NEW CATALOG FAQ
HOW DO I LOG IN TO THE CATALOG AND ACCESS MY ACCOUNT?
How do I log
in to
the catalog?
We recommend that you log in to your account at the beginning of your session. You may log in at the Mid-York homepage or you may log in once you’ve clicked on the NEW CATALOG link. In both instances, the log in box is located in the upper right hand corner of the screen. You will enter your library card number without the letter A and your PIN (Personal Identification Number).
Can I look
at the
catalog without logging in?
Yes, you can type the word GUEST in the “Card #” box. We recommend that you do this ONLY if you are sure you will not be using any of the personal access features of the catalog such as placing a hold or looking at your account information.
How do I
enter my library
card number?
Enter
the 13
digit number on your library card without
the letter A in the entry box labeled “Card
#”
How do I
enter my PIN?
Enter your four digit PIN number in the box labeled “PIN”.
Your PIN number is similar to a password to access your account. You will use your PIN along with your library card number to log in to the Mid-York catalog.
How do I get
my
PIN?
Your PIN is usually the last 4 digits of your home telephone number. Contact your local public library to get your PIN number updated or changed.
Can I change
my PIN?
Yes. Once you have logged in to the catalog, you can click on the MY ACCOUNT button and then the link that says USER PIN CHANGE. Make sure that you write down your new PIN number so that you remember it.
What if my
PIN or
library card number doesn’t work?
If, after entering your library card number (without the letter A), your PIN does not work, contact your local public library and they will be able to assist you.
What if I
have
forgotten my PIN number and the last four digits of my phone number do
not work?
Contact your local public library to get your PIN updated or changed.
Why have my
privileges expired?
The system expires privileges every three years. This ensures the library staff will have current contact information and keeps the number of “registered borrowers” accurate for reports that libraries are required to file with the state and federal government. If your card has expired, it does not mean anything is wrong, just that you need to confirm your information with your library. If your card has expired, please contact your library to verify your information and renew your privileges.
How can I
get my
address and telephone number or name (in the case of marriage, divorce,
legal
name change, etc.) changed?
Contact your local public library to
have any of your
contact information changed.
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HOW DO I SEARCH FOR MATERIALS?
Enter word(s) or phrases in the search box and then press the ENTER key on your keyboard or the SEARCH button on the screen.
What is the
default
search in the catalog?
The default search in the catalog is a keyword search within any field. The default search will appear as “words or phrase” in the dropdown menu. It is important to note that these words must all appear in any given field (i.e., author, title, subject, etc.).
If you enter a single word, the catalog will find records with that word in any field
If you enter more than one word, the catalog will find records with all the words if they all appear in the same field.
How do I
search
across multiple fields simultaneously, (i.e., author, title, subject,
etc.)?
To search across multiple fields you
must include the word
<AND> (without the brackets) in between each of your
words or
phrases. This is
important to know when
searching for a specific work by a specific author. Another
way to search across fields is to
select the POWER search function below the search box.
Can I search within a specific field?
Yes. Change the drop down menu to the right of the search box to specify which field you would like to search. The options include the following fields: author, title, subject, series, or periodical title. If you use the drop down menu to change the default, you will be searching for your words in only that given field.
Are there
any tips
for narrowing my search or doing a more effective search?
1. Case (i.e., upper or lower case letters) are ignored
2. Phrase searching: You can search for phrases in the catalog by enclosing the phrase in double quotation marks. (i.e., “gone with the wind”)
3. A dollar sign ($) is used as a truncation character to retrieve all records including variant endings of words:
For example: entering hous$ will retrieve all the materials including the words house, houses, housing
4. A question mark (?) is used as a truncation character to pick up variant spellings of words
For example: entering wom?n will retrieve all the materials including the words woman, women, or womyn
5. Stop Words: The following words are ignored if you include them in your search: a, an, as, at, be, but, by, do, for, if, in, it, of, on, the, to. If you want to inlude these words in your search, enclose your phrases in double quotations to prevent them from being ignored.
6. To select from a number of options you can search using the POWER SEARCH by clicking on the link below the basic search box.
Can I use
Boolean
Operators to search the catalog?
Yes, the Boolean operators AND, OR, NOT instruct the catalog to search in a certain way:
1. AND instructs the catalog to find records for materials which contain all the specified words.
2. OR instructs the catalog to find records for materials which contain any of the specified words. This is especially useful when searching for synonyms or different words that have the same meaning, (i.e., cars OR automobiles).
