Beginning November 4, 2024, Kent District Library will be reducing the maximum number of holds you can place on OverDrive from 30 holds to 10 holds. Following is some context and information to help you navigate this transition smoothly.
Please be aware that if you have more than 10 holds on digital books by November 4, 2024, you will not lose any of your existing holds. However, you will not be able to place new holds until your total is within the new limit.
This is not a reduction in service. The borrowing limit remains unchanged, allowing you to borrow up to 40 digital books at a time.
While most of our patrons will not be impacted by this adjustment, we want to explain that the reduction in the holds limit is necessary to manage our budget and accommodate the growing interest in digital books. In the Q&A section below, we provide some tips on alternative tools for tracking books you want to read.
Why the Change?
The primary reason to change the hold limit is due to the rising costs of the library’s access to digital collections.
KDL’s digital collection is very popular. In 2023, we were recognized as one of 123 public library systems worldwide that surpassed one million digital checkouts. Unfortunately, libraries are charged differently for these digital books than the public.
Consider the difference between library and consumer prices with regard to Kristin Hannah’s The Women.
While the library purchases and owns the physical books in our collection, we don’t own our digital collection; we license them for a set period of time or number of checkouts. When a hold is placed on a digital item, our staff evaluates the correct number of licenses to purchase for that given item in order to meet demand without unreasonable wait times.
This is a difficult task at the best of times, but the increase in the cost of these licenses has made purchasing and re-purchasing them unsustainable. By limiting the number of holds each account can have, we’re better able to allocate our funds to create a sustainable digital collection. Again, this change to the number of holds does not affect the number of total checkouts available to each patron.
By lowering the maximum number of holds, we aim to:
1. Reduce Wait Times: With fewer holds per user, popular titles will circulate more quickly, allowing more patrons to enjoy them sooner.
2. Enhance Collection Management: This change will help us better manage our digital resources, ensuring a more balanced and diverse collection.
3. Improve User Experience: A lower hold limit encourages patrons to be more selective with their holds, leading to a more efficient and satisfying borrowing experience.
These goals align with similar changes made by other libraries, such as the Seattle Public Library and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, which have seen positive outcomes from implementing lower hold limits.
How to Make the Most of Your Holds
While the new limit may require some adjustment, there are several strategies you can use to maximize your borrowing experience:
- Prioritize Your Holds: Focus on placing holds on titles you are most eager to read or listen to.
- Utilize Our Physical Resources: Not only are physical items usually one-third the cost of digital items, wait times are often much shorter for physical books.
- Stay Updated: Keep an eye on our digital library for new and popular titles that may become available without a hold.
Utilizing Tags in Libby
To help you manage your reading list more effectively, consider using the Tags feature in the Libby app by OverDrive. Tags are a flexible way to organize titles and can be used in various ways:
- Create Custom Lists: You can create tags for books you want to read, favorite titles, book club picks, or any other category that suits your needs.
- Filter and Sort: Easily filter and sort your tagged titles to find what you need quickly.
To add a tag, simply tap the tag icon while browsing or on a title's details page, then select or create a tag. You can manage your tags by tapping "Tags" in the footer of the app.
We're Here to Help
We understand that changes like these can be challenging, but our staff is here to support you. If you have any questions or need assistance managing your holds, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Our Patron Services team is available by phone at 616-784-2007 or by email at contact@kdl.org.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support of Kent District Library. We are committed to providing you with the best possible library experience and appreciate your cooperation as we make these improvements.
Happy reading!
Your friends at KDL
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