Tip #1: New Books Usually Available to Borrow on their Publishing Release Date

You may have assumed that the fastest way to get a new book was to buy it, but libraries receive and process new books ahead of time to have them ready to circulate on their official release date. That means that you can almost always find newly released titles in the Lake Forest Library Rotunda (unless they've all been placed on hold) on the same day you can find them in a bookstore.

Check for each week's just‑released, hot‑off‑the‑press titles on the Rotunda shelves on Tuesday afternoons.

Tip #2: Can't Find an Item?

Between the consortium of 32 area libraries, 50 additional Illinois libraries through Find More Illinois, and the further 16,000 worldwide libraries through WorldCat, your Lake Forest Librarians have tools for sourcing books across the state and the nation.  Call us at 847-234-0636 or complete the request form.

Tip #3: Why Place Holds?

Did you know that placing a hold on an item directly influences the purchasing decisions of your Librarians? As the holds list grows, your Librarians are more likely to purchase additional copies of a title to get it in your hands more quickly. It's true for eBooks as well. Even though it might be discouraging to add yourself to the Libby queue for an item that currently promises you a wait of several months, we hope you'll place the hold anyway! As you wait, clicking on your hold may reveal a message like "Your library has acquired 2 more copies since you placed this hold," which means your hold let us know that the title is popular and in‑demand.

The library catalog and eBook apps even show items that have been ordered but not yet released. In Libby, you can filter by "coming soon." When you place a hold, you increase your chances of getting a new book as soon as it hits the shelves or the apps.

Find Libby in your device's app store. Filter by "coming soon" and place a hold on a not‑yet‑released title today.

Tip #4: Instantly Available in Hoopla

If holds aren't your thing, you may appreciate Hoopla, where every item from eBooks to movies to music and more are instantly available, no waiting.

Find Hoopla in your device's app store. Enjoy 10 borrows per month plus BingePasses and Bonus Borrows.