Getting the most from our online catalogue

By now, many of you have taken advantage of the new services on offer through our new Library Management System called Spydus.

If you use the online public access catalogue, you will have noticed the following service improvements:

• You can check your loans and renew all your items at a click
• You can view your reservations and requests and we can inform you via email when they arrive if you wish
• You can view your previous loans to check back on what you've read before
• As well as making reservations online, you can also request items that are not on the Portsmouth Library Catalogue. For instructions on how to do this, please navigate to the 'Reserving not in stock items and journal articles' document at the bottom of the page 
• A new children's catalogue makes searching easier for younger members
• You can set up reading preference profiles for yourself so you can be alerted via email when any books by your preferred authors or subject topics arrive in stock. For instructions on how to do this, please navigate to the 'Setting email alert profiles' document at the bottom of the page 
• You can leave book reviews on the catalogue. For instructions on how to do this, please navigate to the 'Writing book reviews on the library catalogue' document at the bottom of the page

Other advantages

• You have more flexibility when choosing what you want to borrow. Members aged between 0 to 10 can borrow 20 items, regardless of type, and members aged 11 and over can borrow 30
• You can now pay for your reservations and requests when you pick them up, and you can choose your pick-up branch
• You can now request Inter Library Loans via the online catalogue, there is no need to come into the library in person. For instructions on how to do this, please navigate to the 'Reserving not in stock items and journal articles' document at the bottom of the page 

Important information

In order to access all the facilities available via the online catalogue you will need to visit your local library to collect your new 4 digit PIN. Please bring your library card with you. Your old PIN will no longer work.

If you wish to take advantage of our email services, please register your email address with us by filling out the form found in all libraries. It is also possible to change your email address via the online catalogue as long as you know your new PIN.

We are interested in your comments about the new system. Feedback forms are available in all libraries, or you can email libraries@portsmouthcc.gov.uk. 

Associated documents:

  Setting email alert profiles  (0.30 MB)
Writing book reviews on the library catalogue  (0.28 MB)
Reserving 'not in stock' items and journal articles  (0.96 MB)