If you cannot find the item you are looking for in the collection, you can request that SPL purchase it. We consider all suggestions received and attempt to fill your request either by purchasing the title or by borrowing it from another library through an Interlibrary loan. You can recommend up to 10 titles per month.
Before you recommend a title, please search the collection to see if it is already available.
Frequently Asked Questions about Purchases
Published material from the last two years that are not already available in the Collection. Books, eBooks, magazines, music and movies that will be of widespread interest to the community.
eBooks and eAudiobooks can be suggested using the Notify Me feature on Libby. Here’s how:
- Log into the Libby app or libbyapp.com with your library card number and PIN
- Search for the title you would like
- Scroll to the bottom of the filters and choose “deep search” to bring up titles SPL does not currently own
- Tap on the “Notify Me” button
- If the library purchases the item, you will get a notification and you can place a hold to borrow the item
- There is no limit to the amount of items you can suggest in this manner
No. For a number of reasons, including the budget, the library is unable to order every requested item. Purchase decisions are made using a number of criteria and in alignment with our Collection Development plan.
If SPL does decide to purchase the item you requested, or if we’re able to acquire it through an Interlibrary Loan, it will be placed on hold for you and you’ll be notified when the item is ready for pickup.
Most titles are ordered by the library months before publication. DVDs and Blu-ray titles can’t be ordered until a release date is available. Requests for a DVD without a release date will not be kept on file.
If you are an author who would like to have your work added to the collection, please email [email protected]. You can also send a review copy. Review copies will not be returned. Send review copies to:
Collection Services
Attention: Selection Librarians
110 Nelson Road
Saskatoon, SK S7S 1K7
Frequently Asked Questions about Interlibrary Loans
We are able to borrow print materials from academic, public and research libraries across Canada. This service allows for loans between provinces and libraries that are not part of the Saskatchewan Integrated Library System (SILS).
All residents of Saskatoon who hold a valid library card. We will be unable to place an Interlibrary Loan request if your card has expired or if you have charges on your card of $25 or more.
Complete the form on this page and we will attempt to fill your request either by purchasing the title or by borrowing it from another library through an Interlibrary Loan.
The Interlibrary Loan service is free but there are charges if the item is overdue, damaged or lost. If the item is damaged or not returned, you will be charged a replacement cost. This amount is set by the lending library.
Many items come within four to six weeks. However, unusual items may take several months to find. Each request is filled as soon as available material is located. We are not be able to obtain books from libraries outside Canada.
- Items owned by the SILS consortium
- Entire magazines or newspapers
- Books on CD
- CDs
- DVDs
- Computer software or games
- Rare books and reference books are not usually loaned to us or, if loaned, must be used in the library. If you require only a few pages from a specialized work, microfilm, magazine, or newspaper, we can order a photocopy of those pages for you.
You will be contacted when an item you requested is available for pickup at the location specified in your request. Interlibrary Loans items may be requested for pickup at any Saskatoon Public Library location and returned to any public library in Saskatchewan.
The loan period is 21 days. You can ask for a renewal. Please ask for renewals at least three business days before the due date. Renewals may be granted at the discretion of the lending library.