Realm Library is now a Pickup Location

The courier service has started delivering items to and from the new Realm Library in Ringwood. As a result we have re-instated it as a pickup location. We have renamed the pickup location to Realm Library. It may take a day for the name change to be displayed in all areas of the catalogue and Library Apps.

Realm, Ringwood

Members wishing to change their pickup location for existing holds may do so via My Account on the web catalogue. Navigate to Holds, select the holds you wish to change, click the Edit Pickup Location button and select the new location.

If you're visiting Realm for the first time, check the Map of Eastland on their website. Realm is located next to David Jones, on Level 3.

UPDATE: Staff at Realm are checking in and shelving all of the new stock. Until this has been completed Realm items themselves are not available for holds.

November's Top 10 Reads at your Library

Find November's top reads at your local Eastern Regional Libraries branch! Click the titles below to read more and place reservations:

1. Magda Szubanski  - Reckoning
2. Bill Bryson - The road to Little Dribbling
3. Amanda Keller - Natural born Keller
4. Nigella Lawson - Simply Nigella
5. Robert Galbraith - Career of evil 
6. Judy Nunn - Spirits of the Ghan
7. Tim Winton - Island home 
8. Geraldine Brooks - The secret chord
9. M C Beaton - Dishing the dirt
10.John Grisham - Rogue lawyer


See you at the library!

Book Reservation Limit introduced as of Monday 3rd Feb

From Monday 3 February 2014, patrons will be limited to 20 holds on their library record at any one time.

The reason for limiting holds is to allow fair and equitable access to the entire collection for all library patrons.

The limit will be an overall limit regardless of the type of item on hold.  Once the limit is reached patrons will not be able to place holds via the web catalogue.  They will only be able to place another hold once their total number of holds is reduced to below the 20 limit.  This may be done by either collecting a hold awaiting pick up, or cancelling one or more holds.

For more information, don't hesitate to call us on 1300 737 277 or post on our Facebook Page.

The 10 "Power Library User" tips that will save you time

We all probably know someone that has the library all figured out, the "Power Library Users". They get the most out of their public library service and save a lot of time while they're at it.



The following is a short list of tips that will get you on the way to becoming a "Power Library User" at Eastern Regional Libraries. Is it any wonder that all relate to the virtual library. You may have some of your own you'd like to share, so feel free to do so in the comments... so notepads ready? Here goes....

10. Troubleshooting via social media
Power Library Users don't wait for a library visit to sort out issues with downloading eBooks or trouble with their account. They head straight to our Facebook or Twitter pages and connect with library staff there. In addition, we frequently answer questions coming in from members via the Contact form on the website.

9. Suspending your holds while you're on holiday
Have you ever been frustrated to discover one of your holds has arrived while you're on holiday and are unable to pick it up? A great feature of the Enterprise catalogue is the ability to suspend/unsuspend your own holds. Click on the Holds tab in My Account, select the holds and click on the Suspend Holds button. You may reverse it via Cancel Hold Suspension once you're back home.



8. Can't find it at ERL? Switch your search to All Libraries
Eastern Regional Libraries is a member of the Swift Consortium including 19 Victorian libraries. If ERL doesn't have a copy of the item you're looking for, change the target of your search from Eastern Regional Libraries to All Libraries. You may place holds on titles at other libraries.



7. Long waiting list for a physical copy? Check our digital collection
Some titles may experience lengthy waiting lists if they receive some buzz in mainstream media. Power Library Users know to check our Overdrive eBook collection in case we have a digital copy of the title.

6. Get the App
With the exponential increase in the use of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, it's worth downloading the apps we make available via the library website. BookMyne allows you to search the catalogue and renew & place holds without having to scroll, pinch etc. The OverDrive Media Console app manages the search and download of digital content such as eBooks and eAudiobooks from our OverDrive collection. Downloading the Zinio app and registering will give you access to our digital magazine collection. We're adding more content all the time.

BookMyne - iTunes Free
BookMyne - Android Free
ERL Libraries Free
Overdrive Media Console Free
Zinio Magazines Free

If iPads and eBooks are still new to you check out our free talks in our libraries.

5. Favourites
Over the past few years many members have enjoyed receiving email alerts when titles by their favourite author have been added to the collection. While Favourites is not available with the new Enterprise catalogue, they may be maintained via the previous eLibrary catalogue and the report will still be sent via email. You will need to be logged into the eLibrary catalogue using your userID and PIN to add, modify and view Favourites. Discover how to add authors to your Favourites through the catalogue guide.

4. Research 24/7
Just because the physical library may be closed doesn't mean that you can't access our resources. Eastern Regional Libraries subscribes to a vast range of online resources, most of which are available remotely from home 24/7. Click on Online Resources on our library website and you'll find encyclopedias, newspapers, online study materials, language courses and more.

3. Placing multiple holds at once
The new Enterprise catalogue allows members to place multiple holds at once, for a series or books by the same author or on the same subject. Just click the checkbox beside the desired titles in the brief results and select Place hold(s) from the action menu at the top.



2. Signing up for date due reminders
This one saves money too. Notify library staff of your email address and we'll add it to your membership record. You'll receive an email 4 days before the item is due so you can renew or return the item on time. Notify the library of any change to your email address and make sure your Inbox isn't full.

1. RSS feeds
There are two places I use RSS feeds regularly. Firstly on the catalogue, to stay updated with the latest titles on a subject. I construct a search and click on the orange RSS feed icon at the top of the brief results. I add the feed to my preferred feed reader, in my case Firefox's Live Bookmarks. I don't need to perform the search over and over, I simply go to the feed.