3. NOT instructs the catalog to find records for materials that contain the first words or phrase but not the second word or phrase. Use NOT with caution as it is easy to unintentionally eliminate records for materials that may actually be useful.
4. Use parentheses to combine OR’d words with other operators.
For example:
(cars or automobiles) and racing
(internet and web) not email
How do I
search for
author and title (or any other combination of fields)?
If you want to search for both a
specific author and a
specific title you must include the word AND in between the
author’s name and
the keywords in the title. For
example,
if you are searching for the book The Client by John Grisham you would
type the
following words in the search box:
grisham and client
What is
Power Search?
Power Search is a way to search across fields and to use Boolean operators using drop down menus. It also allows you to limit your search in other ways such as by library, language, type, reading level, publication year and sorting by a number of factors.
You can also browse various fields (useful if you are not sure of spelling) and by call number.
Can I search
by call
number?
Yes, you can search by call number in the Power Search feature.
How do I
find certain
media (DVDs or Music or Books on CD) or otherwise limit my results?
The TITLE field will contain either the word videorecording or DVD so if you use one of these terms in a WORD OR PHRASE search or a TITLE search, you will retrieve records for materials that have either of these words in the title.
Two examples:
star wars videorecording
star wars dvd
The SUBJECT field will contain either the word VHS or DVD so if you use one of these terms in a SUBJECT search you will retrieve records for materials that have either of these words in the title.
Two examples:
biography VHS
science fiction DVD
How can I
find books
on tape or CD
The TITLE field will contain the phrase “sound recording”. However, be mindful that this term is also used for music. Use the phrase “sound recording” in a WORD OR PHRASE search or a TITLE SEARCH.
Two examples:
love sound recording
practical magic sound recording
To look for a particular author, use the word AND between the name of the author and the words cassette or CD in a WORD OR PHRASE search.
Two examples:
Grisham and cassette
Friedman and CD
It is also useful to know that the words abridged or unabridged can be used in a note field and can be searched under the WORD OR PHRASE search.
How do I
pick which
library’s holdings I want to search?
In a basic search, use the drop down menu below the search box to select which library’s holdings you would like to search. If left as a default search, the search will reveal the relevant holdings of all of the member libraries of the Mid-York Library System.
What does
the drop down
menu on the basic search page mean?
The drop down menus on the main search page allows you to select the specific library’s holdings you would like to search. The default is all the holdings of all of the Mid-York Library System member libraries and the pool collection at the Mid-York Library System Headquarters. The Mid-York Library System headquarters is not open to the public, but you are welcome to place holds on our materials and have them delivered to the library of your choice.
Who decides
if
materials are designated as "New or Popular"?
The staff of the library that owns the material decide whether to designate it as "New or Popular”, based on their local customers’ needs. Each library is independent and governed by a local citizen board of trustees. They have agreed to share resources among all the residents of the other member libraries in the system and do so to an extraordinary degree. However, they still have obligations to their own local taxpayers. There are over 2 million items in the system and relatively few (less than 1 %) are designated as "New or Popular". We run reports and computer programs on a regular basis to identify and remove this designation after 3 months for most materials.
If a copy is designated as "New or Popular", then it will be used only for holds at the owning library until the “New or Popular” designation is removed. If you place a hold on a “New or Popular” item that belongs to a library that is not your home library and your hold is still unfilled after a period of time, then ask the staff at your local public library to determine why. They may uncover a need to purchase additional or replacement copies.
You are also always welcome to visit, in person, the library who owns the material and borrow the material directly from them.
How do I navigate between the catalog pages? (I click the back button on my browser and get a “Webpage has expired” message?)
As with many other online databases
it is important to use
the navigational tools within the database interface if at all possible. To go back to previous
screens in the
catalog, make sure to use the GO BACK link on the green navigational
bar rather
than your browser’s BACK button.
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HOW DO I PLACE HOLDS AND SUSPEND MY
HOLDS?
How do I place a hold on materials I would like to borrow?
1. earch for the desired material.
2. Once you get the search results, make sure the item you are going to choose is truly the one you want. Many titles come in multiple editions and formats. For example, there are often audio and print versions of many popular titles. We strongly recommend you click on the FULL DETAILS button to confirm your choice.
3. Once you are in the FULL DETAILS view and have determined that this is the item you want, click on the PLACE HOLD link in the right hand sidebar. You may also click on the GO BACK link in the main navigation bar to return to your search results and choose the PLACE HOLD button to left.
