Asking for a Book Back Early

If you need a book back sooner than expected, you can ask the borrower for it back early. They always get 7 days to return it.

What Asking Early Means

Asking for a book back early is a request to the borrower to return it before its original due date. It’s a soft nudge, not a new hard deadline:

The borrower’s track record still uses the original due date. Missing the early date but still returning by the original due date counts as on time.
There’s no separate mark for missing the early date.

When asking early makes sense:

You need the book back for personal use
It’s been out for a long time and you want it back in circulation

You can ask for a book back early while it’s checked out, including once it’s overdue. Asking early never gives the borrower more time: if the book is already due (or overdue) before the 7-day date, the earlier due date still stands, and the dialog points this out before you confirm.

Going the other way? If you don’t need the book back any time soon, you can give the borrower more time instead. Open the loan details and choose Give more time — on an overdue loan it’s on the details card; otherwise it’s in the ⋯ menu at the top of the sheet. Pick the new due date on the calendar and tap Set due date to the date you picked. You can go up to two weeks past the current due date at a time (your library may set a shorter limit). Borrowers use the same calendar when they renew. Days when your library’s pickup spots are open are marked with a dot, so it’s easy to land the return on one. You can add an optional note; it shows up in the loan’s Messages tab as well as the borrower’s notification. If someone is on the waitlist, you’ll see who’s waiting and tick Give more time anyway before the new date is set.

How to Ask for a Book Back Early

Go to Loans and open the Lending tab
Open the loan details for the book
Tap ⋯ and choose Ask for it back early (on an overdue library-owned loan, this is on the details card instead)
Under Why do you need it back?, write your reason in your own words (up to 500 characters)
Tick the confirmation checkbox and tap Ask for it back early
The sheet confirms the request was sent and the date they have until to return it. Tap Done

The reason you write is shown to the borrower, so be specific — a clear, concrete reason (“I need it back for a study group on the 18th”) helps the borrower plan and respond.

What the Borrower Sees

When you ask, the borrower gets a notification with the return-by date, the original due date, and your reason.

Their loan shows Asked back early and the date (“Back by Tue, Sep 29 · 2 days left”); yours shows the same label with the date. From the loan they can either Return book or Renew. While you’ve asked for it back early, a renewal always comes to you to approve or decline — it never renews automatically, even if nobody is on the waitlist. Approving it gives them the time and ends the early request. Reminders may follow as the early date gets close; if it passes without a return, the borrower gets a gentle “still not returned” reminder. The borrower isn’t counted late twice — the normal overdue reminders only start once the original due date passes.

Your email address and phone number are never shared with the borrower. Coordinate through the loan’s Messages tab and the reason field instead.

Changing Your Mind

There’s no button to take the request back in the app yet. If you no longer need the book early, tell the borrower in the loan’s Messages tab. The original due date is unchanged either way.

Who Can Ask for a Book Back Early

Lenders can ask for their own books back early
Library admins can ask for any active loan in their library (member-owned or library-owned)
Other members can’t ask for books they don’t own

Tips

Ask early sparingly — it’s for genuine needs, not routine speed-ups
Be specific in the reason — the borrower sees it word for word, so a clear reason helps them plan
It’s a request, not a demand — borrowers may need a few days to coordinate, and the loan details give them a one-tap way to ask for more time

Still Need Help?

If you need help getting a book back, contact support.