What’s New · The New Library Catalog: Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve received lots of great feedback about our new catalog! Here are answers to your Frequently Asked Questions:

Catalog

I’m having trouble getting to the new catalog. My computer keeps taking me to the old site or telling me the page is “forbidden.”

Your internet browser may be storing an old version of the catalog. To fix this, you may need to reset any bookmarks you had been using and clear the cache on your browser. You can find out how to clear the cache on Wikihow.com.

I can’t figure out how to get to my account when I’m searching the catalog.

To access your account, look for the “Login” link in the upper right-hand corner of the catalog page. After you log in, links labeled “My Account” will appear at the top and bottom of the page.

I’m having trouble placing holds on individual volumes of TV shows.

The issue preventing holds on individual volumes has been resolved. Please let us know if you have any further problems placing holds.

How do I find the Preferred Search feature? I would love to be able to save my searches and be notified when new books by my favorite authors are added to the catalog.

The Preferred Search feature is available from our Classic Catalog. You will need to sign in first, then use the link at the bottom of the page to access the search screen. Once you do a search, you should see an option to “Save as preferred search.” Don’t forget to go to the “Preferred Searches” link in your account and check the "Mark for Email" box. Once you do, we'll notify you when we add new materials that match your search!

I’d love to learn more about some of the great new features in the catalog. Who can I talk to?

Contact your local branch, email or phone (513-369-6900) us and our staff will be happy to assist you!

Working with Your Account

I have concerns about some features of the new system.

Customers have expressed concern about several issues with the new system. We are working with our vendor to resolve them if possible. These concerns include:

• Checkouts listed by due date order on receipts
• Missing book/plot summaries
• When logging into “My Account” the default appearance of holds instead of checkouts
• Ability to email a receipt upon check-out

How can I tell when my hold is available?

When viewing the holds page in your account, look for the “status” column in the center of the page. If your hold is ready, it will say "Ready. Must pick up by: xx-xx-xxxx."

What does the “cancel if not filled by” date mean?

The “cancel if not filled by” option sets a date after which your hold will be canceled. Don’t worry, the date sets itself for a full year from the request date automatically—your hold should come in by then! If you would like for us to remove the date, just give us a call (513-369-6900) and we’d be happy to help.

When will I start receiving my holds and overdue notices again?

Holds notices resumed on August 8 and overdue notices resumed on August 17. Please contact your local library, email or phone (513-369-6900) us if you have questions about your notifications.

I got my regular email notice two days before my materials were due, but not the second email on the due date. Do I need to do something to get that email again?

The courtesy notification alerting you on the day your items are due is no longer available.

When will I be able to pay fines online again?

Online fine payment is now active! Please be aware that there may be a brief lag time between when your payment is submitted and when your library account is updated. You might also be happy to hear that we are now able to email you a receipt when you pay fines online.

What does the freeze checkbox mean?

If you’re going on vacation and don’t want to miss any holds, use this feature to temporarily “freeze” your hold. When you’re back in town, log in to your account, uncheck the “freeze” checkbox and your hold will be reactivated! Tip: This is a nice feature to use if you want to make sure that volumes of TV shows arrive in order.

Who should I contact if I have questions about overdue fines on my account or other issues?

Please contact your local branch, email, or phone (513-369-6900) us and our staff will be happy to assist you!

I tried to renew my items, but the system told me I owe too many fines. What should I do?

If you call us (513-369-6900), we would be happy to renew your items for you. Remember, you can also return items in a bookdrop before the branch opens to have them backdated to the previous day.

When will my account summary begin showing up in the @ the Library newsletter again?

Account summaries will no longer be available in @ the Library for the foreseeable future. You can check both the Library’s mobile app and the My Account section on our website to access information about your checkouts and holds.

Miscellaneous

I haven’t been able to work with my account on the CincinnatiLibrary app.

The "Your Account" and "Catalog Search" functions of the app are now available! We are working to get the "Ucheck" feature back online as well.

When I try to use the catalog on my Kindle Fire, I get a message that says the browser is not supported by Encore.

The catalog vendor is aware of this compatibility issue and we are working with them to try to resolve this issue if possible. In the meantime, you can search for materials and access your account on your Kindle Fire using the Classic Catalog.

When will the New Arrivals lists be updated again?

The catalog vendor is working on a resolution to this problem.