The other area is the Events Calendar. By clicking on the Upcoming Events link in the calendar and selecting my favourite branch then clicking Go I can view the events in my branch for the next 30 days. By clicking on the orange RSS feed icon on the results page I can add this feed to my preferred reader. If I want to know what's on this month all I need to do is go the the reader. Similarly, on a smartphone I can add an event to my calendar by touching the "9 icon". Voila!



Do you have any favourite tips to share? Let us know in the comments below, on our Facebook page or on Twitter.

Cheers, webgurl

Update on the Internet Service Provider changeover & paper notices

We have recently switched Internet Service Providers and the IT department have been hard at work to make the transition as streamless as possible. The final two sites Mooroolbark Library & the Monbulk Community Reading Room are expected to be back up today.

Meanwhile during the changeover you may find that you receive a paper notice for holds and overdues. Your usual phone, email or SMS notification will be back soon.

Thanks for your patience during the changeover.

Cheers, webgurl

Mooroolbark won't be available as a pickup branch for holds due to refurbishment

From Thursday this week Mooroolbark Library will not be available as a pickup branch for holds due to the closure in August for the refurbishment.

Please select an alternate library - list of library branches. Mooroolbark members with current holds may also wish to arrange to have their holds transferred to another branch on their next visit.

Cheers, Maryanne

From 1st May items awaiting pickup for holds will be held for 7 days

To facilitate the turn over of holds awaiting pickup, the days an item will be held has been changed to 7 DAYS.

For quicker notification of holds awaiting pickup, please ask staff to change your alert notification to SMS or EMAIL on your next visit.

This change will take place on 1st MAY 1st.

This change does not apply to holds awaiting pickup at our mobile libraries.

Cheers, Maryanne

Croydon Library won't appear as an option when placing holds due to upcoming closure

Croydon Library will be closed for maintenance from Friday 22nd April, re-opening Monday 4th July and because of this you will not see Croydon Library listed when placing holds. Please select another convenient pickup branch.

List of library branches
More information about the branch closure

Cheers, Maryanne

On your next visit ask staff to set you up for SMS notification of holds and overdues

Eastern Regional Libraries now offers SMS notification for holds and overdues. On your next visit advise staff you'd like to have it set up on your account and provide us with your mobile phone number.

Cheers, Maryanne

SMS notification for holds and overdues

Library users now have the option to be notified via SMS when their hold is ready to be collected or when their items are overdue.

On your next library visit, please advise staff you wish to adjust your membership record for SMS notification, it only takes a few seconds. Make sure you provide staff with the correct number.

We also have email notification, for members who prefer to receive emails.

Cheers, Maryanne

Andrew Fraser - Snouts in the trough withdrawn from sale in Victoria

Just passing on some news for anyone with holds on Andrew Fraser's book Snouts in the trough, concerning corruption in the Victorian Police force. It has been withdrawn from sale in Victoria so the Eastern Regional Libraries order will not be fulfilled. At present there are 2 copies circulating in the Swift Consortium however there are already 29 holds on the copies.

Cheers, Maryanne

Report has finished, records are unlocked and you can place holds

I just got back from the long weekend and caught up with the news that the report that was causing grief on Friday finished at 8:02PM on Friday night. This means there is no longer an issue with locking records and you can get back to placing holds.

All items that were returned on Friday will have been checked in and back dated to that date so there are no charges.

Sorry for any inconvenience

Cheers, Maryanne

Double up with hold notification

There's been a glitch in the hold reports today so some members may receive the telephone call and a paper notification in a few days. We apologise for the extra notification.

Cheers, Maryanne

Receiving email notices

If you have your library record set up to receive email notices instead of the phone calls or paper notices for overdues and holds you might need to make sure that the notices aren't going to your Spam/Junk Mail folder.

If you think you should have received a notice, check your Spam/Junk folder first to see if the notice is there.

Email notices for overdues and holds have the following email address as the sender:



The subject is called:

Library Notice - Automated notice - Do Not Reply

Check your email settings to see if you can add this address into a safe list so that emails from this address are never sent to the Spam folder.

If you haven't yet set your record up so that you receive email notices, please ask staff to do this on your next visit. It's really easy and means you won't be woken up at 9am by the automated system. Of course you'll have to make sure you don't exceed your email quota as the emails won't get through.

Cheers, Maryanne

Placing holds on item at other consortium libraries

We just have to wait one more day until members themselves can place holds on items from other libraries in the consortium via the iBistro catalogue. You might like to test it out over the weekend.

Cheers, Maryanne

Greater flexibility added to the iBistro catalogue

We are happy to announce a few changes to the iBistro catalogue that will give greater flexibility and service to our members. These changes should be occurring tomorrow (Friday 31st October).

Holds on other consortium library items
Members can now place holds themselves on other consortium libraries' items via the web catalogue. To place holds you will need your userID (your library barcode starting 20023) and your PIN (you can phone one of our branches to find out your PIN).

To expand your search to include all consortium libraries just select ALL from the dropdown menu labelled library in the Quick Search box. The Swift consortium, of which we are a member, now comprises 14 library systems around Victoria, with another 2 library systems joining soon.




Renewing with overdues
Members can also renew and place holds through the web catalogue if they have overdue items or charges on their card.

Just a reminder that you are unable to borrow on your card until any outstanding charges are paid.

Cheers, Maryanne

One number for renewals, holds

Eastern Regional libraries now has one number that you can ring to place holds, renew your items or book PCs etc within library opening hours.

1300 737 277

From the auto attendant options you can choose to listen to the opening hours, or be put through to a branch in the City of Knox, City of Maroondah, the Shire of Yarra Ranges or Administration.

Cheers, Maryanne