks where appropriate.
A bespeak is placed on a title (BRN), not on a specific physical copy. When any copy of the bespoken title is returned, the next member in the queue is notified.
- Search for the title in the catalogue using the standard catalogue search.
- Open the title's catalogue record (BRN detail view).
- Click Bespeak. If all copies are currently on loan, the bespeak is placed and the member is added to the reservation queue. If a copy is available, the system will warn you — bespeaks are intended for titles that are fully on loan.
- Identify the member by scanning their barcode or typing their name when prompted.
- The bespeak is confirmed and displayed in the Bespeaks queue with a status of Waiting.
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Available copies. If a copy of the title is currently on the shelf, it is more efficient to issue it directly rather than place a bespeak. The system will display a warning when a bespeak is placed on a title with available copies.
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Bespeaks can also be placed by the member themselves if your school has the member self-service portal enabled. These appear in the same queue and are handled identically.
Navigate to Circulation → Bespeaks to see all active reservations across all titles and members.
| Column |
Description |
| Title |
The title on which the bespeak has been placed. |
| Member name |
The member who placed the reservation. |
| Member Type |
The member's primary classification. |
| Date bespoken |
The date and time the reservation was placed. |
| Queue position |
The member's position in the reservation queue for this title (1 = next to receive). |
| Status |
Waiting (item still on loan) or On Hold (item returned, ready for collection). |
| Notified |
Indicates whether the member has been sent a ready-for-collection notification. |
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The queue is managed on a first-come, first-served basis. Queue positions are assigned in the order bespeaks were placed. You cannot manually reorder the queue.
Example — Bespeak queue for a popular title
| Member |
Date bespoken |
Queue |
Status |
| Amara Osei |
14 Apr 2026 |
1 |
On Hold |
| Dylan Peters |
16 Apr 2026 |
2 |
Waiting |
| Fatima Moosa |
19 Apr 2026 |
3 |
Waiting |
A bespeak is fulfilled when the reserved item is issued to the waiting member. The item should have been set aside at the desk after the Front Desk displayed a bespeak alert on return.
- When the reserving member arrives, navigate to Circulation → Front Desk.
- Scan the member's barcode to identify them. The Member Status panel shows they have an active bespeak with status On Hold.
- Scan the bespoken item's barcode to issue it. The system issues the item and automatically cancels the bespeak, advancing the next member in the queue to position 1.
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An item set to On Hold cannot be issued to any member other than the one at position 1 in the queue. The Front Desk will block the issue and display a bespeak alert if you attempt to issue the item to a different member.
Bespeaks can be cancelled when a member no longer needs the reservation — for example, if they found a copy elsewhere, or if a teacher withdraws a class requirement.
- Locate the bespeak in the queue.
- Click Cancel bespeak on that row.
- Confirm the cancellation in the dialog. The bespeak is removed and the remaining queue positions are updated accordingly.
If the cancelled bespeak had status On Hold (i.e. the item was already set aside), the item's status is changed back to Available and it can be issued to any member or placed back on the shelf.
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If a member at position 1 does not collect their item within a reasonable period (e.g. one week), consider cancelling their bespeak so the item can move to the next member in the queue. Notify the uncollected member before cancelling.
When an item moves to On Hold status (i.e. it has been returned and is ready for collection), you can send the waiting member a notification.
- In the Bespeaks queue, filter to show only items with status On Hold.
- Select the members to notify by ticking the relevant checkboxes, or click Select all.
- Click Send notifications. Members with an email address on file receive an email; those without will require a manual notification (phone call or note).
- The Notified column is updated to show the date and time the notification was sent.
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The Front Desk also displays a bespeak alert at the moment a bespoken item is returned. Notifications via the Bespeaks screen are a follow-up step if the member was not present at the desk when the item was returned.
| Task |
Screen |
| Issue a bespoken item to the waiting member |
Front Desk |
| Check what a member currently has on loan |
My Issues |
| View overdue items that may be bespoken |
Overdues |