Milwaukee County residents may request items from any library within the system. The easiest way to request items is to first log into your library account in CountyCat. Then perform a search to locate the items you wish to place a hold on. You are able to put in a request on any CountyCat item, so long as
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- Your library card is active and you do not have fines exceeding $5.00
- There is a REQUEST button displayed next to the item you are viewing
How to Request a Single Item in CountyCat
After clicking the REQUEST button, you will be prompted to log into CountyCat if you are not already. Log in using your barcode (or username) and PIN.
After this point, you will be prompted to select a hold pickup location from a drop down menu. Now click Submit.
The system will confirm your request has been successful and that you will be notified when the item is available for pickup.
How to Request Multiple Items in CountyCat
To request multiple items, search the catalog and mark items you with to request using the book cart icon found to the right of each title.
At any point, you may remove or add titles to the cart. Once you have items in your book cart, you'll see the view cart text link. This is true in the search results OR in a full CountyCat record like below.
When you click on view cart, the screen looks like this. At this point you could email titles to someone or yourself, you may still remove items. To place a multiple-item request, click the Request button.
If you are not already logged into CountyCat, you will be prompted to do so. Afterwards, the system will give you a REQUEST form where you'll see the titles and be asked to select a HOLD PICKUP location. Do so and click Submit.
The system will confirm your request has been successful and that you will be notified when the item is available for pickup.
When Will I Get a Hold Pick Up Notice?
Once an item has been checked in to fill your hold and is placed on the holdshelf, you will be notified by either a telephone, email, print notice or text notice.
MCFLS sends out hold pickup notices via email and phone four times per day Monday through Friday. On Saturdays, these notices are sent out three times a day. On Sundays they go out twice a day. Text hold pickup notices also go out each day but through a separate service called Shoutbomb. That service requires persons to manually sign up. Learn how to do that here.
For telephone notices, all area codes are supported.
You can specify which method you would like to use for notifications when you register or editing your library record in CountyCat (via the Modify Personal Information link).
The best option for receiving hold pickup notices is generally through email, as these will include more specific information about the item being held and will get to you more quickly.
Holds expire from the holdshelf at your pickup location 5 days from the date they are placed there. These items are then returned to the owning library or passed to the next person in the queue.
Your notification message will specifiy the last date the item will be available on the holdshelf.
Help with Frozen Holds
You can freeze (suspend) a hold to retain your place in the hold queue. This postpones when the hold is to be filled. For instance, if you have requested titles on hold, but will be soon on vacation, you may want to freeze the holds so that none are filled while you are unable to retrieve them.
IMPORTANT: Staff are not able to unfreeze your frozen holds. This is something you must do within your CountyCat record, either using a web browser or the mobile catalog app.
HOW TO FREEZE A HOLD:
To freeze holds, log into your account on CountyCat. From the list of holds, check the appropriate boxes from the "Freeze" column, then select "Update List."
Choose 'YES' in response to the confirmation message that comes up next. The holds will remain frozen until you"unfreeze" them.
Not all titles will offer a freeze option.
If you see no checkbox in the FREEZE column, then that is the case (see the image to the right). Reasons why a title cannot be frozen include:
- Titles are in transit,
- Title were just placed on hold and technically still available,
- Titles are ready for pickup
- Titles have been on hold more than 255 days
Here is what the screen looks like in the CountyCat Mobile app for a title that cannot be frozen. 
TO UNFREEZE HOLDS
Again, go into your Countycat account and under Holds. Uncheck the box in the FREEZE column and click Update. Then click the Yes button to proceed.
Frozen holds are kept for 255 days from the date the hold was placed. The frozen hold remains frozen until the patron unfreezes it even after the 255 days. Staff cannot unfreeze holds for a patron.
How to Request Items in the CountyCat Mobile App
Enter your search terms into the app and click enter to execute the search. (Note some devices use 'search,' 'done', or 'return'). NOTE: The app does not allow you to create a book cart and place multiple requests.
When you see a title of interest, touch the Find a Copy to see where it's available. To place a request, choose Request for Pickup.
The next screen will display a drop down menu. Choose the library location where you want to collect the item from.
The system will then post a message that your hold was accepted.
If you want to view your holds go to the menu in the upper right corner (three horizontal lines) and choose My Account > Held Items. From that area you may also cancel or freeze a hold.
How to Check My Holds in the CountyCat Mobile App
To check your holds in the mobile app, choose the My Account menu option from the home screen midway down. Another way to access this area is using the Home menu located in the top, upper right of any screen.
From the next screen choose Held Items.
You will now see all held of your held items. The Status area indicates if the title is still on hold or in transit to your pickup location! The wording is small and a little cryptic but it should give information. Don't forget, to REFRESH the app, use a finger and while at the very top of the screen, drag downward.
The below title is in transit coming to the Bay View branch location. You will receive a hold pickup notice when it is ready to pick up.
Use the buttons Freeze or Cancel to manage individual holds.
How To Cancel a Hold in the CountyCat Mobile App
From within My Account > Held Items, you can see a list of titles either on hold or ready for hold pickup. From this list in the app, choose the Cancel button to cancel the hold.
NOTE: You will not be able to cancel holds on the holdshelf ready for pickup at the destined location.
