Catalogue Tips
What versions of the catalogue are available?
How do I login for the first time?
What is my PIN?
How do I keep a history of items I have checked out?
How do I save my searches?
How do I import My Lists from the traditional catalogue?
What are RSS feeds? 
What versions of the catalogue are available?
Our catalogue lets you search for books, movies, music & more. If you have never logged in to the catalogue, you’ll need to register.
Registering lets you receive personalized recommendations, and lets you contribute your own ratings and reviews. Click here for more information on how to register for the first time.
The catalogue also has pages dedicated to:
VIRL Mobile
Connecting from a mobile device? Access our catalogue with VIRL Mobile and discover, borrow and keep track of all of your library needs in the palm of your hand.
You can also choose to download the VIRL mobile app on a iPhone / iPad / iPodtouch or Android device.
Traditional Catalogue
Our traditional catalogue is a lower-bandwidth version suitable for dialup.
Ebook and AudioBook catalogue
Click here for our ebook and audiobook services.
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How do I login for the first time?
Login to the catalogue with your Library card number and PIN. Choose a unique username. Your username will be visible when you add reviews and comments, share lists or take part in other social aspects of the catalogue. Click here for Login help.
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What is my PIN?
Your Personal Identification Number (PIN) is a 4 digit code unique to you. The default for this is usually the last 4 digits of your telephone number.
How do I keep a history of items I have signed out?
The Library does not keep records of your Borrowing without your direction to do so. When you enable the Recently Returned feature, we will gather a list of the titles you borrow. The content on your Recently Returned page is visible only to you.
Items will stay in this list until you decide to disable this feature.
Log in with your Library Card number and PIN. Click on Account settings from the top right of the screen and select Privacy.
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How do I save my searches?
If you periodically search for titles by the same author, or on the same subject, you can now save your search and run it again later.
Once logged in, you can save a search by clicking the Save Search link on the search results page. Give the search a name that will help you identify it later.
You can access the most recent saved searches at My VIRL or see all your saved searches under My Settings, and then click on Saved Searches.
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How do I import lists from the Traditional Catalogue?
You may want to import any saved lists you have created in the Traditional Catalogue once you start using the New Catalogue.
Note: You can only import your lists once and, once imported, the lists will not longer appear in the traditional catalogue. All imported lists will be grouped into one long list.
If you import a large number of titles, you will be prompted to come back to “later" to see results on the “For Later” Shelf.
How to import the lists:
- Login to the new Catalogue
- Click on "For Later" (found under My VIRL>My Shelves)
- Click on "Import List Items"
If you import a small number of titles, the import will happen immediately; otherwise, you may have to log in again to see the newly imported titles.
RSS Feeds 
What is RSS and what do I need to use it?
The letters RSS stand for "Really Simple Syndication". RSS Feeds are a means of staying current with the vast amount of information that exists on the internet. Instead of browsing web sites (such as the catalogue) for the latest information, the information (or feed) is sent directly to the user.
Why subscribe to an RSS feed in the catalogue?
RSS feeds allow you to keep up-to-date on new items added to the catalogue. Once you‘ve performed a search, click on the orange icon at the bottom of the page ( ) to capture the current search results as an RSS feed.
Examples of RSS feeds include…
- a new book by Michael Jones
-
a new travel book about England
How to get an RSS feed
1. Choose a reader:
There are many free readers available on the Internet. Here are a few:
Web-based
Microsoft Windows
Apple Mac OS
2. Subscribe to the Feed
To subscribe to an RSS feed, simply click on the icon for the feed you want, and you will be prompted to add the feed to the reader of your choice.
