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Help Using Library Resources

This page is devoted to helping you get most out of the many resources offered by the Huntington Public Library.  A virtual tour of our library is provided to help you familiarize yourself with the layout of our facilities and resources across the library's three (3) floor levels.  Step by step tutorials on such subjects as how to use our web and text based card catalog terminals are also provided.  This page is constantly being updated, so check back here often!

Online "Card" Catalog Tutorials
This Library utilizes two different types of electronic card catalog "terminals." One type is text, or "character" based where the user input is done solely through the keyboard -- there is no mouse support. See the Using our Text-based Card Catalog section for detailed written instructions on how to use these types of devices.

Our other type of card catalog is operated via a web browser, and is the focus of the following tutorials. This "web-based" electronic catalog accepts both keyboard and mouse input; uses standard web navigation tools; is capable of displaying graphical content as well as text; and is available online from anywhere on the World Wide Web via our web site's home page.

We now offer two types of tutorials. The tutorial links immediately below are our original slide-show presentations developed from actual screen shots of our web-based online card catalog. The enhanced ViewletBuilder™ tutorials that follow are also developed from actual screen shots, but are animated, self-running and have much smaller download times.

Our Original Tutorials

   Performing a "Basic" and "Limit" Catalog Search

   How to Request an Item from our Collection

   Viewing your Patron Record


Please Note: The relatively large images needed to make the above presentations legible may take a while to download on slower modems. Please be patient.

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Our New Enhanced Tutorials using ViewletBuilder™ Technology

   Performing a "Basic" and "Limit" Catalog Search

   How to Request an Item from our Collection

   Creating Your Patron PIN for the First Time

   How to Self-renew your Checked out Items


Please note: Our ViewletBuilder™ Tutorials are self-running. Once you click on the above links, all you need to do is watch. However, you can use the Tutorial's navigation buttons at any time to pause, play back, or move forwards and backwards through the presentation slide by slide.

The navigation buttons are located along the upper right edge of the viewlet window and look like this:*



* The adjoining button explanations are not indicated on the actual viewlet.

Using our Text-based Card Catalog

  Searching our Collection Using the text-based Card Catalog

  Requesting an Item using the text-based Card Catalog

  Viewing your Patron Record using the text-based Catalog

  How to Self Renew your Items using the text-based Catalog

Searching our Collection Using the text-based Online Catalog

1. From the "Welcome to Huntington Public Library" Main Program Screen press the letter S to start to search the "card" catalog.
   
   
2. Press the letter of the type of search you wish to do. It is not necessary to press ENTER after one of these letters.
   
   
   • A for Author - Type the AUTHOR’S name, last name, first name, then press ENTER.
     
     
   • T for Title - Type in as much or as little of the title as you know; then press ENTER.
     
     
   • B for Author/Title - Type the author’s last name and first name, too, if you know it, then press ENTER; now type in as much or as little of the title and press ENTER.
     
     
   • S for Subject - Type the subject that you are looking for; then press ENTER. If you are unsure of the exact subject words,or if you do not get any good results, try using the W for Wordsearch option from the "welcome" menu.
     
     
   • W for Word - *Recommended for most subject searches. Type the word or words that you are looking for; press ENTER.
     
     
3. When at a search results screen, you may choose one of the titles/authors/subjects by typing the number that appears to the left of it.
   
   
4. The bottom of the screen will display standard menu bar keys. Some of the options are:
   
   
   • A - To perform ANOTHER search of the same type
     
     
   • B - To move BACKWARD to previous screen
     
     
   • F - To move FORWARD to next screen
     
     
   • I - To see more ITEMS on a record screen
     
     
   • N - To start a NEW search
     
     
   • R - To RETURN to the browse screen from a record screen
     
     
   • Y - To search another library’s catalog
     
     
   • + - To see additional options
     

Helpful Tips

• It is not necessary to press ENTER after selecting a menu option.
  
  
• It is not necessary to press ENTER after selecting a menu bar option or a title/author/subject from the results screen.
  
  
• Capitalization and punctuation is ignored.
  
  
• Leading articles (a, an, the) are ignored in a search statement.
  
  
• Sometimes a subject is listed under a term other than the subject you entered. In this situation, the system will offer you an alternative term, a SEE or SEE ALSO, in order to move the search forward.
  
  
• If your search retrieves too many "hits", you can limit the list by typing the L to LIMIT, and then choosing:
  
  
  • M Material Type (spoken audio, books, music audio, printed music, software, video/film)
    
    
  • Y - Year of Publication
    
    
  • T - Words in Title
    
    
  • A - Words in Author
    
    
  • S - Words in Subject
    
    
  • C - Words in Content
    
    
  • L - Language
    
    
  • P - Publisher
    
    
  • D - Audience (juvenile, adult)
    
    
• If a search gives the result that says "Your entry would be here", it means the item you searched for is not in our collection. To expand your search, pressY to Search Another Library. For other than new materials and audiovisual items, you may REQUEST an item from another library. SeeHPL’s instructions on a separate bookmark.
  
  
• Finally, if you need help, don’t hesitate to ask a librarian.
  

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Requesting an Item using the text-based Online Catalog

You may place a REQUEST for an item through the online catalog. This means the item will be located for you, or you will be placed in the HOLD QUEUE for that item. You will be notified by telephone when it is available for pickup.

*PLEASE NOTE: You are placing a REQUEST, not a hold on an item. This REQUEST will not appear in your patron record until a staff member places the HOLD for you.

1. When you are at a screen for an item that you wish to request and the letter G is listed at the bottom.
   
   
2. Press the letter G.
   
   
3. If there is more than one item attached to the record, you will be prompted to select a volume number. [e.g. Which volume? (key # in left hand column) (1-?) Put in the number of any item no matter what the STATUS of the item – that is, "Check Shelves" or a due date.]
   
