On Dec. 23, Auburn Public Library reannounced its Request It! service that allows patrons to request a variety of library materials to meet the community's needs.
The announcement came from Ashley Brown, the engagement and outreach librarian at Auburn Public Library. According to Brown, the library "wants to know what people want," and the Request It! service is how they give the patrons a voice in their book of choice.
A large variety of materials are available to request, including books, audiobooks, large-print books, CDs, DVDs and even board games. Brown expressed interest in expanding the program to include other items, such as outdoor games, if the public expresses interest and if the library has the resources for it.
"We're really excited to see what people are interested in having in the library’s collection,” Brown said. "We’re especially hoping to build that collection from patron requests from what the people in the community are requesting.”
Convenience is a high priority for Auburn Public Library, as Brown explained that items ordered through the Request It! service can be obtained "sometimes as quickly as about two weeks" in the right weather conditions.
Once a patron requests an item through the Request It! Service, they can provide their library card number, and a notification will be sent to the patron's email about its arrival so that they can be the first person to check out the new item. However, patrons must be quick, as the library only holds the item for five days before putting it back on the shelf for the public.
Jennifer Chapman, a mother who visits the library regularly, said that she had “never heard about this service” but would “be extremely likely to use it going forward," especially for her kids.
Grace Owen, a student at Auburn University, said that she likely would not use the service but “loves the idea."
According to Brown, Auburn Public Library has recieved many requests already this year, recieving many requests for "romantasy" books and bestsellers.
However, patrons should not fret about requesting a popular book, as the library staff members use that information to see how many copies of a book they should order to meet public demand.
In fact, patrons do not even have to have a specific book in mind to request. Auburn Public Library offers a notes portion of the request form, in which patrons can give the library a topic of interest, and the staff will find books related to that topic.
Auburn Public Library offers two ways to submit a request: submit a paper request at the help desk or submit an online request through the website. The only information needed to submit the request is the patron’s name, library card number and email address.
However, the more information the patron provides, the easier it is for the library to find exactly what the patron is looking for. In the request form, the other information can include material type, audience, title, author/director, release date, ISBN and URL.
If the patrons are just looking to request a topic or genre and don’t have a specific title in mind, then they can fill out that additional information box with as much information about what they are looking for as they can.
If the staff for some reason can’t find or purchase the item, then the library will reach out to other participating libraries through the Inter-library Loan program (ILL) to find the patron’s item and procure it.
The friendly staff at the library are happy to help the patrons if they ever have any trouble with the requests, so don’t be too shy to ask for help, hop online or head on down to give this service a try at the Auburn Public Library.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
Kimber Quinn, a junior majoring in wildlife sciences with a pre-veterinary medicine concentration, is from Brookwood, Alabama. She has been with The Auburn Plainsman since the spring of 2026.
