Library: Export Your Reading List BEFORE May 25

Member libraries of CW/MARS (including the Worcester Public Library) are migrating to a new catalog software (Evergreen) on Memorial Day weekend.  This will impact library patrons in quite a few ways.

With the migration to Evergreen, your existing library history will no longer be accessible.  If you want to keep a record of what you’ve checked out, you’ll need to export your library history before May 25.

Here’s how:

When you’ve logged into your library account, select the My Reading History button on the right side of the page:

You’ll be brought to your reading history.  Click on the Export List option (third from the left):

When you are brought to the Export List page, click on theSelect Alllink before the list of items:

Then enter your email address and press the Submit button:

This process could take a while — be patient!

(I estimate it took 3 minutes to export my rather large list and receive the email.)

Please share these instructions with anyone you know who uses the library!

Library Tip: Self checkout

I don’t often use the self-checkout machines at the library (because I usually have a few items on hold), but I always make an effort to show fellow patrons how to use the machines.

In these days of budget cuts, we’re going to be seeing a lot less programming from library staff.  While that might not be the most important thing, I do think that using the self-checkout machines wherever possible allows library staff to help people with questions (rather than just scanning books).

Here’s how to use the self-checkout machines:

Step 1.  Have excellent taste in books! 

Just kidding — but you can only take out regular books (no CDs, DVDs, or magazines) with the self-service machine.  From left to right, I’m taking out The Real Wizard of Oz, the new Colin Cotterill novel, and Emma.

Step 2a.  Approach the self-checkout machine.

Step 2b.  You’ve got to get closer than that – they don’t bite!  Touch the screen to start your transaction.

Step 3.  After touching the screen, the machine will prompt you to scan your library card.  Take your finger off the screen and take your library card out of your wallet.

Step 4. Put your card, barcode-up, under the black scanner on the left.

(Caveat: sometimes you have to move your card around a little bit.  I find that halfway between the scanner and the base works best.)

Step 5.  The machine will now be on its second step, and will tell you to pass your books over the reader (that is, the black base) one at a time. 

The machine is a fool.  You can just stack your books right on the reader.

Then again…

…doing that only got two of my three books scanned!

Try placing the Cotterill in a few different spots.  Worry that you’re going to have to re-take all the photos for this blog post to make the process seem smooth.

Step 6.  Confirm that all your books are successfully scanned.  When they are, press the Done button.

Step 7.  Your receipt will print out.

Step 8.  Don’t forget to grab it!

And don’t forget to use the self-checkout machines!

Library Tip for Touch-Screen Children’s Computers

We were at the library this morning, and the touch-screen computer my younger son was using froze.

The librarian pressed Alt+F4 and that brought him back to the main game menu.

(Just in case any of the children in your life use those computers!  I’m sure the PC-using world knew this about 15 years ago, but I live in a Mac world…)

Also, something I saw at the library that you might appreciate…a two-page .pdf that illustrates how people are using the library this year.  (It’s perfect for sending to those who’d be inclined to cut library funding, if you catch my drift.)

Library Tip: Requesting Materials Online

I request items online all the time.  Many of the books/audio materials I want are not always available at the Worcester Public Library, so I request the materials and pick them up at my leisure.  I also tend to request books because it’s much easier to pick up materials at the desk than to drag two children all over the adult section.

Once you’ve identified the book you want in the online catalog,

click on the Request button on the left of the top menu:

You’ll be prompted to log in using your library card number and PIN.  If you don’t have a PIN, leave it blank and you’ll be prompted to create one.  If you’ve forgotten it, you need to go to the library with your library card to have the old PIN deleted and a new one created.

After a successful login, you’ll be brought to a menu to indicate the library where you’d like to pick up your materials:

The menu (at least, my menu) defaults to the main branch of the Worcester Public Library.  If I’m requesting materials from outside of Worcester, I request that the materials be sent to Frances Perkins Branch (so that I can see a friend of mine who works there).  If you request materials that are available at the main library and at other libraries, and request that the materials be sent to FPBL, they will not necessarily send the Main Branch materials — they might come from Westminster instead, which is a bit of a waste of gas – so keep that in mind when you’re requesting materials.

So, select the library you’d like and press Submit.

You’ll be brought to a confirmation page:

To check on the status of your hold(s), you can click on the Return To Your Record link at the top of the page:

You’ll be brought to a list of the materials you currently have checked out; click on the link that shows the number of holds you have (highlighted below):

You’ll be brought to a list of your holds and their statuses; “In Transit” means something is on its way, “Check Shelves” and (Blank) mean that the request hasn’t been filled yet.

When your materials are ready to be picked up, it will show up in the status, and you’ll also get an email:

You usually have about a week to pick up a request at the desk.