The Catalog: Introducing the Library's New Catalog

The Catalog:
Introducing the Library's New Catalog
July 20, 2009

The New York Public Library is excited to announce our new online catalog, which for the first time combines its circulating and non-circulating collections. A project of more than three years in the making, The Catalog launched on Monday, July 6, 2009.

Virtual Tour of The Catalog

Take a Virtual Tour of The Catalog

Find the Entire Contents of The Catalog in One Place

Representing for the first time the combined circulating, reference, and research holdings of the New York Public Library, The Catalog unites the previously separate collections of The Branch Libraries, formerly found in LEO, and The Research Libraries, formerly found in CATNYP, into a single search interface.

This ambitious undertaking provides you, the user, with many enhancements to previous NYPL catalogs. While many of the more popular features found in LEO and CATNYP will continue to be available, the new catalog will also be enhanced with additional, more personalized catalog-based services in the months and years ahead.

Next-Generation Search and Discovery Tools

Primary access to the new catalog will be provided through a single search box, a feature common to many Web-based search tools. This search box will be prominently displayed throughout nypl.org and system-wide on all dedicated catalog PCs, allowing everyone easy access to our new Quick Search feature.

You can begin your search at this point by entering a keyword of any type, or click the Advanced Search link for additional options. Keyword search results will be drawn from any matches in Author, Title, Subject, and Note fields in the Library’s records.
By default, your search results are sorted by relevance, which means that items with the most occurrences of your search term in Title, Author, Subject, and Note fields appear at the top of the list. Click on the appropriate link to sort the results list by title or publication date.
On the right side of the screen, you will notice the appearance of a Tag Cloud. Tag Clouds are visual depictions of the subject headings relating to the keyword you have entered, allowing you to further refine your search. The larger the word inside the cloud, the more weight it is given in our catalog.
The new catalog will also offer a selection of Popular Choices related to your search. You can click on any of the titles listed to view more information about the item selected.
One of the most significant improvements in the new catalog over previous versions is that many of the limits that you may have selected previously are now searched for automatically and are just a click away from your results page. You can easily limit your results to: keywords appearing in the Author, Title, or Subject fields; to Circulating or Non-Circulating collections; to Adult, Young Adult, or Children's materials; and to Library Location, Language, Year of Publication, or Format.
The new catalog's “Did you mean?” feature accepts your search term and if it cannot find an exact match, offers the closest approximation to what you have entered based on what's in the Library's collections.
The content-rich results page includes cover art, reviews, and, in some cases, sample chapters or introductions. If the title you have searched for is eligible for borrowing, you can click Request This Item and it will be conveniently sent to your neighborhood library, where you can pick it up and check it out.
The Catalog’s single-box Quick Search interface sits on top of an intricately designed database. Many users will appreciate its speed, usefulness, and similarities to other Web-based search tools. Others will no doubt find the capabilities of The Catalog's Advanced Search option more suited to their needs.
Former CATNYP users will find the Advanced Search function in the new catalog remarkably similar; however, there are some notable differences.

Advanced Search

Using the drop-down menus, you will be able to search for multiple terms or combinations of terms in Author, Title, Subject, or Note fields. You will also be able to make use of multiple Boolean operators, or ways to include or exclude items from your search.
You can use the Advanced Search to limit by Library Location, Format, Language, Year of Publication, and Publisher, and to pre-sort your results by Date, Relevance, or Title. You can also limit your search to available items.
The Advanced Search screen offers many search tips on working with Boolean operators, Wildcard searching, Limits and Grouping, as well as direct links to other search options, including Keyword, Author, Title, Subject, Call Number, and ISBN.
From the Advanced Search screen, you can access and manage your library account and view helpful information on using The Catalog.
The Advanced Search results screen allows you to request eligible materials for pickup. You can save your searches, should you want to perform them again later, view new Library acquisitions, and save lists of titles you find interesting. Preferred Search is useful if you often search the catalog for a favorite author or subject. To view your saved searches, click the Preferred Search button from your library account screen.
The results page lists the number of copies found, their library location, availability, and shelving status.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE:

Users who saved searches or lists in LEO or CATNYP, but who did not make a copy of their lists before July 3, will need to recreate their saved searches or lists as these could not be transferred to the new catalog. For more information, contact the ILS office at ils@nypl.org.

