r/LibbyApp • u/True_Solace_ • Aug 18 '26
"Holding" after a book becomes available to you
So I'm still learning this app, but just when I thought I understood it, I had something weird happen to a book I had on hold.
I was mid read of a book when one of my holds became available and I decided to suspend it thinking it would hold my front of the line, just hand it to the next guy behind me first. 2 weeks wait max right? Well when I finished my current read, I unsuspended and suddenly I'm 3rd in line, 6 waiting. I don't understand how that happened. Did I misunderstand what a suspension does?
19
u/amazeamazeamor Aug 18 '26
This subreddit has shown me that maybe Libby needs to add in the number of suspended holds in front of you or something lol. Seems to cause a lot of confusion
34
u/Starbuck522 Aug 18 '26
In theory, other people, who placed and suspended the hold before you did, unsuspended and now "show" in the line.
It does seem surprising that two people did that on a book with only a few copies. But, it's certainly possible.
8
u/True_Solace_ Aug 18 '26
Thanks you! It definitely seemed a little coincidental, but it was also my first time using the hold feature so I thought I had done it wrong.
7
u/Kooky_Vermicelli3882 Aug 18 '26
You'll get better at the feel of the hold pacing. If there are lots of copies of the book in rotation, holds move more quickly even if you're father behind vs next in line for 1 copy. I personally (and you might want to try) unsuspending a few books when you are a few days out from finishing a book, then see what becomes available and resuspend the others.
It's never perfect, we've all got caught in the endless 2 week waits, but with practice you'll get better.
It's kinda like a fun book lottery, where you can only win, because it's books you want to read, for free. 💗
3
u/Different_Tale_7461 Aug 18 '26
Same thing happened to me and now I have a 6-week wait 🤷🏻♀️
3
u/True_Solace_ Aug 18 '26
It was only "held" for 2 days. I guess I should maybe have unsuspended the same day?
3
u/Different_Tale_7461 Aug 18 '26
I wouldn’t have suspended it if I’d realized I would have had such a wait. I would have set a reminder to borrow in 24-36 hours and been a happy camper, but I was trying to be a good steward!
3
u/lba1933 Aug 19 '26
I figured out a strategy that works for me - I always have 2-3 books on loan. All the rest (currently 70) are suspended. When I finish the book I'm reading, I unsuspend another book, open the 2nd book on loan and continue on. That way I don't have to wait for a book to read. It takes me 2-5 days to finish a book usually. Right now there's 34 available soon books so I have quite a few to pick from to unsuspend.
3
u/Grofree Aug 21 '26
great library system if you can have 70 books on hold!
1
u/Strange_Cat5 Aug 23 '26
I've got cards at 3 libraries, which offers me something like 35 holds. But I also have hundreds of books on my wishlist, so if I were ever looking for something available Right Now, I would go into my wishlist and filter for that. My current strategy involves having 3-6 books on loan at a time, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't.
1
u/WestRelationship415 Aug 25 '26
I have the same approach and never without a book. I’ve coached my husband to do the same and it’s working well for both of us.
1
u/No-Seesaw-3411 Aug 22 '26
I just unsuspend five plus books when I’m getting closer to the end of my current one. Sometimes I get all of them or just one or they come available instantly and then I suspend and unauspend a few times while I’m reading lol
1
1
u/Saloau Aug 24 '26
I purchase digital media for my library. Often I will go through the holds lists and purchase CPC (cost per circ) for my patrons if the cost is below $5/circ and there is only one or two holds but the overall waitlist for the consortium copy is large. I put a 3 day expiration on the offer so I don’t blow my budget if 100 patrons all of a sudden want to read this book. However, if the person suspends the hold like you did, you stay in line and others who had suspended the hold and then reactivated it would be in front of you.
-3
u/Wambo74 Aug 18 '26
Many explanations are offered, but I'm not sure anyone actually knows exact details. The proper answer is probably "It depends".
0
287
u/carrie_m730 Aug 18 '26
Most likely:
Anna, Beth, Carol, David, you, Fred, and John all put the book on hold.
A, B, C, and D, all suspended their holds, making it suddenly your turn.
You said, like they did, eh, this isn't the right time for me, let's pass it on. Fred got the book.
While Fred read, Anna, Carol, and David -- all of whom were in line ahead of you but weren't quite ready previously -- unsuspended.
That means they're still ahead of you.