What is the difference between placing a hold and adding an item to my shelf?
Answer
When you log in to your online account and search for an item in the catalog, you can either place a hold on the item or add it to your For Later shelf.
Add an item to your For Later shelf if you think you might like to check it out in the future. Place a hold on a item if you know you want to check it out as soon as it becomes available.
When you place a hold on an item, your name is added to a waiting list. When the item becomes available for check out, it is automatically transferred to the person at the top of the queue. They check it out, read/ listen to/ watch it, and return it. It then goes to the next person in the queue.
Your For Later shelf is a place to keep track of items you might like to read, listen to, or watch in the future. (This is especially useful for patrons who have already placed the maximum limit of 25 holds and need a place to store more titles until they can place more holds.) When an item on your For Later shelf becomes available, it is highlighted on your account dashboard. You can leave it there for later, place a hold on it, or visit the owning library to check it out immediately with no waiting.
In addition to the For Later shelf, you can also add titles to your In Progress or Completed shelves. https://help.bibliocommons.com/020shelves/000my-shelves/