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University Library

LibGuides

Using the Library Catalog

This guide explains how to log into an account, search the catalog, and how to renew and request items.

Log In

Logging into your library account allows you to request books and other loanable items from the University of Illinois catalog and I-Share, view and renew the items you have checked out, save materials to your favorites, run saved searches, view fines/blocks, and more. As of June 24, 2020, when the U of I Library switched to a new catalog, there is no need to create a separate library account! Current U of I students, faculty, and staff log in with your NetID and password while courtesy card borrowers log in with your assigned login and password.

1. Go to the Library homepage.
2. Look for the "My Account" button in the upper right corner of the screen. Click on it.

 

image of the my account button in the upper right of the U of I library home page screen

3. You will see a box with two choices: for U of I affiliates and for courtesy card borrowers. Click on the appropriate choice for your status.

shows you the options of logging in with an active i-card or with a courtesy borrowers account

 

6a. Courtesy card borrowers and Fulfillment Proxies will see a place to enter your User ID and password. Your User ID will be the 14-digit number on your Courtesy Card, without any spaces. Please contact the Circulation Department to get your password for the new catalog system..

image of login for courtesy card borrowers
 

6b. U of I users will be prompted to log in with a current NetID and will be sent to the 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) screen, or, if you have already logged into a U of I service that requires 2FA, it will automatically log you in. If you are unable to log in (the message "login process has failed" will show), please consult our FAQ: Why can't I log into my Library account?

Once you are logged in, you should see your name in the upper right corner of the screen:

image of user name in upper right of screen once logged into your account

Click on your name and you will see a drop-down menu with several options, detailed in the next section.

If you have any questions about logging into your account, Ask a Librarian.

If you would like to watch a brief video on logging into your account, please click on this link for U of I affiliates and on this link for courtesy card holders.

Use My Account

When you log into your account there are three main sections: My Account, My Favorites, and Search History, as shown in the screen capture below:

image of three options from drop-down menu when you click on your name after you've logged in

1. My Account will take you to your account overview page with the following options. 

  • Loans - Lists your currently checked out items and lets you renew them online.
  • Requests - View and manage the requests you've placed. Check if an item is ready to pick up (you'll receive an email notification when it is ready to be picked up).
  • Fines + Fees - U of I library fines, fees and replacement charges are recorded here until a bill is issued. For more information see the library's Overdue and Lost Items page. If you have questions about a bill, contact the Library Billing Office at libbill@library.illinois.edu or (217) 333-8288.
  • Blocks + MessagesIf there are any blocks on your account or messages from the library or I-Share system, you'll see them here. 
  • Personal Details - Lists your name, mailing address, and email.

2. My Favorites and Search History will take you to the same place with the following options.

  • Saved Records - These are your favorites. You mark them from your search results or individual item records by clicking on the image of the pushpin (image of the pushpin/thumbtack icon to click on in order to save to your favorites). Please note that in individual item records this icon is on the far right side of the screen (not very obvious).
  • Saved Searches - You can save any search you perform in the catalog by clicking on the image of the pushpin with the words "Save query" located at the top of your results list. You will also have the option to receive notifications when new items show up in saved searches.
  • Search History - View your search history here, and add or delete each search.