Have you ever borrowed a book through Summit? If all our copies of an item are checked out, you may still be able to request it. As a member of the Orbis-Cascade Alliance (SUMMIT), our students, staff, and faculty have access to nine million titles from thirty-seven universities and colleges in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. These non-SPU owned resources are integrated with our own collection in the WorldCat catalog, which can be searched via our library’s homepage. Upon request, the items are processed by their owning libraries, shipped to our institution in a matter of days, and picked up at the library circulation desk.

Here are a few tips on ensuring a simple Summit request:

1. When you find an item, check the catalog to see whether or not SPU owns it. If the record shows that we have a copy, the Summit request will not be successful and you will receive an email indicating that your request has been canceled.
2. If the record shows that we do not own a copy of the item, expand the holdings for all Summit libraries and check the availability. If all copies are checked out or unavailable, the request will not be successful.
3. If there is at least one copy of the item available, click on the “Request Summit Item” button. Be prepared with your name, student identification, and university affiliation.
4. Using the dropdown menu, state if you need a specific edition or add a note to the request if there is one volume of a multi-volume series that is desired.

Summit is a large, evolving system that revolves around many institutions, so at times you may still receive cancellation notices even if you have followed the process correctly. But following these easy steps can make your requests more successful and seamless.