Don’t hate me for writing this, but as July comes to a close, that means the new school year is nigh and summer (gasp!) is coming to an end. I can see you’re wincing, but let me ease the pain a bit. There’s still time to finish your summer reading. To finish the summer with a bang. To turn in your summer reading logs AND WIN AWESOME PRIZES.

Everyone loves prizes, and what better way to finish the summer than with cool stuff that didn’t cost you a dime? Here’s the details. Turn in your summer reading logs by Saturday, August 4th and here’s what you get:

- KIDS get to pick a small toy from our prize basket, a free pass to the Cecil County Fair, free coupons for Taco Bell/KFC, Sonic, and Subway, plus a chance to win a new bike, Orioles tickets, a Basket of Fun, or a family 4 pack to the Maryland Science Center.

- TEENS get Taco Bell/KFC coupons, a free pass to the Cecil County Fair, plus a chance to win $25 and $50 iTunes cards, $25 and $50 Regal Cinema gift cards, an all-inclusive Paintball game for four, 8 tickets to see an Orioles game (August 6th), or $50 and $100 Visa cards.

- ADULTS get a chance to win an array of prizes: a $35 Visa gift card, Redner’s gift cards, day passes for the YMCA, a Vera Bradley bag, and a bundle of books.

If you’ve read a ton this summer, you can fill out multiple reading logs and get even more chances to win.  And if you didn’t sign up for summer reading yet, you can still do that too! You can turn in logs to any branch (please note that the Rising Sun Branch is closing August 1st for renovations).

What summer reading prize are you most hoping to win?

Our library catalog was recently updated to offer new tools and more efficient searching for materials. We hope these upgrades will make your catalog experience easier and better. Here are some tips and FAQs – click the pictures to see helpful examples.

TIPS:

Log in first!
Once you log in to your account, you will stay logged in until you close that session. This is particularly convenient when you’re placing multiple items on hold.  Logging in to “My Account” also allows you to check your account and renew your items from the same screen.  Under preferences, you can choose your default library for picking up your holds.

Don’t worry about spelling.
You don’t need to know the exact spelling to search for materials.  The catalog will try to find the items you are looking for by matching similar words.  The search terms are highlighted to help you understand the results.

Find exactly what you want.
You can narrow your search by using the facets (categories listed on the left).  When you narrow by format, library location, year of publication, or other facets, don’t forget to click the include button after you make your facet choices.

Get more details.
By clicking on the title or the cover art, item details open up in a separate window to show which branches own it, the call number for the item, and its availability.

Go home.
To begin a new catalog search, click on the “Home” button on the top left of the page.

FAQs:

What happened to the “New DVD” list?
We’re working on getting the new item lists, like DVDs, to work in the new catalog.  Until we have it working, please use the link under “New Materials” in the left hand side on the main catalog screen to get to the lists in the old catalog.

Where do I go to place Interlibrary loans?
The link for Interlibrary loans is located on the left hand side of the main catalog screen, under “Library Info” in the white box.

How do I place a hold?
To place holds, click the blue button on the right of each item or check the boxes to the left of the item(s) you want. Use the “select an action” drop down box at the top of the page to place multiple holds at one time.

What can I do with the “My Lists” option?
“My Lists” (located at the top near “My Account”) allows you to create personal booklists such as books already read or ones you would like to share or read in the future.  Create as many lists as you want.  Then, as you find items in the catalog you want to add to one of your lists, just check it and use the “select an action” drop down box to add to one of your lists.  Within each list, you now have the option to put the titles on hold, email the list to yourself or a friend, or move the title to another list.  These lists stay after you log out and will still be there when you log in next time.  Also, your lists are completely private – our staff can’t see them.

If you have additional questions, we are happy to help you.  Please contact our reference staff at 410-996-5600 ext. 481 or email us at ask@ccplnet.org.