Welcome to OPAC Help

You are currently using Atriuum's Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC), which allows you to search for items at your library, check the status of your patron account, and more. This page explains how to use OPAC Help for assistance and provides instructions for features that require navigation to begin: creating a Watch List, reserving items, using Bookbags, and reviewing/rating items.

Help Basics

OPAC Help is a collection of topics related to specific features in the online catalog. Help icons are placed on various pages so you can quickly find information that will assist you with the task at hand. Simply click an icon to view related instructions, definitions, and tips in a pop-up window; your OPAC remains open in the background. You can click and drag the pop-up's title bar to move the Help window to a different area of the screen as needed. Within the Help topics, the names of buttons, links, fields, check boxes, and other elements are formatted in black bold, but the actual appearance of these elements within the online catalog depends on your library's OPAC Theme. When you are finished with the Help topic, you can click the X in the upper, right-hand corner to close the pop-up.

Some pages where you will see Help icons are related to features discussed below. Pop-up Help topics provide detailed assistance for each of these features, but you can continue reading this Help page for brief instructions to navigate to those areas.

OPAC Features

Creating a Watch List

If applicable, you can create a Watch List of authors, series titles, and subjects that interest you in order to receive e-mail alerts if related library items become available. Begin by clicking My Items and logging on to your account. Then add terms to your Watch List in one of two ways: either click the Add New Term To Watch List button in the YOUR WATCH LIST TERMS section, or perform a search using any OPAC search tool, click a title in the results list, and then click the icon next to a term. Use associated Help icons for detailed instructions.

Reserving Items

To reserve an item, begin by using any of the OPAC search tools to open a list of search results. Then click the item's title to open the record, and find the section called Location Information where each copy of the item is listed along with its status (i.e., in, out, on reserve, etc.). Click the [Reserve This Item] link next to the copy you need. You may be prompted to log on to your account if you have not done so already, and then a page will open asking you to confirm the reservation. Use the Help icons to guide you through this process.

Using Bookbags

You can use Bookbags, with or without a patron account, to compile items that look useful as you search through the online catalog. If you do log on to your account, you can save multiple Bookbags so you can retrieve them at any time, publish Bookbags as Book Lists for public viewing if applicable, and more. To view the current Bookbag, click Bookbag in the OPAC Menu. To create or manage Bookbags tied to your account, click My Items in the OPAC Menu. Use the Help icons on those pages for further instructions.

Reviewing/Rating Items

Depending on your library's policies, you may be able to submit a star rating and/or a text review of library items. Use any of the OPAC search tools to open a list of search results, and then click an item's title to open its record. Click the Review button on the right side of the item information. You may be prompted to log on to your account if you have not done so already, and then a page will open where you can assign a star rating and/or enter a text review for the item as applicable. Use the associated Help icon for more information.