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Getting an Alternate ID

You can create a unique user name or Alternate ID to use in place of your library card number when logging into your library account or placing a hold, so that you don't have to remember or type in the 14 digit number on your card. This can also be used for accessing the databases and signing up for a public internet computer. You do NOT have to use an Alternate ID.

How do I get one?

  • Log into My Account using your name and library card number
  • Click on Modify Personal Info
  • Enter an Alternate ID
    • at least 6 characters - only letters and numbers - no special characters
    • is NOT case sensitive so it does not matter if you use capital letters
    • click Submit
  • If the Alternate ID you have chosen has already been taken, or if you have typed something in that is invalid, you will get an error message and the system will not assign the name. Choose another name and try again
  • You will get a confirmation to the email address on your account

What if I forget it, or want to change it?

  • If you have forgotten your Alternate ID, or want to change it, just log into My Account using your library card number and reset it, using the steps above. If you’ve lost your library card, bring your photo ID to any circulation desk for a replacement.

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Placing Holds on Requested Items

Placing a Single Hold in the Online Catalog:

  • Search the catalog for your desired library material
  • Click on the specific item desired.
  • Click the "Place Hold" button at the top of the screen.
  • On the resulting screen fill in the requested information.

Placing Multiple Holds in the Online Catalog:

  • Choose "My Account" on the navigation bar under the library’s name.
  • On the resulting screen fill in the requested information – name and library card number.
  • On the resulting screen, click the arrow to select a search criteria from the drop-down menu next to the "More Searches" button to the right of the screen. Click the "Go" button.
  • Search for your desired library material.
  • Check the box next to the desired material.
  • Click the "Add Marked to Book Cart" above the list of library materials
  • Repeat 3 – 5 for each desired material.
  • After the last material has been chosen, click the "Book Cart" button at the top of the screen.
  • On the resulting screen click the "Request Saved" link.
  • Check all the material that you definitely want to hold.
  • Fill out all requested information – you must choose a pick up branch.
  • "Request Selected."
  • Click "Return to Your Record" to review requests.
  • Click "Log Out" located at the top of the page or next to "Return to Your Record" to log out of your account.

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My Account

There are special features of our online catalog that allow you to configure your account online. This software feature called  My Account  allows you to do the following:
  • change or add your email address -- this allows you to receive email messages from the library about:
    • materials are available that you have placed on hold
    • materials are overdue and need to be returned or renewed
    • courtesy reminders before your books are due
  • allows you to enable My Reading History which keeps a record of the books you have checked out
  • allows you to enable My Lists
  • place multiple holds without re-authenticating your library card each time
  • check your record for overdue books
  • renew books that are checked out to you
  • look at your fines (and have opportunity to pay online)
  • save searches to do again at some future date

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My Lists

This feature allows you to save selected records in one or more lists you can name and store in My Account. It's like the Book Cart, but permanent and customizable. To use this feature you must first be logged into your account with your name and library card number. Then search the catalog for the books you want.

While browsing the catalog, check the boxes next to the titles you want. Use the drop-down menu to highlight a list name or create a list. Then click the Add to My Lists button. This will add the books to the selected list, or, if you are creating a new one, prompt you to name and describe it. You can create many lists for the different categories of books you want to add: fiction, non-fiction, biography, etc.

My Lists is a good choice for creating bibliographies, keeping track of books you would like to read in future, or even recording the books you've enjoyed without having to remember everything you've checked out, as My Reading History does. Like the Book Cart, My Lists supports exporting records, so you can print out your picks or e-mail them to a friend.

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Searching Special Formats (videos, audiobooks, eBooks, musical recordings)

2 Basic Ways to Search Starting from the Main Menu:

  • click on the specific format on the right part of the page and search within that specific format only
  • search under author, title, subject or keyword, etc and then, can click on limit/sort and select one or more of the categories

Additional ways to Search:

