My favorite: "Place a Hold"!
I usually have 10 -1 2 holds at any one time. I think the upper limit is 20 items on your Holds list (the Library just raised the limit from 15 -- excellent!!!!). When the items come in, it is like a mini Christmas!

2nd favorite: Have your Hold requests put "on ice" when needed. If I get too many items coming in all at once, or if I know I will be out of town for an extended period and I don't want to miss anything coming in, I ask to have the items on my holds list be "suspended" for a while. Example: I can get it set to the day after I come back from my trip. This way I know it won't miss anything, or lose my spot in a long wait list.

OR, I can place a hold an each item of a series I am enjoying, and "suspend" each to a different future date, so that I ensure I will get a chance to read them in order. But I don't have to re-find each next title in the future myself. Tricky, no? ;-)

-an avid reader.