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Aeon is the Huntington Library's online request management system. Researchers use the system to place requests for rare materials, while staff uses the system to manage circulation to the Special Collections (Ahmanson) Reading Room. An Aeon account allows you to:
Materials with the status RARE - PAGE AEON in the library catalog and Summon Discovery must be requested through Aeon.
Create an Aeon account online to begin placing requests. If you are unsure if you already have an Aeon account, please contact us. Be sure to use the Reading Room Calendar to reserve a seat in the Special Collections (Ahmanson) Reading Room.
Visit our FAQs page for answers to frequently asked questions about Aeon. If you need further assistance, please contact the library.
N.B. Aeon is not a catalog or discovery tool; it is the system you use to register with the library and request rare materials. To learn about search tools, visit our Library Resources guide.
To ensure your requests are available in a timely manner, be sure to submit your requests prior to making a reading room appointment.
You may request up to five items on hold in the reading room at a time. We recommend using the Save Request for Later feature to create a list of requests for future appointments.
Materials are retrieved to the reading room Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 1:00 p.m.
Requests submitted after 1:00 p.m. are retrieved the following morning. No materials are retrieved on Saturdays.
Space permitting, materials may be held for up to two weeks.
Rare materials with the status RARE - PAGE AEON may be requested from the catalog record:
1) Click on the Request item via Aeon button. Aeon will open in a new tab or window.
2) Log in to your Aeon account when prompted.
3) The request form will auto-fill with the information from the catalog.
4) Schedule a retrieval date by clicking on the calendar icon. We recommend selecting the date of your Special Collections Reading Room appointment.
5) Click Submit Request.
N.B. Rare materials with the status NOT AVAILABLE are closed and unavailable for paging to the reading room until processed by the library's cataloging department. Please contact us for more information.
Rare collections with the status RARE - PAGE AEON and a finding aid may be requested through the Online Archive of California (OAC).
If you have found a collection in the catalog with a finding aid, click on View finding aid and request materials. The finding aid will open in a new tab or window.
1) Review the available inventory or contents list.
2) Click on the Request items ↗ button.
3) Log in to your Aeon account when prompted.
4) Click Expand All to see the full content list. Select a series from the content list and select the checkbox next to the item(s) you wish to request. A separate request will be automatically submitted for each box you check.
5) Schedule a retrieval date by clicking on the calendar icon. We recommend selecting the date of your Special Collections Reading Room appointment.
6) Click Submit Request.
You may use a blank Reading Room Request form if you have a reference or citation that is not available in the library catalog.
1) Log in to your Aeon account.
2) From the menu at the top of the page, click on New Requests, then select Reading Room Request from the drop-down menu.
3) Fill out the form with the bibliographic details available to you.
4) Schedule a retrieval date by clicking on the calendar icon. We recommend selecting the date of your Special Collections Reading Room appointment.
5) Click Submit Request.
N.B. Contact the library for help identifying items not recorded in the library catalog.
An item may be restricted due to its rarity, fragility or for preservation reasons. These requests require a curatorial review and extended delivery time. If approved, these requests will be brought to the reading room by a curator.
Collections or archives are occasionally restricted at the donor's request or due to copyright. These collections may also require curatorial approval and extended delivery time.
All requests for restricted materials may be placed by following the steps for requesting through the library catalog.
When logged in to Aeon, you can find a list of your outstanding requests on your account dashboard. Aeon tracks and updates the status of requests in real-time:
Use the Save Request for Later feature to create and add to a list of requests that exceed your limit of five. You can use this feature to ready requests for future appointments. Once you've filled out a reading room request form, click the Save Request for Later button to add the request to your "saved" list.
Note that these requests are not automatically submitted and must be manually activated. To activate a request:
1) Log in to your Aeon account.
2) Click My Requests from the menu at the top of the page, then select Outstanding Requests from the drop-down menu.
3) Click the Actions button next to the item you wish to request, then select Submit Request from the drop-down menu.
The request is now officially submitted and will appear on your account dashboard with a status of Awaiting Request Processing. The item will be retrieved at the next retrieval time or prior to your next appointment.