This document provides instructions for using a library card catalog online. It describes how to search for books by title, author, subject and other criteria. It also explains how to limit searches to a specific library's collection and view item details. The document outlines how to check the status of items checked out to your card and renew books online through the catalog using your library card number and PIN.
2. 2
Start Internet Explorer
1. Double Click on blue e
OR
1. Click Start
2. Roll mouse over
Programs on Start
Menu
3. Click Internet Explorer
off of Programs menu
3. 3
Address for Library Catalog
1. Enter in address box
www.bccls.org
2. You can get to the
catalog anywhere you
have Internet Access
4. 4
Library Card Catalog
The shelves of card
catalog have been
replaced with the
Online Public
Access Catalog
(OPAC).
The OPAC allows
anyone to search
the catalog from
the Internet.
5. 5
Searching using the Library
Catalog
Click anywhere in the top text
box to make the text box
active.
Type in your search, either
the title, author or
subject for your search.
Click the green “GO”
This the most basic search
you can do.
6. 6
Using the Library Card
Catalog Lab 1
1. Enter “library” in search
box
2. Click the green “GO”
3. See the results
underlined...31590
books, movies, audio
cds, etc on library.
Need to narrow down the
search to a more
manageable number.
7. 7
Using the Library Card
Catalog Lab 1 cont.
1. Click Home button
2. Enter “horses” in search box
3. Click down arrow by
“Carlstadt- Highlight:
4. Find “Carlstadt-Limit”
5. Click “Carlstadt-Limit”
6. Click “Go”
The difference between Carlstadt-
Limit and Carlstadt-Highlight
is: All Libraries results are
shown and Carlstadt’s
materials are shown with
Carlstadt listed under the
material.
8. 8
Limiting to Oradell’s
Collection
You can see that the search
narrowed down the items
from 31590 to 1135.
You can see that Carlstadt is
listed under every item,
because we just limited
the search to Carlstadt by
choosing “Carlstadt
-Limit”
You can click “Refine
Search” to change your
search.
9. 9
Using the Library Card
Catalog Lab 2
Enter a search of your own
Any topic
1. Click the search box to
make it active.
2. Enter your item you want
to search
3. Change the Library to
Carlstadt-Limit to just see
what Carlstadt has. (using
the down arrow and
selecting Carlstadt-Limit)
4. Click the green “Go”
10. 10
Using the Library Card
Catalog Lab 2 cont.
Change the search
Using the same search topic
1. Click “Refine Search”
2. Click the down arrow by
Carlstadt-Limit and change
to Carlstadt-Highlight
3. Click the green “Go”
Notice the item list has gone
up and not all of the items
say Carlstadt under them.
11. 11
Using the Card Catalog
Using search
If you put two words together
AND is implied.
Ex: Dog Cat, you will get all dog
books and cat books and
books with both cat and dogs
in them.
If you don’t know how to spell a
word like Michener the
author’s last name, you can
enter all the letters you are
sure of plus the $ sign.
Ex: Mich$ner
12. 12
Using the Library Card
Catalog part 5
Items that do not have
Carlstadt listed under
them, you need to click on
the “View all library
holdings and/or place a
request for this book”
This allows you to see
what library has the item.
13. 13
Using Library Card Catalog
part 6
After you click the “View
all Library holdings
and/or place a request
for the book”
You can see that this
book belongs to
Montclair
Its call number
821 POE
Its Status is Checked
Out
14. 14
Using Library Card Catalog
part 7
If Carlstadt doesn’t have this
book, you can order it. You
put in your library card
without spaces and click the
submit button.
Another window comes up
that lists your name, address
and phone number. It gives
you the option of changing
your phone number.
Click the “Submit Request”
button and your Loan request is
submitted.
15. 15
Using Library Card Catalog
part 8
Seeing the summary of the
book.
If “Click here for Summary”
link is listed under the
picture of the book, you
can click this and see the
summary.
16. 16
Using Library Card Catalog
part 9
Can search by Author by clicking
“Author” screen changes to
the screen to the right. After
entering your search topic
click the green “Go”
***Note: Authors name must be last
name first***
Ex: Brown, Dan
Can search by Title by clicking
“Title” in blue
Can search by “Subject” by
clicking “Subject” in blue
17. 17
Using Subject Search
Click on the numbers
at the end of the
subject and this
will give you a
listing of the
books.
18. 18
Using other options on
search menu
You can search specific
materials.
***Note*** Changing these
options only works in the
Keyword Search
1. Type your search topic
2. Click the drop down menu
3. Select the option you want.
(really handy if you are
looking for a movie)
4. Click the green “Go”
19. 19
Using the other search
options cont.
You can search all the collections
or narrow your search down to
Adult Non-fiction or children’s.
You can search for materials that
are written in a different
language.
20. 20
Using the other search
options cont.
You can change the search to
look for date of publication
for the material.
For example if you wanted
more recent materials you
could change this criteria.
21. 21
Checking on your Library
Card
You can check to see what
materials are on your card
and renew books online.
First you must have a pin
number. The Circ. Desk
worker can give you a pin.
1. Type www.bccls.org in the
address box in Internet
Explorer.
2. Hit enter
3. Click “Your Library Card”
22. 22
Checking on your Library
Card cont.
Here you can enter your
information.
1. Type in your pin number
first in the box after “Your
PIN”:
2. Type in your Library Card
Number after “Your
Library Card Number”
without spaces.
23. 23
Checking on your Library
Card cont.
Here you can see what you
have on your card and can
click the boxes to put a
check mark in them and
the system will renew the
books for you online.
In this box you can see that
the box is checked.
24. 24
Checking on your Library
Card cont.
To renew the items you:
Click the “Renew Checked
Items” button
Also you can see if you have
any loan requests or if you
are on a waiting list for a
book.
You get on a waiting list by
asking to be on the waiting
list for a book and the Circ.
Desk worker does it for
you.
25. 25
Questions?
The library catalog
can do many
things and allow
you to look for
things at home.
I’ve enjoyed the
class with you
very much.
Questions?