Recalling Items that are Currently Checked Out

Recall Policy

If a patron needs a book that is currently checked out to another borrower, the book may be recalled. The current borrower will be notified by e-mail or mail that they must return the item within 10 days of the date of recall. (Items that are already due in less than 10 days keep their original due date and cannot be renewed.) Once the recalled item is returned, it will be placed on hold for the requesting patron to pick up. A notice is sent to the requesting patron by e-mail or mail when the book has become available.

This policy applies to normal loan materials borrowed by any patron of NU libraries, regardless of patron status. If books are not returned by the date specified on the recall notice, the patron account will be automatically blocked from renewing or checking out new books, and an overdue fine of $1.00 per day will be assessed in some cases.

Every patron is held responsible for the timely return of recalled items during all times of the year, including holidays, vacations, and intersessions. There is no grace period for overdue recalled items. If a recalled book is overdue by more than 30 days, it will be considered "lost". Items that go to "lost" status automatically generate a bill for the replacement cost of the item, a non-refundable $10 processing fee, and a non-refundable maximum overdue fine of $30.

You may place recalls online or at the Circulation Desk.

Recall FAQ

1. How do I recall a book? What information do I need?

2. What happens when I place a recall on a book?

3. Can I recall CORE or Reserve items? What about videos from Multimedia?

4. I really need this book for my research, but I don’t want to inconvenience the person who has it now. Should I feel guilty about placing a recall?

5. I need this book immediately! Can I put a rush on my recall?

6. When will I get the book I recalled?

7. A book that has been recalled from me is central to my research; is there anything I can do to keep it longer?

8. What happens if I don’t return a recalled book by the recall due date?

9. I got my first recall notice today but my account is already blocked and I owe several days’ worth of overdue fines; what is going on?

10. I didn’t receive a notice that this book had been recalled from me; I only found out because of a block on my account. What should I do?

1. How do I recall a book? What information do I need?

When you see that a book you need is listed as "Checked out" on NUcat, you may recall it by following the "Recalls and Requests" link at the top of NUcat to the recall form, which can also be found directly at: www.library.northwestern.edu/circulation/services/recall.html

You may also recall books in person at the Circulation desk. Please have the full call number of the book handy, as well as your WildCARD or library borrowing card.

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2. What happens when I place a recall on a book?

After we enter your request in the system, the patron who currently has the book checked out is automatically sent a notice that it has been recalled. The notice includes a modified due date, generally 10 days from the date of recall. However, if the book is already due in less than 10 days, the current due date will stand, and no renewal or extension of the loan will be allowed.

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3. Can I recall CORE or Reserve items? What about videos from Multimedia?

No. Recalls are not allowed on any short-term loan items. Please contact the individual collections for more information.

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4. I really need this book for my research, but I don’t want to inconvenience the person who has it now. Should I feel guilty about placing a recall?

Don’t feel guilty! These books belong to the Library, and are for the use of all of our patrons. Unfortunately there is no way we can ensure that every book each user needs is available exactly when they need it, but the recall system is a good compromise to allow more than one user to access the same materials in a relatively short time period.

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5. I need this book immediately! Can I put a rush on my recall?

No. The recall system is automatic and the number of days given has been adjusted over time for optimum fairness. We get complaints from users who feel that the book is being taken away from them too quickly as well as from those who feel it won't come to them soon enough. We would like to please everyone, but there has to be a compromise, and we have set it at 10 days.

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6. When will I get the book I recalled?

You should generally be notified that the book is ready for your use within 10 days of placing the recall. Realistically, it simply depends on the patron who currently has it checked out and how much they need to use the item before bringing it back. Sometimes books come back within a couple of days, and unfortunately sometimes they come back past their recall due date. You will be notified when the book is available for you to pick up.

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7. A book that has been recalled from me is central to my research; is there anything I can do to keep it longer?

You must bring the book back by the new recall due date to avoid fines and a block on your account, but you are free to recall the book back when you return it. The patron who has recalled it from you will be given a 10-day loan period, after which they will have to bring it back for your use. (This does not apply to books recalled for Reserve, which you will not be able to recall, but which you can check out under the short-term loan policy of the Reserve desk.)

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8. What happens if I don’t return a recalled book by the recall due date?

When a book that has been recalled from you goes overdue, an automatic block is put on your account that prevents you from checking out new books or renewing any items you currently have checked out. The overdue recall fine rate is one dollar per day.

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9. I got my first recall notice today but my account is already blocked and I owe several days’ worth of overdue fines; what is going on?

Most likely, the book was already overdue when it was recalled. When this happens, the system automatically applies retroactive overdue fines at the rate of $1/day, and the automatic block is put on your account immediately. If this happens to you, bring the book back immediately, and talk to Circulation staff about the retroactive fines. This situation is easily prevented by keeping track of your due dates, and returning or renewing your books in a timely manner.

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10. I didn’t receive a notice that this book had been recalled from me; I only found out because of a block on my account. What should I do?

Notices are sent automatically by our system to the email address we have on file for you. If there is no email address on file, notices will be sent to your postal address, with the subsequent time lag. It is your responsibility to keep us updated on any change of address, physical or virtual. You may contact the Circulation desk (see information below) to discuss the matter further.

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