Q. Can the Library purchase a book or item not in the collection?

Yes! We appreciate customer suggestions and try to purchase the suggested titles. Please use the Suggest a Title form in your My Library Dashboard to alert the library's ordering team.  You need to have an Austin Public Library card and be registered in the catalog to make a suggestion.  You can also find a link to the form at the bottom of the catalog and more information at the Suggest Titles Research Guide.  

Other things to keep in mind about Suggesting a Title:

• The decision to purchase an item is based on the Library's selection criteria, budget constraints, and the item's availability from our vendors. 
• You can monitor your suggestions in the My Library Dashboard. Notifications will not be sent via email.  
• You are limited to four suggestions a month.  The clock will restart at midnight ET of the last day of the month. 
• Selectors will take approximately three weeks to review suggestions. 
• You can cancel a request if a selector has not responded to it yet, and make a new suggestion.  You can also remove a reviewed suggestion, however you will not be able to make a new suggestion.
• If we do purchase a title, you may place a hold on it when it appears in the catalog as "On Order."  A hold will not automatically be placed for you.

We can request print books through Interlibrary Loan from other library systems if we're not able to purchase a copy for the library. Please see our full Interlibrary Loan Policy  for additional information. Other media may be available through the Texas State Library and Archives Commission Interlibrary Loan service.