Somebody checks out a book, and it’s not due until the end of the semester. Why isn’t there an option to recall the book at this institution?

The short answer is, we already offer that option. If you desire to recall a book that is currently on loan to another patron just visit the “forms” area of our website and choose “books checked out to someone else“.

But before you head over to the form, please consider a suggestion we have for you on how to get that book you want with a fast and easy solution that doesn’t mean inconveniencing the person who already has the book (and believe me when I tell you that we get suggestions telling us to forbid anyone to recall their book).

Instead of submitting a recall request, try using E-ZBorrow first. E-ZBorrow is a way any Temple student or faculty member can request a book from one of 60 academic libraries that participate with us in this loan program. It’s a great way to request a book we own that is currently unavailable for any reason – or to get a book we don’t currently own. If you request and receive a book from E-ZBorrow you can borrow it for 4 weeks with one additional 4 week renewal period. And while you may need to wait up to 2 weeks for a recalled book (that’s how long the current borrower can keep the book once the recall is set), you could get a book through E-ZBorrow in just 3-4 business days.

If E-ZBorrow should fail as a resource, now you know you can always submit a recall request.