How to Use the Catalog

How to Log in

When the log in form appears, type your barcode (library card number) and password in the appropriate boxes, and click Log in.

Do a Quick Search

Follow these steps to do a quick search of your library’s catalog from the Polaris PowerPAC portal page.

Type a word or words in the Quick Library Search box.
If you want to limit the search to a specific format, select the material type in the Limit by box. For example, if you want to find only DVDs, select DVD in the Limit by box.
Click Go.

Do a Keyword Search

Follow these steps to find titles containing specific words.

Click Search on the menu bar, and click Keyword in the Search submenu.
Type the text to search for in the Keyword search for box.
If you want to limit the search to a specific format, select a material type in the Limit by box. For example, if you want to find only DVDs, select DVD in the Limit by box.
If you want to search for your text in a specific field, select the field in the Search by box. For example, if you know the title contains the word Yankee, you enter Yankee in the Keyword Search for box, and select Title in the Search by box.
Click Go.

Do a Browse Search

Follow these steps to browse the title, author, subject, or series index.

Select Search on the menu bar, and select Browse in the search submenu.
Select Title, Author, Subject, or Series from the Search for list.
Type the first few letters of the title, the author’s name, the subject, or the series name in the that begins with box.
Click Go. The search results list displays the headings and the number of titles associated with each heading.
Click <<Previous 10 headings or Next 10 headings>> to see previous or subsequent sections of the index.
Click a heading to see a list of associated titles.

Work with Search Results

You can do the following actions from the search results list:

Click a page number or the arrow at the top or bottom of the page to move through the list.
Click Availability to see detailed title and availability information.
Click Add to Title List to add the title to a list that you can save, print, or send by e-mail.
Click Place Request to request that the library obtain and hold the title for you to check out.

Request a Title

Follow these steps to request any copy of a title listed in your search results.

Search for the title you want to request.
Select the title in the search results, and click Place Request. The log-in form appears.
When you've logged in, the request form appears.
Select the name of the library where you want to pick up the item in the Pickup Library box.
If you want to activate your request at a future time, type the date in the Activation Date box. The request will be activated immediately if you do not change the activation date.
If you want to add a note to your request, type it in the Note box.
Click Submit Request.
Click Return to Search Results.

Check and Update Your Account

Follow these steps to check your account and update your personal information.

Click Patron Account on the menu bar, and log in if necessary. The My Record page appears.
Click Change Account Information to display the change request form.
Type or select the new information in the appropriate boxes.
Click Submit Change Request to submit the new information to the library, or click Reset to restore the old information.
Click Back to return to the My Record page, or click Log Out to log out of your account.

View and Manage Your Requests

Follow these steps to view, suspend, or reactivate your requests.

Click Patron Account on the menu bar, and log in.
Click Requests on the Patron Account submenu to display the list of your current requests.
Select the check box by the title for each request that you want to suspend or reactivate.
Click Suspend/Reactivate Selected Requests, or click Suspend/Reactivate All Requests to suspend or reactivate all your requests.
The Suspend/Reactivate Hold Requests dialog box appears.
Type the date when suspended requests should be reactivated or type today’s date to reactivate an inactive request.
Click Submit.
To cancel one or more requests, do one of the following actions:
1. Select the check box by the title for each request that you want to cancel, and click Cancel Selected Requests.
2. Click Cancel All Requests to cancel all your requests.
Click My Record to return to your account, or click Log Out to log out of your account.

Renew Items Out

Follow these steps to renew the items you have checked out.

Click Patron Account on the menu bar, and log in.
Click Items Out on the Patron Account submenu to display the list of items you have currently checked out. The Items Out page displays the format, call number, owning branch, due date, and number of renewals left for each item checked out.
To renew one or more items do the following actions:
1. Select the check box by the title for each item that you want to renew, and click Renew selected items.
2. Click Renew all items to renew all the items. A message tells you which items have been renewed, and whether any renewals have been blocked.
Click My Record to return to your account, or click Log Out to log out of your account.


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