Help

• Catalog Availability

• How do I "Login"

• What is a PIN and how do I get one?

• Glossary of Catalog Terms

• What Does "Please See a Librarian" mean?

• Can I Request an Item Online?

• How Do I Renew an Item Online?

• What is My List?

Catalog Availability

The MVLC Catalog is available 24 hours a day except for brief periods of system maintenance (usually early on Tuesday and Saturday mornings). 

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What is a PIN and how do I get one?

A PIN is a form of secondary identification that you use along with your library card number to access your patron record or place holds online.

MVLC libraries have differing policies on how you get your PIN. Some libraries will give you your PIN over the telephone. Others may ask you to stop in. Most will ask for a driver's license or some other form of ID besides your library card to confirm your identity.

Your best bet is to call your local library to find out their policy.

Why do you need a PIN? Information about what you have out from the library is confidential information protected by law. The PIN helps assure your privacy.

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Glossary of Catalog Terms

Starts with... -- provides you with a list of headings in alphabetical order that match or closely match your search phrase

Call Number -- shows the shelf location of the item.

Holdings -- will show you the libraries that own the item, the Collection, Call Number and the Status of each item.

Keyword -- retrieves material which matches the words in your search phrase wherever those words appear in the information about the item. Keyword searches can match words anywhere in the record or be restricted to certain parts of the record, i.e., title, author, subject

Limiting -- allows you to limit your search results by the format of the material, the language or the location that owns it. You may make more than one choice from the limiting selection box. To choose more than one, make your first selection and then hold down the Control key on your keyboard while clicking on the next selection from the same selection box.

Location -- is the library that owns the item.

Pickup Location -- is the library at which you'd like to pick up an item you've requested. This can be your local library or the library that owns the item. It could also be a library that's convenient to you, such as the library in the town in which you work (if that town is an MVLC member).

Search Results -- shows you brief information about the titles that match your search terms or the heading you selected. Titles with the most recent publication dates appear first.

To see detailed information about a title (including which libraries own it), click on the title itself (highlighted in blue).

Status -- gives you information about the shelf status of the item. Common statuses are:

• Checked in - the item is on shelf
• Checked out - the item is checked out. Due Date tells when it is due back at the library.
• Transit - means the item is on its way back to the owning library
• Transit Request- means the item is on its way to another library to fill a request.
• Cataloging - means the item is being entered into the catalog and is not yet available
• Lost - means the item is no longer available

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What Does "Please See a Librarian" Mean?

Please See a Librarian is the circulation status of all items owned by libraries that are affiliated with MVLC but do not circulate their materials using the computer. As they do not circulate their materials on-line, any circulation status given in the catalog is potentially incorrect. You will need to call the owning library directly to find out if an item is actually on the shelf.

Can I Request an Item Online?

To request an item online:

• Click on the button

• If you're not already logged in, enter your library card number (with no spaces between the groups of numbers) and your PIN.

• Select a pickup location for the item. This can be your local library or another MVLC library that's more convenient to you. For example, you could pick the item up in the town you work in (providing that library is an MVLC member) rather than the town you live in.

• Click on the " Request" button.

Most types of material can be requested with the exception of non-circulating items, items in rental collections and issues of magazines. (A librarian can place a request for a single issue of a magazine for you. Call or stop in at your local library to make the request.)

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How Do I Renew an Item Online?

To renew an item online:

1. Click on the "My Account" tab.

2. If you're not already logged in, enter your Patron ID (the barcode number on your library card) with no spaces between the groups of digits and your PIN. Click on the "Login" button.

3. Click on "Checked Out" in the Patron Data window

4. A list of all the items you have out will then appear.

5. To renew selected items, click on the Renew checkbox in front of each item you wish to renew and then scroll to the bottom of the window and click on the "Renew" button.

6. Or, if you wish to renew everything you have out, click in the top most check box (the one on the same line as "Title") and then click on the "Renew" button.

7. Note: Some items you have out may be non-renewable.

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What is My List?

You can save multiple lists in iPac 2.  Make wish lists, organize reading lists and create bibliographies using this feature.  You can have as many lists as you want and they will save for a year.   

The "My List" features works best when you are logged into your account.  The only way to save lists and access saved lists is to be logged in to your account.

To the right of each item record you will see the button just above the request button.  Click on this to add the item to your list.  Click on the remove button if you change your mind and want to remove the item from your list. 

After you have chosen to add items to your list, you can view those items by clicking on “My List” from the right of the screen.  You will see the heading “My List” and under that the number of titles saved to "My List".  You now have a few options which can be done from “My List”.

·        You may choose to check the box next to an item and click on the “Remove” button to take them off the list.

·        You may click on the “Request item” button next to the item to request it. 

·        You may choose to check the box next to an item and click on the down arrow next to “Move to”.

·        If you choose "Move to" you may now choose to create a new list by clicking on [New List] or click on one of the lists you may have already created.  Depending on the browser once you click on your choice, it will automatically move the item to the corresponding list.  On older browsers, you may have to click on the “Go” button to move the item.

·        If you choose "Move to" you may now choose to create a new list by clicking on [New List] or click on one of the lists you may have already created.  Depending on the browser once you click on your choice, it will automatically move the item to the corresponding list.  On older browsers, you may have to click on the “Go” button to move the item.

·        If you choose "Move to" you may now choose to create a new list by clicking on [New List] or click on one of the lists you may have already created.  Depending on the browser once you click on your choice, it will automatically move the item to the corresponding list.  On older browsers, you may have to click on the “Go” button to move the item.

·        If you choose to create a new list, a box will appear asking you to name the new list.  Type in the name and click “OK”.

·        On the right of the “My List” screen you will see another drop-down menu.  Use this menu to jump to any pre-saved list.  Beneath that is a “Manage Lists” button.  Click on this button to view all your lists.  A table will display with the list name, how many items on the list, when the list was created, when it expires and a rename and delete option.  You can extend the expiration date of a list by renaming it. Click on the list name to view it. 

You can choose to e-mail any of your lists to yourself by clicking on the "E-mail list" button on the bottom left of the screen.  You can choose to have it sent to you in html, plain text or in either the Chicago style or MLA style bibliography format.

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