Library Account 101: Features You Might Not Know About
06/30/18
As a Summit County Library cardholder, you can easily keep track of checked out items, rate different titles, renew books, and more through your online account.
It’s easy! All you need to do is log in to your account through the library website by clicking “My Account” in the top right corner of the website. Enter your entire library card number starting with the 420 (no spaces) and your password.
Don't know your password? Click Forget Password Reset My Password to have a reset email sent to your email. Didn't get the email? Email or call your local library: 970-668-4138 [email protected] and they can help you set a password.
Here are some account features that you might not know about:
Track your reading history
We care about your privacy, and that means we don’t keep a record of books you’ve checked out in the past. However, this can be frustrating if you want to check out a book again, but can’t remember the title.
If you want to keep track of materials you check out, you can start recording your reading history any time through your library account. It will start recording from the moment you opt in, but unfortunately will not include items you checked out in the past.
Here’s how: Log in to “My Account” on summitcountylibraries.org. On the left side panel, select “Reading History.” Then click the “Start Recording My Reading History” button.
Renew books and export your book lists to an Excel file
You can renew your library materials up to two times online (If an item is on hold for another patron, you may not be able to renew your item). Once logged in, simply click the blue “Renew” button, or select the titles you want to renew, and click the white “Renew Selected Items” button. You can also select “Renew All” to renew all your checked out items.
If you want to download a digital file of all the books you have checked out or on hold, you can click “Export to Excel” to download an .xls file.
Freeze a hold or change pickup location
If you know ahead of time that you will be on vacation or unable to pick up a hold item, you can freeze your holds instead of canceling them. Click “Titles on Hold” on the left side bar in your account. Then click the “Freeze Hold” button beneath the “Cancel Hold” button. However, if you are the only person on the waitlist, your hold may still be fulfilled. If an item is already in transit, you will not be able to freeze it.
When you return, click “Thaw Hold” to put your name back in the queue.
Text message reminders
If you have trouble remembering when your books are due or want to know when your items on hold in, text message reminders can help!
Call your local Summit County Library with your library card number to speak to a staff member in order sign up for text message notifications from the library.
If you wish to discontinue text notifications, simply reply STOP.
Add/Link Accounts
Does your family have multiple library card accounts? You can keep track of everything you have checked out and on hold in one place by linking your accounts.
After logging in, click “Account Settings” from the left side bar. Then scroll down to “Linked Accounts” to begin. To add someone’s account, you’ll need their name and library card number. They will then be able to see that you can view their account.
When you place a hold, you will need to select which account name you want the hold placed under, and when you come to pick up the hold, you will need to have the correct library card with you.
Make item lists
Lists are a great way to keep track of items in our system that you would like to check out in the future. To add an item to a list, click the green “Add to List” button at the bottom of an item entry:
You can then choose a list or create a new list:
You can review your list items by going in to your account and clicking “My Lists” from the left side panel.
Review Titles
Want to leave a rating or review for other patrons to see? Click the green “Add a Review” button at the bottom of an item entry. You’ll be prompted to choose a star rating and add a note about the item.
When you’re logged in to your account, you can review your rated titles by clicking “Titles You Rated” in the left side bar. After you’ve rated a few titles, you can click “Recommended for You” to find recommendations based on your preferences.
Submit a materials request
If you can’t find what you’re looking for in the online catalog, you can request materials for the library to purchase. This can be anything from a book to a DVD.
Log in to your account, then click “Materials Requests” from the left side bar.
You will then be prompted to fill out a request form. Please include as much information as possible so we can complete your request:
Once we’ve processed your request, we will respond to the email you provide.
Still have questions? Contact us!
Feel free to call any of our three branches with any questions or problems you have using your online account! You can find all our contact details here.