patron services

pages/posts related to patron service; opac, comcat, overdrive

Novelist Info

Get your library's links to NoveList and NoveList k-8. These you can use on your website, in your library and anywhere you want to share your subscription.

Find out some fun ways to use NoveList.

View a tutorial showing available features.

Promote NoveList at your library with these great resources from Ebsco.

Novel Novelist Ideas

  1. Start on Novelist.
  2. Create a personal Novelist account for you or a generic one for your library.
  3. Search for the titles you want and add them to a list.
pinterest2Create a Pinterest Board & add a widget to your website, linking to Novelist. Yes, this is a bit cumbersome so if someone finds a simpler way, comment below!
  1. Email yourself your Novelist list
  2. Install the pinterest browser button.
  3. Create a board for your topic.
  4. From the email, right click on a book jacket and click on the pinterest icon to save the image to a board.
  5. Say yes when prompted to view PIN
  6. When you view the PIN, you'll see the option to edit it.
  7. Go back to the email, right click on the title and select to copy link address.
  8. Go back to edit the PIN and change the website to the one you just copied from the email.
  9. View your board in pinterest
  10. Click on the ellipsis (...) above the board title and choose to make a widget.
  11. You'll be brought to a page where your widget is available to put on your website.
Create a Booksite ePage to post on your website
  1. Go back to your list in Novelist.
  2. View the source of the web page - right click and select to view source.
  3. Search the page for the term, isbn. This will highlight all the places on the page that have the isbn for the selected titles.
  4. Copy and paste these isbns into a new ePage in booksite and you'll have duplicate lists for people to view the titles first starting in our catalog or starting in Novelist.
  5. Once the page is created, you can go to the ePage settings and generate the code for the "full list content display - (no skin)".
  6. Take the code and copy and paste it into your website. You will need to edit the html. See here for an example of an ePage on this website.
Post list to FaceBook Be sure to include a nice cover jacket to go with your list. Overdrive Add titles to Overdrive curated list and share the list using a direct link: https://sails.lib.overdrive.com/10/50/en/CuratedCollection3.htm

Novelist – ePage Example

NoveList_Plus_Flyer_ILoveBooks_Romantic Do you know as a patron of a SAILS member library, you have access to the terrific reader's advisory tool, Novelist? Since we have NovelistPlus, content spans all ages! The subscription started on July 1st and in the Enterprise catalog, you can go to the item details page and view the added content from Novelist. You can also go direct to Novelist. We currently have a page on the SAILS website you can log in after selecting your library. Here is the page: https://wp.me/P6JtVr-2iQ. There is also a powerpoint tutorial showing available features.

Managing Message Boards in Your Library

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Problem Item Form

Thanks to Melissa Campbell for suggesting the use of this form for items being returned with a problem.   You may use this customizable form for when you check in an item and you need to alert the library where the item is headed that there is something wrong with it. Maybe it has a part missing or damaged and the receiving library will know right away.  It is in Word Format so you save the form with the name of your library in the space that has From **your**  Library. It is possible to use the check-in notes to achieve the same thing but that does require that the library staff member discharging the to item to read the note and sometimes you may not want to discharge the item until the problem has been solved. The form is posted here https://sailsinc.org/circulation-desktop/circulation-forms/

Commonwealth Catalog

Comcat CatStaff Login: 

URL:  https://commonwealthcatalog.org
Choose your library from the list to login
All libraries log in to the system using the username: ill staff (with space)
*If you need your password, please contact SAILS (support@sailsinc.org)

Staff Requesting on Behalf of a Patron

  1. Log in as staff
  2. Go to item record and click Request. Staff will be prompted to search for the desired patron.
  3. Note: A patron must have logged to ComCat in at least once in order for them to appear in the patron selection list.
    • Select a patron.
    • The request form will appear with the patron’s information
    • Click Submit to send the request.
  4. When Staff request on behalf of a patron:
    • The request is automatically approved and sent out, even if the patron’s account is set to require staff approval
    • Staff can override the “Duplicate Request” message – submit more than one request for the same item
    • Staff can override if the item is available in their local system

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Overdrive Help Form

Please use this form for reporting questions and problems regarding our downloadable book service.

Having trouble logging in? 1st try entering your password in all CAPS or reset your password using the password reset request.

Overdrive has online help to guide you through finding answers to common problems.

If you received a message that your card has expired, please contact your library.

**Note - these requests are usually handled during normal business hours (M-F, 8-4).

Please go to our PIN Reset Form and a recovery link will be emailed to the email address in your library account.

Thank you!