Join the excitement as we launch our new BiblioCommons catalogue and enjoy...

• Better searching - smarter, easier, more familiar
• Login options - choose a username or use your library barcode
• Better browsing by subject, tag, or place on the shelf
• Seeing available copies at a glance
• New book, music and movie title lists that update throughout the day
• More bestseller and award lists
• Social networking options that let you easily rate, tag, review and share
• Reviews from both publishers and readers
• Virtual bookshelves that let you keep track of your reading - including returns!
• Privacy settings that let you decide what to share and what to keep to yourself

We are excited to be the fourth Alberta library, along with our partners at Strathcona County Library, to offer a BiblioCommons catalogue, joining our colleagues in Edmonton Public Library, Saint Albert Public Library, and the Chinook Arch Regional Library System. BiblioCommons libraries can also be found in British Columbia and Ontario, in Australia and New Zealand, and in the U.S. (where New York Public Library just launched its new BiblioCommons catalogue). 

About BiblioCommons

BiblioCommons is a provider of a unique set of software solutions that allows libraries to bring social discovery and community connection experiences into their online catalogues. With enhanced search capabilities and an interface that is both attractive and user-friendly, BiblioCommons is helping many public libraries to provide the "better catalogue" we have been seeking.

Read more about BiblioCommons via their website and in the media.

What Will Change

When our new catalogue launches this fall the following will happen:

• FSPL's catalogue will switch to the new BiblioCommons interface
• Catalogue Plus will no longer be available
• Classic Catalogue will continue to be available, but without the "My List" function

If you use the "My List" feature of FSPL's Classic Catalogue, or the "Lists" feature within  "My Discoveries" in FSPL's Catalogue Plus, these will no longer be available to you after August 31. If you wish to keep any content you have added to "My List" or "Lists", please see the Transferring Lists instructions below.

Any content you have not transferred will be automatically removed after August 31. Unfortunately, tags and reviews created within FSPL's Catalogue Plus are not transferable, and will no longer be available after August 31.

Registration & Login

At any time, you can browse and search FSPL's catalogue without logging in. Only when you want to do something specifically related to your account (for example, place an item on hold or renew an item) do you need to log in and access your account.

Q: Why do I need to register?
A: Registering allows you create an easy-to-remember username you can use to log in, so you don’t have to enter your barcode every time you want to check your account. Registration also allows you to get personalized recommendations, contribute ratings and reviews, and communicate electronically with your library and other users. The catalogue will identify you by your username.

Q: Why do I have to create a username?
A: You must log in using your library card barcode for your first time into BiblioCommons, at which time you will be prompted to choose a username. A username is required because of the interactive features of the new catalogue. Your username is your "screen name" that identifies your comments, messages and public lists to other users. It can also be easier to remember than a barcode, and you can use it to log in. Once your account is set up, you may log in with either your username or your barcode.

Q: What should I use as a username?
We suggest that your username should not identify you. Any comments that you enter into the catalogue will be visible to others and may be indexed into Google or other search engines.

• Choose something that is easy to remember. (If you do forget it you can use your library barcode to log in. You will see your username at the top of the page.)
• The BiblioCommons system links a large number of libraries across Canada and the US, and consequently there are several thousand users (and usernames). You may need to try several usernames before you find one that is unique!
• Follow the Username Rules:
  - Cannot contain numbers only -- so it cannot be your library barcode (although once registered you can use your library barcode to log in).
  - Must be unique in the BiblioCommons community of users. For every library card you have, you must create a unique username (so if you are "jane_reads" at Edmonton Public Library, try adding a number or "_fspl" so your FSPL username is "jane_reads_2" or "jane_reads_fspl").
  - Must be 24 characters or less
  - Can be any combination of letters, numbers, and underscores (e.g. good_reader_2011 or betty_at_fspl or fortsask_john7 or or go_oilers_go, etc.)
  - Cannot use spaces, @, or other non-alphanumeric characters.

The best username is one that is easy for you to remember.

Q: Can I change my username?
A: Yes, you can change your username at any time, through "Account Settings". Keep in mind that any content you added previously will show your new username.

Q: I’ve already memorized my barcode. Can I use my barcode as a username?
A: No. You must log in using your library card barcode for your first time into BiblioCommons, at which time you will be prompted to choose a username. A username can’t consist entirely of numbers, so you cannot use your library card barcode as your username. Once you have set up a separate username, you can continue to sign in using either your username or your barcode as you prefer. Your username is how you will be identified within the system.

Q: How does this login/password relate to the login/password in the classic catalogue?
A: The new catalogue pulls your personal information from the classic catalogue, with the exception of your username. So if you change your PIN# using the classic catalogue, you’ll need to use your new PIN for the new catalogue.
NOTE: FSPL uses the last 4 digits of your phone number as your default PIN#. If you change phone numbers, you should always let the library know to update your information. Once it's updated, you should use the last 4 digits of your new phone number as your new PIN.  

Q: I’m having trouble logging in. What should I do?
A: If you’re logging in for the first time, you’ll need your library card barcode, and your PIN. The barcode is the number on the front of your SCL or FSPL library card. Unless you’ve changed it, your PIN will be the last four digits of your phone number. If you’ve already logged in successfully, you have a username, so you can log in with the username or barcode, and your PIN.

Q: Can I change my PIN to be more than four numbers?
A: No.

Q: I can’t remember my username. What do I do?
A: Log in with your library card barcode. When you’ve logged in successfully, your username will appear at the top of any page. If you want to change your username, click on “Account Settings” (also at the top of any page).

Q: I can’t remember my PIN. What do I do?
A: There’s a "Forgot your PIN?" link on the Login page. Enter either your username or your library card barcode, and click "Send". You’ll get an email with instructions on how to change your PIN. To use this feature, you need to have already registered. If you haven’t already registered, you’ll need to contact us to reset your PIN at 780.998.4275.

Q: Do you require an email address?
A: An email address is not required to use the new catalogue. You will be prompted to enter one for notifications, but it is not necessary to do so. If you would like help setting up an email account, we'd love to help you! Please ask at next time you visit the library, or contact us at 780.998.4275.

Transferring Lists

See Backup Instructions
Backup Instructions from Classic Catalogue
Backup Instructions from Catalogue Plus
Transfer Instructions (pdf)
NOTE: The examples shown in the transfer instructions are taken from the Strathcona County Library catalogue, but the  steps are identical for the FSPL catalogue.

From FSPL's Classic Catalogue
If you use the "My List" feature of FSPL's Classic Catalogue, you will be able to perform a one-time transfer of content from "My List" to "My Shelves" within the new FSPL Catalogue. Because this is a one-time only operation we will not be offering this feature until closer to our launch date.

In the meantime, you can prepare by making a copy of your "My List" content by either printing it out or emailing it to yourself.

From FSPL's Catalogue Plus
If you have content you would like to keep from the "Lists" feature within "My Discoveries" in FSPL's Catalogue Plus, you will need to print it out. The best way to do this is to select the titles you want by dragging your cursor across them, and then copying and pasting them into a word processing document, from which you can print.

Unfortunately, tags and reviews created within FSPL's Catalogue Plus are not transferable, and will no longer be available after Aug 31. We apologize for the inconvenience this will cause our avid users of "My Discoveries. AquaBrowser, our My Discoveries vendor, has told us it is considering adding an "export" feature to a future upgrade of their product.