Suggest a Purchase
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library welcomes suggestions for new items to add to our collection to build a diverse, robust, and balanced collection. If you are interested in a title that is not in our catalog, please submit a suggestion for purchase and we’ll consider your request.
Please note: Only Charlotte Mecklenburg Library customers can make suggestions for the purchase of new library materials.
Suggest a Title for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Collection
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library customers can request up to five items per month through our online catalog/Bibliocommons.
Before making your suggestion:
- Check our catalog to make sure we don't already carry the item.
- Is the suggested title an older publication (more than three years old)? Many older titles are no longer available for purchase. You may request an Interlibrary Loan.
- Is the suggested title from a bestselling author or a newly released feature film? Titles by bestselling authors are purchased three to four months in advance of the publication date. Most popular movie titles will be purchased within two months of the release date. Check the catalog periodically and place your hold when it shows up. This method will get you on the waiting list much faster than submitting a suggestion.
- Are you a local author interested in finding out how to get your title on our shelves? Information for local authors is here.
- NEW: The library no longer purchases music CDs for the circulating collection. Please check out our digital music options hoopla and Freegal on our Books and More page.
Ready to make your suggestion?
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Log into your library account (a valid library card and PIN are required) via the catalog/Bibliocommons. Don’t have an account? Registration is easy! Review the steps here: https://help.bibliocommons.com/000getting/000registration/
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Go to My Library Dashboard and click Submit a Suggestion to make a new suggestion.
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Track the progress of your suggestion within your account in the Suggested This Month page (note: you must be logged in to view this page).
Frequently Asked Questions
No. All purchase decisions are made using our Materials Selection Policy. We also must consider budget and availability of stock from our vendors.
Yes. Track the progress of your suggestion within your account in the Suggested This Month page (note: you must be logged in to view this page).
The Suggest an Item feature and the holds queues in BiblioCommons do not allow us to automatically place customer holds when a suggested item is purchased. You will be notified through BiblioCommons when a decision is made on your suggestion, allowing you to place a hold at that time.
The Library orders titles anywhere from four months prior to publication to several years after publication. When possible, we strive to order new titles at least four months prior to publication. Digital items cannot be purchased until the title has been published.
The Library orders materials on an ongoing basis. For a title that is not yet published, we try to have the item available as close to the publication date as possible. For a title that is already published, depending on the publisher, it can take anywhere from 4-12 weeks before the item physically arrives at the Library.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library will try to source titles in various formats, but some titles are not available in specific formats (e.g. DVD, large print, audiobook CD). As streaming services become more prevalent, some popular titles are never released on disc.
Even if some titles appear to be available online for purchase, there are other restrictions that may apply. For example, some digital items are only available on certain platforms.
While ISBNs are not a required field, including an ISBN will help the Selecting Librarian determine the specific title that you are requesting. ISBNs can be 10 or 13 digits, and are typically found on the back cover of books. You can also use WorldCat to verify ISBNs.