My BPL mobile apps for iphone and Android and a mobile browser version are now available.

Transcription

1 My BPL Mobile Apps My BPL mobile apps for iphone and Android and a mobile browser version are now available. itunes link: bpl/id ?mt=8 Google Play: You can search the catalog manage your library account (renew, place holds, pay fines) find detailed library branch information including full GPS/mapping capabilities EXPLORE SEARCH Search and Place Holds You can search the catalog and place holds by using the blue + icon.

2 Scan ISBN

3 Scan the ISBN of a book by taking a picture to check to if BPL has the book available. My BPL

4 You can access your library account by logging in with your username/barcode and PIN. You can view and manage your library account (renew, place holds, pay fines). See Items Checked Out and Renew

5 You can view your checked out items and renew by using the blue + icon. LOCATIONS

6 Find Library Locations You can find library location information and locate your nearest library based on GPS/mapping capabilities. MORE

7 Access the help section, read privacy policy and terms of use, send feedback, edit your settings. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

8 All Mobile Apps (Both iphone and Android Apps) Q: The first time I tried to place a hold I was asked for my barcode and PIN. Where do I find that? A: Your barcode is your library card number. If you don t have a PIN, or password, please contact your library. The first time you log in you may be asked to register your account using your barcode and PIN. During registration you will be asked to create a username. This username will be used to identify you online. Once registered, you will be able to use either your library card number or your username with your PIN to login on the mobile app. Q: How can I renew my books? A: You should be able to renew an item using the Mobile app if there are no holds on it and you haven't reached your renewal limit for the item. 1. Log in and tap the My Borrowing tab. 2. Tap the Next Due or Total Items link. 3. Tap the blue + to the left of the cover image for the item. 4. Tap the Renew option. Q: How do I find and download ebooks or other downloadable items? A: You can find ebooks with the app, but you will actually be checking them out using your library s Overdrive (or other third party vendor) eresources site. You will need to download the Overdrive Media Console app from the App Store or your library s help page. If you search for "ebooks" and refine the search results by selecting Ebook from the Format dropdown, you will get the list of ebooks in the catalogue. Tap the blue + beside one of the items and you will seen an option to download. If you tap the link you will be able to leave the app and go to the Overdrive page. You will have to log in here with your library barcode and PIN in order to check out items. When you want to check the status of your eresources, log in to the Overdrive Media Console. Q: How can I choose a volume or specific copy when I place a hold?

9 A: Please use a web browser to go the catalog to place holds which require you to specify a volume or specific copy. The mobile app doesn t support Item level holds. Q: How do I log out? A: To log out, tap the More button and then tap the Log out button. Q: Do I need to log out? A: No, your session will automatically end after 30 minutes of inactivity. Also, if you don t select Remember me when you log in with the iphone app, you will be logged out automatically when you exit the app. If you log in using another device, such as a desktop machine, you will be logged out of the app. Remember that if you checked Remember me when you logged in, your device will automatically log you in to your account whenever you use the application. For greater security, uncheck Remember me, or lock your device with a password. Q: How do I save a preferred location? A: The mobile app lets you select one preferred location for each device on which you run the app. 1. Tap the More button, and then Settings. You will see an option for Preferred Location for this device. 2. Tap the link, select your location and then tap the Done button. This location will be highlighted the next time you place a hold. Note that changing your preferred location in the app will not automatically update your Preferred Location setting in BiblioCore. Q: Is there an app for the ipad or other tablets? A: There currently isn t an ipad app but you can use the iphone app on the ipad. Also, you can view the library s catalog using the ipad s web browser. For tablets that support the Android OS, open the library s catalog on a mobile browser. You will have access to the same functionality as the app. Android App

10 Q: Why can t I install the Android app on my device? A: The Android app may not be supported on your device. The Android app requires a minimum screen size of 320x480 and a back facing camera. Also, it can only be downloaded from the Android Market. Some tablets and ereaders don t have access to the Android Market. Please try accessing the catalogue with the device's web browser. Q: I cannot see all the tabs (Explore, Search, My Borrowing, My Shelves, Locations, More) on my Android app. Where can I find these? A: You will need to tap on your device s menu button to see the full list of tabs. This is usually located on the bottom of your device. Once you tap on this, the list of tabs will appear at the bottom of the app. iphone App Q: Why does the app sometimes freeze and refuse to finish loading? A: This seems to happen only when patrons have the Remember me option enabled. Some iphones do have an issue if they've been on for a while or the internet connection was broken or lost. The memory gets fragmented and the apps start acting unpredictably. Sometimes the app won t finish loading a page. Here are three workarounds to try if this happens: 1. Close the app and restart it. Sometimes simply exiting the app and restarting it from the icon will help. However, this simply suspends the application in the background. 2. If the problem persists, restart the device. To restart the iphone completely, hold down the power button until you see the "slide to power off" prompt. If you get a black screen but not the prompt, the device didn't really power it off it just went into sleep mode. Once you get the "slide to power off" control, drag it to the right to power down the phone. Keep the phone off for a couple of minutes. It s important to do this to ensure the memory chips actually de charge. Restart and try again this will deal with the scenario where the device s memory is fragmented and is causing issues. 3. If the problem persists, delete the app and reinstall it.