Getting Started

• At the Virtual Catalog login screen, select an OCLN library as your pickup location.
• Type in your OCLN library card number.
• Click on the Login button.
• From the Patron Main Menu, if you wish to search the catalog, select Searching/Requesting. To check the status of requests you have already submitted, select Review Your Requests.

Searching

• From the Patron Main Menu, select Searching/Requesting.
  
• At the Search Menu screen:
  • Enter your search term(s).
  • Select a title, author, or ISBN search and select Begin Searching.
    
• Items will be displayed on the Combined Results screen:
  • You may sort the list by author, title or publication date.
  • Click Next Page at the bottom of the list, to be sure of seeing all results.
  • Click on a title to see more information about the item.
    • When a title is found in only one library catalog, you will see the Availability screen, which will list each copy or volume found in that catalog, with location(s), call number(s), and availability status.
    • When a title is found in more that one library catalog, you will see the Details screen. To check availability, select a catalog by clicking on the down arrow for the list of owning catalogs, select a catalog, and then click Show Availability.

Requesting

• At any point, you may use the Request button to initiate a request.
  
• Fill in the Create Request form as directed. Click Submit Request.
  • Confirm your name and pickup location.
  • If you need the item sooner than the default of one month, adjust the Need By date. If a lender is unable to ship the item by the Need By date, your request will automatically expire.
  • Adding notes will slow the request process. Use notes to indicate a certain volume from a set.
  • Place a separate request for each volume needed from a set.
  • If you have an e-mail address present in your OCLN library record, it will appear near the bottom of the Create Request screen. You can edit this if it is incorrect. You can also type in an e-mail address if none is present. This e-mail address will only be used for this Virtual Catalog request.
    
• The Request Confirmed screen will display the title information and a Request Number. Use this number when reporting problems.
• You will be notified when your request is ready for pickup at the OCLN library you selected.
  
• Materials that are not available through the Virtual Catalog may be available from other libraries. Ask your local librarian about placing an interlibrary loan request.

Review Your Requests

• From the Patron Main Menu, select Review Your Requests. The Patron Inquiry screen will display a summary of all your outstanding requests (with the same pickup location that you selected when logging in to the Virtual Catalog).
  
• The Patron Inquiry screen will not display any request history for requests that have been completed (borrowed and returned), cancelled or that have expired or become unfillable.
  
• To see request details, click on the title. Status and Due Date are toward the bottom of the Request Details screen.
  
• You can cancel any request that has not yet been shipped by a lender.

Log Out

• Make sure to click Quit to ensure your privacy and security.

• If you see the message "The patron ID you entered is invalid for this library," when you attempt to login, there may be a problem with your library account. Contact your local library for assistance.
  
• If you see the message "Internal Server Error," you may not have Javascript installed and enabled on your computer. For Windows XP and Internet Explorer 6.0 users, Javascript is not automatically included. To solve this problem, download the Javascript plugin for free from http://java.sun.com/getjava/download.html. When you have downloaded and installed this software, be sure it is enabled in your browser (My Computer/Control Panel/Internet Options/Advanced).
• If you see the message "The item you have requested already exists in your local library," search the OCLN catalog and place a hold instead of requesting it through the Virtual Catalog.
  
• If you see the message "The item you have selected is not available at any of the libraries associated with this catalog. All of the libraries either do not have the item currently available or are unwilling to lend this item," contact your local library to place an interlibrary loan request.
  
• If you have any problems please contact your local OCLN library. Remember to have the Request Number for a problem with a particular request.

• If you are still having problems using the Virtual Catalog, please email the Virtual Catalog Server Administrator at apurva.mehta@umb.edu for assistance.