4. Once you have clicked PLACE HOLD from either location, you will be asked to select a pickup library from the drop-down menu. This is the library to which your materials will be delivered. Your home library is chosen by default, but you may have your materials delivered to any library in the system and so can choose any of the libraries listed. Once the materials have been delivered to your chosen library, that library will contact you when the materials arrive through the delivery system.
5. You can also pick an expiration date, which will be when your hold expires if your request is of a time sensitive need. (OPTIONAL)
6. You can also suspend your holds so that they will not be delivered during dates that you will not be available to pick up your materials. (OPTIONAL)
7. Click the button that says PLACE HOLD.
How do I
change my
default pickup location?
To change the default pickup location, contact your local public library.
How long
will it take
me to get my materials after I place a hold?
It depends on the number of copies purchased by your local library, Mid-York member libraries and the popularity of the title. If your hold is first and a copy is available for your hold, then it will take 2-7 days, depending on how often the lending library and the pickup library get delivery. If there are many holds before yours, then it may take longer. A copy designated "New or Popular" is available only for holds at the owning library (or for in person pick-up) and will not be delivered to other libraries. If a copy that shows "Contact library for availability", the owning library uses a manual check-out system. This item may or may not be on the shelf and is not automatically available for holds at other libraries. If all copies are "New or Popular" or "Contact library for availability" and none are owned by your library, then it may take longer, possibly up to 3 months.
What does
the
estimated position on the hold list mean?
This number represents your place in line. If you are number 10, 9 people requested the book before you and are still waiting for it. Remember, however, most libraries fill holds for their local users first. So if your library does not own a copy or the copy or copies are overdue, the expected wait may be longer.
How can I
find the
status of my holds?
Log in to the Catalog and click on the MY ACCOUNT button. If you see a hold status of PLACED, it means that you successfully placed the hold. When the title is delivered to the pickup library and is ready for you to pick-up, the status will change to AVAILABLE.
A copy is
available
at another library, but my hold status is still placed. Why am I not
receiving my material?
If the copy is designated "New or Popular" then it will be used only for holds at the owning library. If your hold is still PLACED after a period of time, then ask the staff at your local public library to determine why. They may uncover a need to purchase additional or replacement copies.
What happens
if it
won’t let me place a hold?
Why would
anything in the catalog be non-holdable?
Materials are non-holdable for a variety of reasons. For example, the material(s) may be one of the following: part of a rotating movie or music collections, reference, local history, rare books, fragile items, magazine issues, special media or materials designated as in library use only due to granting restrictions. Some non-holdable books may be borrowed if you visit the library in person. Contact the holding library to find out if this is possible.
I need
multiple
copies of an item. Can
I place more than
one hold on a title?
No.
If you need
multiple copies of an item for something such as a book group
discussion, you
must contact your local public library.
They will be happy to request the multiple copies for you.
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WHAT CAN I DO TO CUSTOMIZE MY ACCOUNT AND CATALOG EXPERIENCE?
How can I
see what I
have borrowed?
Once you have logged into the catalog, click on the MY ACCOUNT button, then click on the link that says REVIEW MY ACCOUNT.
How can I
renew my
materials?
Once you have logged into the catalog click on the blue/gray button second from the right in the top row of buttons that says MY ACCOUNT. Click on the link that says USER PIN CHANGE
How can I
see how
much I owe in fines?
Log in and then click the MY ACCOUNT button, then click on the link that says REVIEW MY ACCOUNT. You will see your fines listed. Fines may be accrued from different libraries that you may have borrowed materials from. If you need clarification about the amount owed, please contact your home library.
How can I
create a
list of materials or a bibliography?
Once you have found materials that you want to add, click the KEEP button to create a list of materials or a bibliography. To access your list, look in the green navigational bar at the top of the page and click the link that says KEPT. Here you will have the opportunity to select your KEPT items and then VIEW or PRINT. You will be given options and a print view to customize to a certain extent how you want your list to appear. A pop-up menu of the view will allow you to save your list in a document in simple text format (.txt)
(Note: it is important to know that a KEPT list is not saved to your account. It will disappear as soon as you log out of the session in which you created it. If you create a KEPT list, you must e-mail it to yourself, save it as a .txt file, or print it if you wish to refer to it later.
Can I email
the KEPT
list to myself? How?
Yes, you can email your KEPT list to
yourself. On your
KEPT list page, there is a box in which
you can enter your e-mail address, then simply click the EMAIL button
next to
it to send it to yourself.
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WHAT IF I DON’T FIND WHAT I WANT?
How can I do
a better
search?
