The library catalogue is more than a list of the titles the library holds. You can do more than search for an item in the catalogue.

You can do more than place holds, check what you have on your card or renew your items in the catalogue.

You can also:

• cancel your holds
• change your address
• change your PIN
• suggest a title that the library should purchase

To help you navigate our catalogue more easily, we have helpsheets and now have screencasts on all of these activities. The screencasts show and talk you through how to do each of these things through the library catalogue.

All you need is media viewing software, like Windows Media Player or Real Player (most computers do). Just click on the link for the screencast you want and it will start automatically. Be sure you adjust your volume as the sound can be a bit soft.

So check them out and let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, if you can think of other things we can be doing screencasts on, we would love to hear that too!

Michelle

To quote Split Enz - “that was my mistake!”

Library members who have their email address registered with the library will have received an email with information about items that were coming due. This was a test gone wrong.

The email should have only been sent internally, but mistakenly went out to library users. It used old information from a test database, so none of the information sent was correct.

We sincerely apologise for this.

Users should also have received a follow-up email stating:

“Due to a system error, you may have received a pre-overdue reminder. Casey-Cardinia Library Corporation apologises for this. Please disregard.”

We are working towards getting email notifications working, as this mistake shows. So if you don’t have your email address registered with the library and would like to receive notices by email when we do start to offer it, please tell us your email address on your next visit to the library.

Michelle

Using our catalogue online is not necessarily complicated…. once you know how to use it, that is.

We have helpsheets which have been useful, but have now started on something new which should be even more so.

We are creating screencasts, which are videos on how to use our catalogue. So far we have completed two, one on renewing your items and the other on checking your account.

They can be viewed using Windows Media or Real player and should open when you click on the link to them on our catalogue page. If they don’t open, you can download the free Windows Media player from the same page.

We are creating more screencasts on other topics relating to using the catalogue, which will be posted to the catalogue page as they are completed.

Let us know what you think of the screencasts. Are they helpful, useful, etc? Are there any topics that you would like us to cover, whether related to the catalogue or not? Feel free to leave a comment here with your answers, or use our online feedback form.

Michelle

It’s been another busy year for the Library Service: According to our initial end of year statistical reports, the Corporation reached 2,504,169 loans for 2007/08, the first time we have reached 2.5 million loans. This represents an increase of 176,383 loans on the 2006/07 financial year (7.58%).

More details on all of end of year performance figures will be available shortly. The Swift consortium, of which Casey-Cardinia is an active member, has seen about 10.8 million loans in the 2007/08 period. With the shared catalogue and the ability to reserve items between the 14 library service members of Swift, it is no wonder that loans are climbing both at CCLC and in the Swift consortium.

The library staff teams at the branches should all be congratulated on dealing with this significant volume of business.

Peter Carter - CEO

Thanks for your patience and understanding as our system was offline yesterday - Sunday 22nd June for a major system upgrade.

We have upgraded from the Unicorn Library Management System (LMS) to the new Symphony LMS, a job which took us offline from 5pm Saturday until completion late yesterday. This meant that our online catalogue was unavailable for the day and that limited service was available during Narre Warren Library’s Sunday opening hours.

However, the upgrade has been completed smoothly. This will not affect direct service to our users at this time, however in coming months we will be upgrading our new online catalogue also to the new eLibrary. So watch this space for more developments.

Michelle

Apologies to our virtual users who were unable to gain access to our website or our catalogue on Tuesday. Our internet service provider (ISP) had server problems, which meant that our website was inaccessible for most of Tuesday and we think possibly at other times over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.

If you were unable to renew your items online during this time, please contact your local library.

After many months of trying, we have finally been able to create shortcuts to the iBistro library catalogue and patron accounts on our website. At the top of most of our webpages, you can now start your search of our holdings, using the library catalogue search box. Just type in your search, use the drop down menu to change the type to author, title or other search type if appropriate and click search.

There is also a link “Check your card” below the search box, which will take you straight to your account on the catalogue. From there you just login to access what you have on loan and to renew your items.

Please let us know if you have any problems with the new shortcuts. Also please remember we have helpsheets on using the iBistro catalogue on our catalogue help page.

Michelle

Its the first birthday of our new Library System - SirsiDynix’s Unicorn.  Its hard to believe that those 12 months have gone so quickly.

Not only has the library system changed, but the collections we have been able to access through it.  There are currently 11 public library services using this one system, which means you have access to the collections of all those branches, through your CCLC membership.  Another 3 public library services will be joining in the coming months, further expanding the titles you will be able to access through your local library.

It has been a big change for both library staff and you our users and we truly appreciate your patience on this journey.  Now that you have a chance to settle in with the new system, we would love to hear about anything you like or hate about it, or things you would like to see as we move to improve services further.  Feel free to leave a comment here or use our feedback form.
So congratulations to us all.  Not that its all over yet, we will continue to roll out new services as things progress, with a new improved website being one of those things.

“Choice” - the magazine of the Australian Consumers’ Association is widely recognised as the source to go to for information on which appliances, electronics, computers and more to purchase when you are looking to buy. Their reviews are impartial and well respected.

However, finding the right review at the time you need it, can be problematic. Although your libraries lend the magazine, you usually find that the issue you want is out on loan at the time that you want it.  Choice Online offers you the opportunity to become a member and get reports from their website, but your library can go one better.

Through our subscription to General OneFile, an electronic database, we have access to all Choice issues, back to October 1999.  The magazine’s popularity in print is matched by it being the most popular of our online magazines.
Its easy to search too.  Visit our databases page, scroll down to General OneFile in the Newspaper section and click on the from home link.  Enter your 7 digit library card number and you are in the database.
To do a search for a report in Choice on the appliance of your choice, type in the appliance type in the Find box and further down the screen in the by publication title, type in Choice. Press enter or click Search and the database will search Choice magazine online for the relevant articles.

Search results come back in date order, so the most recent article will be listed first.

If you just want to browse Choice magazine, on the General Onefile searchpage, above the Find box, click on the Publication Search link. Type in Choice in the Find box and then click the link to Choice.  You can then choose the year and month of the issue you want to browse.
One limitation is the lack of images in the online database. However, if you really need to see the pictures, we have the magazines for the past 2 years and you can access them via a free hold if the issue you want is not available.

So do your homework on your new computer, car or fridge, online at your library and save yourself a lot of time, money and legwork.

With the introduction of our new library system Unicorn, we have been waiving fines. Any items returned late have not been charged overdue fines. However, this will be ending soon. We are now sending out overdue notices, to remind users of outstanding items. Any items returned before 9th July will have any fines waived. Any items returned after that date will incur the full overdue charge. So if you have items outstanding, now is the time to get them back! If you have any queries, please comment here or contact your local library.