My Account for Patrons

Patrons accessing their patron records can view My Account functionality offered by your library, in addition to the normal patron view of circulation records.

My Account offers patrons the ability to search the catalog from their patron record and offers links to functions such as:

My Account also offers libraries the option to offer a unique top logo with the toplogo_loggedin.html form.

Searching the Catalog

While the patron is logged into the My Account system, the patron name appears on all system-generated screens.

The patron can log out of the My Account system at any time by selecting the LOGOUT button.

You can display the patron name on any WebPAC page (for example, Search Help or OPAC Menu pages) by including the <!--{patron}--> and <!--{logout}--> tokens on the page.

Using the toplogo_loggedin.html File

You can offer a unique top logo for users logged into My Account by using the toplogo_loggedin.html customizable Web form.

To enable the toplogo_loggedin.html form on your system:

  1. Set the TOPLOGO_LOGGEDIN Web option to "true."
  2. Customize your toplogo_loggedin.html Web form as needed.
Offering Navigation Links

If your library uses the toplogo_loggedin.html form, the system offers the Log Out, Return to Patron Record, and Start Over links from the top logo and does not offer links from the navigation row.

Using Preferred Searches

Enabling Email Notification

Contact Innovative to enable the email notification functionality for Preferred Searches on your system.

Compatibility

"Limit to Available" searching isn't supported with Preferred Searches.

Patrons can mark the current search as a "Preferred Search" by selecting the Save as preferred search button. The maximum number of preferred searches that a patron can save is set by the PREF_SEARCHES Web option.

The PREF_SEARCHES Web option also controls whether the system sends an email to patrons whenever your organization acquires new material that matches the search criteria (for example, new titles by a specified author). Use the Search Alert Options File to control the email parameters for sending these alerts to patrons.

If your organization allows email notification of new titles that match the patron's preferred searches, the patron can mark items in this list for email notification by selecting the Mark for Email option. The system performs email notification in batch mode. By default, Innovative sets up email notification of Preferred Search titles to run weekly on Monday at 4:00 AM. If you prefer a different day, time, or frequency for emails to be sent, indicate your preference when you contact the Help Desk to set up this feature.

Patrons can edit this list in two ways:

Selecting Multiple Entries

The system allows patrons to select up to 100 entries at a time for deleting or emailing Preferred Searches.

See also:
Patron Functions in WebPAC
My Account for Staff