YOUR ACCOUNT
Logging into your account provides you with a variety of features, but to protect your confidentiality if you are using a library computer or otherwise sharing a computer, please click when you have finished viewing your account or searching the catalog.

To login to your account, click at the top of any screen in the catalog or in the list on the main menu screen. Then fill in the boxes.

   - 1st box -- Type in the barcode number from your library card, and then press TAB or click in the second box. You need to type all the numbers, but no spaces.
   - 2nd box -- Type in your PIN (password) and then click the "Display Record " button.

If you don’t have a PIN, click HERE for instructions on giving yourself one.

If you make a mistake in typing your barcode or PIN you'll receive the message "Sorry, cannot locate patron record," and be offered the opportunity to re-enter the information correctly.


From the resulting display of your account, you may click on various buttons to:
   - View items you have checked out and sort them by due date.
   - Renew any or all of them that are renewable.
   - View holds you have placed and their status and cancel any of them.
   - View fines on your account.
   - Search the catalog while logged in to your account.
   - Save a Preferred Search and View Preferred Searches you have previously saved.
   - Request an email alert when the library acquires new items that match your saved searches.
   - Modify your PIN.

NOTE: Only the , , and buttons will appear on all patron records. The other option buttons only appear if you have any of those elements (check-outs, holds, fines, preferred searches) associated with your record.


To View Checked-Out Items and Sort Them by Date:
   - If you have items checked out, a button similar to will display listing the total number of items checked out.
   - Click on the button to display a list of all items checked out to your library card.
   - The list is sorted by the date the items were checked out. To sort it by Due Date, click
   - The title, call number, and status (including due date, overdue fines, and any holds others have placed) will be displayed for each item


To Renew Checked-Out Items that are Renewable:
   - Click in the check-box in front of each title you wish to renew, then click
   - Click to renew all items that are checked out.

Each renewable item marked will now have a due date 21 days from the current date regardless of when the item was originally due. Items that are renewable may be renewed only once.

An item is not renewable if:
   - it has already been renewed once.
   - it does not have a 3-week check-out period. Not renewable are art prints, movies, multimedia, magazines, storytime kits, and all DVDs.
   - it is "long overdue."
   - if the account of the person trying to renew it is blocked due to fines, or because they have billed items, or their card has expired, or some other manual block has been placed on the card.


To View or Cancel Holds You Have Placed:
A button, similar to , will appear if you have placed a hold on any title.
   - Click on the button to display the items and learn your place in the queue or if they are "Ready for Pickup."
   - To cancel a hold, click in the box in front of the title, and then click the button.
   - To cancel all your holds, click the button.


To View Your Fines:
A button, similar to will appear if you have unpaid fines or bills.
   - Click on the button to display the list of titles with fines or bills due.
   - Each title with a fine or bill will list the amount due, the date it was checked out, the date it was due, and the date it was actually returned, if it was.
   - Please contact the Circulation Desk if you have questions or concerns about your library fines.


To Search the Catalog While Logged In:
   - Click on while viewing your account to search the catalog while remaining logged-in.
   - The message, "You are logged in to Iowa City Public Library as: YOUR NAME", appears in purple at the top of all pages in the catalog until you click on . Logging out of your account returns you to a normal, 'generic' view of the catalog.
  - will appear on every page of the catalog while you are logged-in and, when clicked, will take you back to the display of your account.
  - While logged-in, you will not need to reenter your patron verification information when requesting a hold be placed on an item.

CAUTION: To protect your confidentiality if you are using a library computer or otherwise sharing a computer, please click when you have finished viewing your account or searching the catalog.

To Save a Preferred Search:
You may now save up to 20 searches to your account, then easily perform the searches again at a later date. If you have an email address in your patron record, you can also request email alerts when the Library acquires items that match the criteria of your preferred searches. (Note: Any limiting or sorting of a search will NOT be saved).
- While logged-in perform a search which you would like to save.
- If the word or words appear in the box above the search results exactly as you would like, then click on . Your search will be saved to the Preferred Searches file in your account.

To View, Re-run, or Update Your Preferred Searches:
- Click on and then to view your list of preferred searches.
- Click the button to the right of the search you wish to perform again.
- To remove searches from your list, click the check-box in the "Mark for Remove" column next to the search to be removed, then click on , or click to delete all your preferred searches.

To Request an Email Alert for Preferred Searches:
If you have an email address in your patron record, you can also request email alerts when the Library acquires items that match the criteria of your preferred searches.
- Display the list of your preferred searches, then click the check-box in the "Mark for Email" column next to the searches for which you would like an alert, then click on
- Every Monday morning the system will search the database to find items that have been cataloged during the past week that match your saved search criteria. Providing you have an email address listed in your patron record, a message will be sent to you listing any new items that matched your search criteria.


To Modify Your PIN:
   - Click when in your account.
   - Enter your current PIN (Password) in the first box. If don’t have a PIN or have forgotten it, click HERE.
   - Enter your new PIN in the next two boxes and click