Searching for Audiobooks
  • use the drop-down menu to chose compact disc, cassette tape  or playaway
  • for a complete list of all talking books, type audiobooks as a subject
  • the results will show  AUDIO CD  for compact disc recordings, AUDIO CASSETTE   for cassette tape recordings, 
    or   AUDIO CASSETTE    for playaways
  • use TB CD as a call number search for a complete list of audiobooks on Cassette Tape
  • use TB as a call number search for a complete list of audiobooks on Cassette Tape
  • use TB Play as a call number search for a complete list of audiobooks on Playaways
  • audiobooks in combination with an author's name will bring up audiobooks by that author
  • any search of audiobooks can also be limited by branch
  • for downloadable audiobooks, use OverDrive
  • for downloadable eBooks, use OverDrive or Freading
Searching for Musical Recordings
  • look for results that show the icon MUSICAL REC
  • use CD in call number search for a complete list of musical recordings
  • go into keyword search  and type the words compact disc  and a composer's name
  • any search of musical recordings can also be limited by branch
Searching for Videos (includes DVD and VHS)
  • look for results that show the icon VIDEO or VIDEO
  • videorecording alone as a keyword search will bring up a complete list of videos
  • Use DVD as a call number search to also bring up a listing of all DVDs.
  • Use VT as a call number search to also bring up a listing of all VHS videos.
  • videorecording in combination with a term will bring up videos with a particular subject, title or author Example: a keyword search videorecording and china brings up videos about china
  • any search of videos can also be limited by branch

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Search Tips for Author, Title, Keyword, Author/Title, Subject, Call Number

Searching by Author

Examples:
  • Grisham, John
  • woolf, v
  • Shakespeare
  • United States Congress
  • American Medical Association
 Tips:
  • you may ignore capitalization
  • try last name only, if you are unsure of the whole name
  • type actors or directors to find videos
  • type in composers or performers to find sound recordings
  • type the name of an organization or governmental body

Searching by Title

Examples:
  • gone with the
  • dandelion wine
  • dandelio
 Tips:
  • you may ignore capitalization
  • try a KEYWORD search if you are not sure of the exact title

Searching by Keyword

How to Search: Example:
OPERATORS
Use and, or and not to search for words that are not next to each other. 		gifted and children
alaska or canada
cavaliers and not virginia
ADJACENCY
If you want an exact phrase, place it within quotation marks 		"families and friends"
TRUNCATION & WILDCARD
Words may be right-hand truncated using an asterisk.  An asterisk can be any letter or letters in the middle or end of a word  		teen* and driv*
wom*n
PROXIMITY
Use within and a number to specify how close your terms must be.  Use near to specify within 10 words. 		american within 3 econon*
monticello near virginia
FIELDS
Specify fields to search using field abbreviations.  Fields available are author, title, subject, and note. 		a=twain and t=huck
a=united and a=arab
s=handicapped or s=disabled
n=bear

Searching by Subject

Examples:
  • cookery
  • children's rights
  • film criticism
  • dickinson, emily
  • art, greek
 Tip:

Subjects are assigned from the Library of Congress Subject Headings list, so if the subject you choose is not an "official" Library of Congress subject heading, it may not retrieve any titles.  If this happens try a KEYWORD search.

Searching by Author & Title

Type Author's last name first
  • Shakespeare
  • hooks, b
  • grisham
  • United States Congress
 Type as many or as few of the words in the title as you want
  • merchant of Venice
  • Feminist Theory from Margin to Center
  • Feminist Theory
  • Report of the House

Searching by Call Number

Type call numbers for example:
  • 560.9 Cadbury
  • 326 Brady
  • 752
  • VT Grizzly
  • CD Bach
  • J Smith
Call  number searches that begin with a letter and then numbers are currently not working.

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Searching for Magazines and Newspapers

Online Catalog:

  • check by title:   title = newsweek
  • check by keyword:  keyword = new york times and newspaper
  • the results will show for magazines and   for newspapers

Databases:

  • Through JMRL's Digital Library,  patrons have access to many periodicals and newspapers beyond those we receive through subscriptions. These are not physically located in the library but the articles are usually available in full text.

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Saving Your Searches

If you have a favorite author or subject for which you often search when using the catalog, you can save the search. This will prevent you from having to key in the search each time and let you place holds on new materials quicker.

How to do this:

  • Log in to My Account
  • Click on the New Search button
  • Search for your favorite author, subject, title, etc. or create an advanced keyword search including limits to material type, language, publication year, etc.
  • When your results are displayed, click the button marked Save as Preferred Search.
  • The next time you log into My Account you click the Preferred Searches button to see a list of your saved searches.
  • Click on the search link associated with any of the preferred search terms in the list to quickly execute your search.
  • You can be alerted to new materials added to the library collection which match your searches. Just check the Mark for Email box and be sure your patron record information includes your current email address.
  • Emails will be sent weekly listing any new items added to the catalog in the past week which match the search criteria.

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