My Account: View and Renew Loans, Place Holds, and Update Personalized Information

The Catalog offers users easy access to their New York Public Library account. When logged into The Catalog, you can view items currently checked out, renew eligible titles, update your e-mail address, and more. You can confirm that your card is current by viewing the expiration date on your patron record. Want to change a pickup location for a requested item or cancel a request you no longer need? It’s only a mouse-click away! Want to receive Library notices by e-mail instead of telephone? That’s another easy change that you can now make yourself.

One Library Card

The move to one catalog also means a move to one library card. If you previously had an ACCESS card to use the collections of the Research Libraries and another card for borrowing materials from our circulating collections, the Library will be merging those records so that only the most recently issued card will remain active in our system.

When using a shared or Library PC to access your account, do not forget to log out when you’re finished!

IMPORTANT MESSAGE:

To view your Library account, you will need to log in with your library card number and PIN. In our new catalog, all PINs must be 4 numeric characters. If your current CATNYP PIN is more than 4 characters, or includes letters in addition to numbers, please change it as soon as possible to ensure uninterrupted access to the Library's resources. You will also need your library card number and 4-digit PIN to use our self-service checkout machines, to make a PC reservation, and to access other Library services.

The Catalog FAQ: What Else Do You Need to Know?

Using the Catalog: FAQs

What are some of The Catalog’s new features?

I heard that the Library now sends telephone notices. How does that work?

It would be great if the Library could remind me when an item I have checked out is almost due.

I had been using the Preferred Search option in CATNYP for quite some time. Will I be able to continue using it?

Navigating from one page to the next in The Catalog, I keep seeing a security exception window. How do I stop that window from appearing?

Managing Your Account: FAQs

I previously requested several items from the Library for pickup at my neighborhood branch through LEO. Will I need to make those requests again in the new catalog?

I’m on vacation and I’ve made several of my holds inactive. Will they stay that way?

What does it mean to “freeze” a hold? And how do I unfreeze a hold?

How long does a hold request remain active?

I requested several items for delivery to, for example, the Richmondtown Branch, but I have moved and now the Stapleton Branch is more convenient for me. Can I change the pickup location?

I had 15 items saved to My List in LEO. What happened to them in the new catalog?

My CATNYP PIN was 9 numbers. Will it still work?

My LEO PIN was the last 4 digits of my telephone number, but now I can't log in to the new system using that PIN. Did something change?

I have both an ACCESS Card and a Branch Library card. Do I still need both? Can I still use both?

What are some of The Catalog’s new features?

There are so many to choose from! While the new catalog will include many features previously available in both LEO and CATNYP, we are delighted to announce that there’s even more to look forward to.

When browsing The Catalog, would you like to know more about a book before requesting it? The new catalog offers cover art, full-text reviews, book excerpts, author bios, tables of contents, summaries, and other information for many titles.

Want to limit your search to children’s materials? To items that you can take home or just look at in the Library? How about materials in Chinese? The new catalog offers a wide variety of ways to limit your search, helping you to find exactly what you’re looking for.

I heard that the Library now sends telephone notices. How does that work?

The Library sends notices by phone, e-mail, or postal mail. Notices alert you when a requested item is waiting for pickup, as well as other issues related to your account. Telephone notices work best if you have an answering machine. If you currently receive notices delivered by the Post Office, please consider changing to telephone or e-mail delivery. It helps the Library save money and our notices arrive faster!

It would be great if the Library could remind me when an item I have checked out is almost due.

Yes it would, and we can. Now, if you have provided the Library with a valid e-mail address, we can send you a courtesy notice shortly before the item's due date. And of course, a receipt is still issued for every item borrowed.

I had been using the Preferred Search option in CATNYP for quite some time. Will I be able to continue using it?