See the section on HOW DO I SEARCH FOR MATERIALS?Q1]
Can I get
the
materials from someplace else outside the Mid-York Library System (Interlibrary Loan)?
After checking the catalog for materials, if you cannot find what you are looking for, click on the CAN’T FIND IT? button at the top right of the screen. We will try to find the material you are looking for from outside the system’s member libraries. Each library has its own policy regarding whether a return postage fee will be required. (The library we borrow from pays for sending it to us). Please check the Library Postage Policies link to see if your library charges.
What things can’t I get outside the system (Can’t Find It forms)? We can’t borrow brand-new items (less than a year from publication date), because no one will loan them. You can ask your library to buy them. We can’t borrow very old items (1800’s and earlier), unless a newer reprint can be found. We can’t borrow reference items (genealogy, encyclopedias, dictionaries). We can ask for a limited number of photocopies from these items. We can’t borrow software, including games. We don't go outside the system for in-print items costing less than $12. You can ask your library to buy these.
I would like
articles
or other types of materials on my subject (Patron Initiated Periodical
Request
Form and/or Other Online Resources)?
There are several ways you can get an article. We provide access to many full-text databases via the ONLINE RESOURCES link in the right hand sidebar on the SEARCH/HOME page of the catalog. This means that you may be able to find, download, print or email the actual article itself.
If you cannot find the article in our ONLINE RESOURCES, you can request a photocopy of the article by clicking the CAN’T FIND IT? button and placing a request by clicking on the REQUEST PHOTOCOPY OF MAGAZINE ARTICLE. We can get copies of most articles for you free of charge. However, if you are willing to pay for an article, please indicate so in the notes field of the online request form. Also, please note that requests for articles are subject to certain copyright law and restrictions.
We cannot request whole issues of magazines.
We can, sometimes, get microfilm of
certain newspaper
editions from the New York State Library.
What if I
need to
talk to a librarian or ask a question? (Ask a Librarian
email form and AskUs
24/7 Virtual Reference Service)
1. here are several ways that you can have a question on any topic answered. These are called reference questions. They can be as simple as “What is the address of….. ?” to “What is John Grisham’s next book?” to “I have been diagnosed with …..?” and need more information.
2. You can contact your local public library during the hours they are open.
3. You can chat with a librarian in real time 24/7 by clicking on the AskUs 24/7 button at the top of the screen in the Mid-York catalog. You will be connected to a librarian with whom you can chat to have your question answered. The librarian may not be from the Mid-York Library System, but does have access to our catalog and online resources and databases to assist you with your question.
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Miscellaneous
When I
search the
catalog and get multiple results, I can only view the first few results
listed,
even though it tells me there are more.
Why?
You’re probably using Internet Explorer 6 (or an earlier version of IE) as a browser. While we recommend you do your Windows updates regularly, you need to, minimally, update your browser to Internet Explorer 7 to view our catalog properly. The FireFox or Safari browsers do not seem to have this issue.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9ae91ebe-3385-447c-8a30-081805b2f90b[Q2]
How do I
save
preferences to My Favorite Authors or My Favorite Subjects?
Do a search for your favorite author
or subject and then click
on the FULL DETAILS button of one of your search results. In the right hand sidebar
you will see two
links: ADD TO FAVORITE AUTHORS and ADD TO FAVORITE SUBJECTS. If you click on either of
these, you will
start a My Favorites list that will then appear at the bottom of the
SEARCH/HOME page. There
will also be a
MODIFY link that will lead you to a page that lists your favorites and
allows
to delete any of them at any time.
What is the FIND IT FAST button for?
FIND IT FAST is a subject search feature that lets you quickly and easily search our catalog for titles on a certain subject matter. For example: Family, Science, Education links lead to more specific links that lead to a results page on that particular subject. Notice the “You Found Titles in Categories” links in the right hand sidebar of the results page that may help you narrow your search.
What if the
text in
the catalog website is too small for me to read?
You can choose a larger text size in your own browser.
For Internet Explorer, click on VIEW in your menu bar, cursor down to ‘Text Size’ in the drop down menu, and choose the text size that allows you to comfortably view the page.
For FireFox, click on VIEW in your menu bar, cursor down to ‘Zoom’ in the drop down menu, and choose ‘Zoom In’ (you can also choose the option to ‘Zoom text only’). Repeat until you can comfortably view the page.
What is
“My Profile”?
The “My Profile” feature simply lets you choose whether or not to allow the catalog to automatically count all of the authors and subjects associated with any of the materials you’ve checked out in the past six months as part of your Favorites lists.