   
4. When prompted, type in Your Name, then press the ENTER key.
   
   
5. When prompted, type in the Barcode from the back of your library card; then press the ENTER key. The system will tell you it is validating the information you entered. If all is correct.
   
   
6. Enter your PIN. If you have used the View Your Patron Record function, it is the same PIN that you created previously. If you have never entered a PIN, type in 6-8 keyboard characters. It may be letters, numbers, or a combination. Dashes will display in place of the characters. The first time you use this function you will have to enter the PIN a second time. Please, REMEMBER your PIN.
   
   
7. The next prompt is "Special Instructions". You may type in any special instructions, such as a "not wanted after…" date, or at which building you would like to pick up the item -OR- Just press the ENTER key 1 (or 2X) to place your request
   
   
8. Press the space bar to exit this function.
   
   

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Viewing your patron record using the text-based Online Catalog

1. Press the letter V from the Main screen.
   
   
2. When prompted, type in Your Name, then press the ENTER key.
   
   
3. When prompted, type in the Barcode from the back of your library card; then press the ENTER key. The system will tell you it is validating the information you entered. If all is correct.
   
   
4. Enter your PIN. If you have never entered a PIN, type in 6-8 keyboard characters. It may be letters, numbers, or a combination. Dashes will display in place of the characters. The first time you use this function you will have to enter the PIN a second time. Please, REMEMBER your PIN.
   
   
5. The bottom of the screen will display standard menu bar keys. Some of the options are:
   
   
   • C - To dislay your CHECKED-OUT items
     
     
   • H - To display your HELD items
     
     
   • F - To display your FINES, if any
     
     
   • M - To MODIFY your PIN number
     
     
   • Q - To QUIT
     
     
   
   
6. Remember to QUIT when your are finished!
   
   

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Self-Renewing your Items using the text-based Online Catalog

1. Press the letter V from the Main screen.
   
   
2. When prompted, type in Your Name, then press the ENTER key.
   
   
3. When prompted, type in the Barcode from the back of your library card; then press the ENTER key. The system will tell you it is validating the information you entered. If all is correct.
   
   
4. Enter your PIN. If you have never entered a PIN, type in 6-8 keyboard characters. It may be letters, numbers, or a combination. Dashes will display in place of the characters. The first time you use this function you will have to enter the PIN a second time. Please, REMEMBER your PIN.
   
   
5. Press C to view your CHECKED-OUT items.
   
   
6. Press F for FORWARD if not all items display on the first screen. Note the number to the left of the item
   
   
7. Press R for RENEW.
   
   
8. Enter the number of the item you wish to renew, or a range of numbers.
   
   
9. If the items you have selected for renewal are able to be renewed, you will see a message next to the item saying it was renewed, along with the revised date. Make a note of the new date. If the item may not be renewed because it is overdue or there is a reserve in the system for another patron, a message will display stating the reason.
   
   
10. When finished, clear the screen by pressing Q to quit back to the main screen menu
    
    

Dewey Decimal Demystified
An Overview of the Dewey Decimal System used at HPL

The Dewey Decimal System puts library materials in numerical order for easy retrieval. Here's a broad listing of those tables with the major subject areas and their corresponding Dewey subject number described. The online text or web-based catalog should be consulted for information on your topic, author or title. The catalog will also give you the location and current status of the item(s).

000	Generalities	500	Pure Sciences
010	Bibliographies	510	Math
020	Library & Information Science	520	Astronomy
030	General Encyclopedias	530	Physics
040	(Not used)	540	Chemistry
050	General Periodicals	550	Earth Science
060	General Organizations & Museums	560	Paleontology
070	Journalism & Publishing	570	Life Sciences
080	Collections	580	Botany
090	Manuscripts and Rare Books	590	Zoology
100	Philosophy	600	Applied Sciences & Technology
110	Metaphysics	610	Medicine
120	Epistemology	620	Engineering
130	Paranormal Phenomena & Occult	630	Agriculture
140	Specific philosophies	640	Home Economics
150	Psychology	650	Management
160	Logic	660	Chemical Technologies
170	Ethics	670	Manufacturing
180	Ancient, Medieval & Oriental Philosophy	680	Application-specific Manufacturing
190	Modern Western Philosophy	690	Building
200	Religion	700	Arts
210	Natural Religion	710	Civic & Landscape Art
220	Bible	720	Architecture
230	Christian Theology	730	Sculpture
240	Christian Moral Theology	740	Drawing
250	Local Church & Religious Orders	750	Painting
260	Social & Ecclesiastical Theology	760	Graphic & Printed Art
270	History & Geography of Church	770	Photography
280	Christian Denominations & Sects	780	Music
290	Non-Christian & Comparative Religion	790	Sports & Recreation
300	Social Sciences	800	Literature
310	Statistics	810	American Literature
320	Political Science	820	English Literature
330	Economics	830	Germanic Literature
340	Law	840	French Literature
350	Public Administration	850	Italian Literature
360	Social Concerns & Services	860	Spanish & Portuguese Literature
370	Education	870	Latin Literature
380	Trade & Commerce	880	Classical Greek Literature
390	Customs, Etiquette, Folklore	890	Literature of Other Languages
400	Languages	900	History & Geography
410	Linguistics	910	Travel & Geography
420	English Language	920	Genealogy & Geography
430	Germanic & Scandinavian Languages	930	Ancient History
440	French	940	European History
450	Italian	950	Asian History
460	Spanish & Portuguese	960	African History
470	Latin	970	North American History
480	Classical Greek	980	South American History
490	Other Languages	990	History of Other Areas