Yes and no. While the Preferred Search is still an available feature of The Catalog, if you had any searches saved in CATNYP, you needed to save them outside of the catalog or print them out, and then re-enter them in the new catalog after July 6. The same is true if you had any lists stored in CATNYP. If you need help in recreating those lists, please contact the ILS Office hotline at ils@nypl.org to see if your old lists can still be retrieved. Note that the retrieval of old lists will take time and will be possible only through the end of September 2009, after which we are no longer guaranteed access to the old CATNYP catalog.

Navigating from one page to the next in The Catalog, I keep seeing a security exception window. How do I stop that window from appearing?

On your internet browser, go to Tools, select Internet Options, and then select the Security tab. Find the Display Mixed Content option; switch it from Prompt to Enable and the message will go away.

I previously requested several items from the Library for pickup at my neighborhood branch through LEO. Will I need to make those requests again in the new catalog?

No. Holds placed in LEO that were not filled by July 6 were brought over to the new catalog.

I’m on vacation and I’ve made several of my holds inactive. Will they stay that way?

While the system didn't automatically transfer inactive holds, the Library is almost finished manually updating them for users in the new catalog. Users may also update the status of their requests themselves through My Account in the new catalog.

What does it mean to “freeze” a hold? And how do I unfreeze a hold?

Freezing a hold works similarly to the suspend hold function in LEO. If you are going on vacation and don’t want your requested item(s) to arrive until after you return, you may freeze them by checking the box next to each title you wish to freeze and clicking the Update Holds button. You will continue to advance in the queue but your request will not be filled until you unfreeze your holds. To unfreeze them, uncheck the box and click Update Holds. Note that items cannot be frozen:

• if a requested item is in transit or on the hold shelf for the requesting patron
• if a borrower is first in the hold queue and there are available items
• if there are more available items than holds

How long does a hold request remain active?

By default, requests for available circulating materials will remain active for one year or until filled. Take advantage of the "Cancel If Not Filled By" date to extend or shorten the period of time your hold remains active.

I requested several items for delivery to, for example, the Richmondtown Branch, but I have moved and now the Stapleton Branch is more convenient for me. Can I change the pickup location?

With the new catalog, you can change the pickup location yourself. Using the My Account feature, click on the link to view your holds and choose a new pickup location from the drop-down menu. Pickup locations cannot be changed once a requested item is in transit or has arrived at its originally chosen location.

I had 15 items saved to My List in LEO. What happened to them in the new catalog?

Unfortunately, you needed to save them or print them out, and then re-enter them in the new catalog. If you did not save the item number, you are welcome to e-mail ils@nypl.org to see if your old list can still be retrieved. Note that retrieval of old lists will take time and will be possible only through the end of September 2009, after which we are no longer guaranteed access to the old LEO catalog.

My CATNYP PIN was 9 numbers. Will it still work?

In order to use the Library’s many other resources that depend on your patron information, such as our self-service checkout machines, circulating laptops, and computers, you will need a 4-digit numeric PIN. Former CATNYP users will need to select a new 4-digit numeric PIN since their old PINs will no longer work.

My LEO PIN was the last 4 digits of my telephone number, but now I can't log in to the new system using that PIN. Did something change?

Unfortunately, PINs for borrowers who used the last 4 digits of their telephone number did not carry over to the new system. If you previously used the last 4 digits of your telephone number as your PIN, the first time you log in to the new catalog, leave the PIN field blank and reset your PIN.

I have both an ACCESS card and a Branch Library card. Do I still need both? Can I still use both?

In addition to merging the collections of The New York Public Library into a single, searchable database, the Library also merged our patron databases. Duplicate patron records have been merged and only your most recently issued library card will remain active in the system.

If you currently have more than one Library card, you are welcome to e-mail ils@nypl.org to confirm which card is still valid.

Bookmark http://catalog.nypl.org for easy access to The Catalog or http://catalog.nypl.org/iii/encore/home?lang=eng for easy access to The Catalog’s Quick Search interface!